The humble kebab has somehow become the dish of the moment: Rupert Street’s white-hot The Palomar serves a deconstructed version, while chef Lee Tiernan triggered a kebab frenzy in Highbury with Black Axe Mangal. The latest development is Soho newcomer Le Bab, which opened quietly over Christmas and boasts an ex-Le Gavroche kitchen team. We popped in for dinner earlier this week – find out just how kebabulous Le Bab is right here.
Hidden away in a third-floor corner of Kingly Court, this compact kebab shrine is dedicated to giving the nation’s favourite twilight meal a gourmet makeover. With a semi-open kitchen and small dining room, a fiery scent of meat and charcoal permeates in promise of what’s to come. Head chef Manuel Canales Garcés was formerly the sous at Le Gavroche and it shows: kebabs arrive open, smoky meats are adorned with the likes of blackberry and chilli jam, squash hummus and cavolo nero kimchi, all piled atop crisp, homemade flatbreads.
Perhaps surprisingly, the barbecue paneer kebab was the highlight on our visit, slathered with a playful mix of curry mayonnaise and beetroot purée but retaining a crisp edge via mini discs of fried onions. Other choices include chicken shish, with toum (garlic sauce prepared in-house) and biber (chilli pepper), while the roe deer adana reveals a bitter edge and hefty spice kick. The pig’s head kebab with kohlrabi and molasses sauce is made for sharing, while a pair of lokma (syrup-smothered sweet dough) doughnuts to start ooze a sumptuous chicken liver parfait. Intense flavours are matched by equally full-throttle cocktails (think mezcal and Laphroaig blended with walnut syrup) but, this being kebabs, London Beer Factory bevvies are a must. At an average price of £12 per ‘bab this isn’t cheap as chips, and the thin breads become dry and hard once cool – we suggest ordering kebabs one at a time.
Sit at the kitchen’s concrete counter for the full flame spectacle, although any seat here guarantees an energetic experience thanks to a youthful crowd, poppy playlist and smiling, bustling staff. With a mixture of walk-in tables and reservations available, this is one hot newcomer which you may actually be able to get a seat at.
Read more about the team behind Le Bab Soho or discover the bars and restaurants opening next in London.
This article was published 22 January 2016