When work gets tough, August monsoons over my bank holiday weekend and the news is full of doom, gloom and Syria, all, really, that there is left for me to do is eat. And certainly, nothing turns that metaphorical frown upside down faster than a smashingly awesome platter of food. Preferably with portions on the larger side. Accordingly, I turned my sad belly to Tony Kitous and his restaurant, Levant, Wigmore Street, London, to revive me from my gloom.
I’ve never met a man more impassioned about Lebanese food than Tony. He’s on a mission to bring home style Lebanese cooking to the mainstream UK and opened Levant in 2000, following it closely with the acclaimed Comptoir Libanais restaurants that now sprinkle London. Hearing Tony talk about food makes me forget my deadlines, botched romances and inspires me, simply, to happy appetite.
Set in a beautiful Middle Eastern underground dining room with cushioned, private nooks bejewelling its corners, it beams Eastern welcome by candlelight. It feels….like a home far more exotic than my couch in Clapham and has perhaps a couple more belly dancers. Faced with this, a stiff vodka with mint and a generous menu, my troubles melted, feasting commenced.
I’ve never met a man more impassioned about Lebanese food than Tony. He’s on a mission to bring home style Lebanese cooking to the mainstream UK and opened Levant in 2000, following it closely with the acclaimed Comptoir Libanais restaurants that now sprinkle London. Hearing Tony talk about food makes me forget my deadlines, botched romances and inspires me, simply, to happy appetite.
Set in a beautiful Middle Eastern underground dining room with cushioned, private nooks bejewelling its corners, it beams Eastern welcome by candlelight. It feels….like a home far more exotic than my couch in Clapham and has perhaps a couple more belly dancers. Faced with this, a stiff vodka with mint and a generous menu, my troubles melted, feasting commenced.
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First, cold mezze. Hommus both plain and with lamb plus raisins, baba ghannuge (smoky augbergine dip) and a fabulous courgette dip with lemon and garlic, Koossa bil tahine. All with exquisite pittas baked on site, balloon shaped, emitting steam when popped. The table groaned again with sautéed chicken livers in pomegranate molasses, Armenian sausages sautéed in tomato, amazing chicken wings with crispy, salty skins, falafel, spicy potatoes and a multitude of tasty filled parcels. A surprising highlight was a salad (yes, a salad) of baby gem, parsley, mint and radish in a sharp lemon dressing.
With not a glimmer of table space remaining, stacks were raised of varied, spiced and juicy kebabs, scented rice and a ridiculous 8 hour roasted lamb shoulder with figs, prunes, dates and apricots and couscous, undulating off the bone with that marvellous slither that only slow cooked meat possesses.
With not a glimmer of table space remaining, stacks were raised of varied, spiced and juicy kebabs, scented rice and a ridiculous 8 hour roasted lamb shoulder with figs, prunes, dates and apricots and couscous, undulating off the bone with that marvellous slither that only slow cooked meat possesses.
 Undulating Lamb |  Groaning tables… |  Puffed pita |
Groaning and bulging, manfully we dived into baklawa, Turkish delight and fresh fruit chilled, glistening and dressed with orange blossom, before retiring into both deep contentment and the night.
Now September beckons, bringing with it cold winds, surely more botched romances and probably winter cellulite. But for feasts served with love and generosity, enablers of cheer and banishers of gloom, head to Levant and, simply, eat.
Jason Court, 76 Wigmore St, London, Greater London W1U 2SJ
020 7224 1111
http://www.levant.co.uk
And to learn how to cook these marvellous things, check out Tony’s new book Comptoir Libanais by Tony Kitous and Dan Lepard!
Now September beckons, bringing with it cold winds, surely more botched romances and probably winter cellulite. But for feasts served with love and generosity, enablers of cheer and banishers of gloom, head to Levant and, simply, eat.
Jason Court, 76 Wigmore St, London, Greater London W1U 2SJ
020 7224 1111
http://www.levant.co.uk
And to learn how to cook these marvellous things, check out Tony’s new book Comptoir Libanais by Tony Kitous and Dan Lepard!
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