I have had my eye on this bright little eatery for some time now and grabbed the opportunity to go for a quick lunch. The overall vibe is Ottolenghi-esque with the subtle spicing and generous flavours you’d expect from “Eastern Mediterranean” cuisine. We arrived at 12 noon to a completely empty restaurant, but it soon filled up both inside and out, with fashionistas, suits, and everything in between. The restaurant is airy, understated, and casual, and we are immediately made to feel welcome by our waitress.
The food:
The restaurant recommends a vegetarian dish and a main dish each. The portions are generous, and we found 4 plates in total, to share, was more than enough for a lunch for two. It’s worth mentioning the cocktails (ahem, I tried two but for review purposes only of course) were also fresh, creative, and went very well with the food.
Hummus and pita: I’m not going to bore you with flowery details. The hummus and pita tasted like (you’ve guessed it) hummus and pita. The crispy onions garnishing the hummus feature heavily on the menu and were absolutely delicious.
Figs with goats cheese, caramelised onions, bitter leaves, smokey almonds, and plum vinaigrette. Delicious! Tangy dressing paired perfectly with the goats cheese and figs (baked figs are one of my many weaknesses!) Loved the crunch of the almonds and the sweet silky onions. A large portion that works better as a sharing plate for two.
Charred cauliflower, lemon infused creme fraiche, pomegranate molasses and seeds. Another very typical flavour profile for food from this region – the cauliflower (very delicately spiced) is given some much needed acidity with the molasses and creme fraiche. Another large portion and great for sharing.
Whole poussin, deboned and glazed with ras el hanout and honey, grilled over charcoal and served with roasted sweet potato. The last time I visited Morocco, I loved the Ras El Hanout spice mix so much that I tried to bring back half a kilo of the stuff with me and they confiscated it at the airport. I adore these spices particularly paired with honey; this poussin dish was the standout dish for me and the one I most highly recommend. Well balanced, not overly spiced, and the sweet potato went perfectly with the crispy, charred meat. You could share this plate but you probably won’t want to.
King prawns in Za’atar, with charred red peppers, crispy kale, and paprika aioli. I’m a big fan of za’atar (if you’ve never had it, buy some, sprinkle it over any protein you like before cooking, and thank me later). This dish was very subtle, smoky from the paprika aioli, sweet from the slow roasted peppers, and with great texture from the crispy kale. Absolutely delicious, but once you’ve had that poussin, not much else compares!
My parting thoughts:
Delamina is doing so many things right. The staff are very friendly, the menu is full of things you want to eat (I’ve already earmarked the turkey shawarma for next time) and there are also many delicious sounding vegetarian plates (would love to try the courgette next time around) so whatever your preferences, you won’t be missing out.
Sabrina Goodlife