Leila restaurant has been dishing up Moroccan and Lebanese dishes for locals in the west London suburb of Ealing from its convenient position on the Uxbridge road for the last two years. I’ve been asked along to review and having been to a few Lebanese restaurants recently I’m keen to see how they differentiate their offer.
The interior feels atmospheric and with live music on Friday and Saturday nights Leila has the feel of somewhere that could be a lot of fun. But I’ve come in early evening on a Monday when things are a bit more sedate and had a good look at the varied menu whilst enjoying a glass of very drinkable Lebanese Chateau Heritage 2014 Blanc de Blancs (£17.95), a blend of Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Viognier that had a good balance of acidity, body and a touch of sweetness.
We started with a sharing platter of Lebanese dips (£11.95). For me the starters are always the highlight of any Lebanese meal. They are the epitomé of what contemporary small plate dining is about, being light, full of flavour and texture without too much emphasis on meat. We tasted a delicious hummus, a tabbouleh that had a terrific parsley crunch. There was a classic Greek style aubergine moussaka, some herbed olives and Levantine style pickles, but my favourite was the Moutabal, roast aubergine with its signature deep smoky taste punctured by the sweet/sour flavour of pomegranate seeds. I could have eaten this all day! For her mains her Ladyship had the Mix Mashawi (£13.50)- a mixed grill of chicken, lamb and minced lamb cooked over charcoal and attractively served with a spiced flatbread, salad and a mountain of chips. She loved the chicken which was moist and full of flavour but found the lamb kebabs a bit tough.
I went for the sea bass tagine, a Moroccan style hotpot with the fish baked in a rich tomato sauce, with the tang of preserved lemon and herbs (£ 13.50).
Served with a really attractive bed of couscous the fish felt rather swamped in the tomato sauce but still had a good flavour and texture. Raspberry and mango sorbet (£3.95) was a light and refreshing way to end the meal but probably didn’t need the extra dusting of sugar as it was quite sweet already.
I’d love some more of the Lebanese restaurant owners to serve the mains dishes in smaller tapas style servings and without the huge plates of carbohydrates that accompany. These could still be available as sides. There are a few places doing it now and it seems like a smart and healthy way forward. The food is ideally suited to that style and is so delicious it would allow customers to try more dishes. But I really enjoyed my meal at Leila which delivered just what you want from a local restaurant, good food reasonably priced with friendly service and may just have to come back on the weekend to see how lively it does get!
Dr Adrian York is a musician, academic and writer specialising in opera, theatre and restaurant reviews as well as writing and broadcasting about popular culture. He studied music under Jonathan Harvey at the University of Sussex and then at the Guildhall School of Music and brings unparalleled expertise to his craft.
With a day job lecturing in music at the University of Westminster and playing the piano at night at London’s Groucho Club, Dr York is a prize-winning writer with many articles published in London Unattached, The Independent, The Huffington Post and The Conversation as well as being a regular interviewee on the BBC.
Contact Adrian@London-Unattached.com
Comments
Stevie Wilsonsays
What a lovely meal! What’s not to love about this one!
Leila restaurant has been dishing up Moroccan and Lebanese dishes for locals in the west London suburb of Ealing from its convenient position on the Uxbridge road for the last two years. I’ve been asked along to review and having been to a few Lebanese restaurants recently I’m keen to see how they differentiate their offer.
For her mains her Ladyship had the Mix Mashawi (£13.50)- a mixed grill of chicken, lamb and minced lamb cooked over charcoal and attractively served with a spiced flatbread, salad and a mountain of chips. She loved the chicken which was moist and full of flavour but found the lamb kebabs a bit tough.
What a lovely meal! What’s not to love about this one!