La Sophia

Mediterranean charm meets Portobello chic at West London restaurant, La Sophia, providing fine dining with a full halal menu.

Claiming to be the only French menu in London that’s entirely halal, La Sophia is a family-run restaurant in Notting Hill which opened in 2010. Head chef, Ali, boasts an impressive CV having worked at the iconic Ottolenghi, as well as top restaurants across the globe from as far flung as France and Tel Aviv to Canada, not to mention working alongside world-class Michelin chefs, Chris Galvin and the infamous Gordon Ramsay. I was excited, therefore, to experience the workings of his magic at La Sophia.

The restaurant is nuzzled among Golborne Road’s well-known bric-a-brac stores and cafes, so sits in a lively part of town by day. After dark however, things are somewhat quieter and perhaps not the most obvious spot to stumble across an idyllic fine-dining experience such as this. Understated and non-pretentious, stepping through the doors at La Sophia transported me to a cosy, authentic setting that is filled with character and Middle Eastern charm. I was greeted with candle-lit tables and gentle background music, providing an ideal romantic setting without any ugly clichés. My Sunday evening visit was on the quieter side of things however, so I’d recommend giving Friday or Saturday night a bash to see her in all her glory.

While there, I was treated to La Sophia’s taster menu. Starters ranged from £6.75 to a not–so-modest £13.95. The varied selection will please most, with Escargot for those who fancy sampling the more daring side of traditional French cuisine. I opted for the Jerusalem artichoke soup with roasted shallots and white truffle oil which was a creamy delight; though rich, it served as a manageable portion. Bread was extra but not needed, as the soup had great texture and was relatively filling for a first course. I was shown an international wine list, starting from £17.95 for a French Sauvignon Blanc, which I opted for – not the cheapest but very good wine and worth the extra pennies.

For the main, I threw caution to the wind and tried rabbit for the very first time. I wasn’t disappointed as I sampled the immaculately presented and beautifully cooked Rabbit Crown, served with a delicious potato dauphinoise and asparagus. The additional touch of sweet, crispy onion was also a firm favourite. If I was to criticise anything, I felt the main dishes could have been slightly hotter in temperature. I definitely saved the best till last with the crispy skin sea bass which was juicy, full of flavour and served with quinoa and a lemon buerre blanc. Prices range from £12.75 for an aubergine, ratatouille and goat cheese dish (unfortunately, the only vegetarian main course on the menu) to £21.95 for the very tempting flame-grilled rib-eye steak.

The dessert menu included an assortment of sorbets (£5.50), marinated pineapple with coconut sorbet (£5.50), and a selection of French and British cheeses (£9). After much deliberation, I chose the Apple Tarte Tatin (£7) which was served with vanilla ice cream. After the rich sauces of the main course, this fruity option was a welcome palette cleanser. The sweet caramelised apple was perfectly moist, although the base was slightly tough and challenging to get a fork through. Their delectable warm chocolate fondant (£5.50), again served with vanilla ice cream, went down a treat with a perfectly oozing chocolate centre.

Waiters here are friendly, welcoming and attentive without being intrusive. Paying a little extra at La Sophia is not so difficult when they tick all the boxes in terms of going the extra mile; wine glasses are always topped up, water refilled and plates cleared away promptly. Although slightly pricier than your average, you get what you pay for in terms of overall experience: a stylish restaurant without the usual stiffness.

French halal restaurants of this calibre are few and far between in London, a gap in the market that La Sophia has managed to fill with elegant application. Here, the chefs make world class contemporary French-Mediterranean cuisine both appealing and accessible to the wider community. Reinventing traditional French dishes with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern twists, it is La Sophia’s modesty that makes this restaurant so inviting. I’d certainly go back again tomorrow if I could.

Pulling up onto the nondescript Golborne road, my expectations plummeted and I wished we'd asked the taxi driver to stop five minutes earlier – in Notting Hill. As it was, we hadn't; we had carried on North-West and we were in Westbourne Park. A few could-be-anywhere shops were peppered around us and the droning sound of engines from the nearby Westway A40 were still audible. We should have gone to the Gilgamesh after all.

“What's this place called again?” I asked my elder sister as my younger sister walked off in, what turned out to be, completely the wrong direction.

“La Sophia,” she replied.

“Ah there it is!” I said and pointed across the road.

With its black and gold tipped exterior combined with a February evening's natural light, La Sophia didn't jump out at us. This isn't a restaurant that you would wander into from the street, rather like the Harry Potter Room of Requirement, you have to be seeking it out to find it.

When taking this photo, I still wasn't convinced, but on entering my spirits lifted. The interior of La Sophia, with its antique mirrors, smooth dark beams and mood lighting, provided the perfect dining aesthetic.

A warm, friendly and slightly nervous (it was only his third week) waiter approached and handed us the menus.

“Oh my god,” my elder sister gasped, her face contorted with angst.

“What? What?” I asked.

“They only serve non-alcoholic wine.”

This news really was concerning. But looking left towards the kitchen there was shelf upon shelf of spirits; why would they display it and then not serve it? What type of sick joke was this? I took the menu from my sister, who was sinking further and further into the midst of an anxiety episode, and leafed through as she called the waiter back over and started quizzing him on where the nearest off-license was.

“Laura!”

“Yes.”

“You were on the non-alcoholic page. There's loads of wine.”

Awash with relief, but nervous that this news wasn't going to last, she quickly ordered a bottle of Argentinian Malbec and slowly regained a normal breathing pattern. The wine arrived and was fantastically rich, full and spicy. With it safely on the table, we allowed ourselves to look at the food options – after I had taken this artistic shot.

The only French restaurant in London to have a completely Halal menu, we were torn between having starters and mains, or mains and puddings. We were heading onward to SupperClub to watch our brother box and after a few minutes of deliberation we decided that for this we really needed to line our stomachs – so we went for all three. And each of these three courses were absolutely – I had completely and utterly the wrong first impression about this place – fantastic.

Starter: (Laura, Bex and Claudia)

Oven-roasted aubergine with fried halloumi, chilli, lemon garlic & mixed baby leaf salad(£6.95)

Starter: (Me)

Fried calamari with lemon & chilli tartar sauce (£6.95)

Main: (Laura, Bex and Claudia)

Flame-grilled ribeye steak with Cafe de Paris butter & hand cut chips (£21.95)

Main: (Me)

Stuffed free range chicken breast with mushroom duxelles, creamy mash potato & truffle veloute (£14.95)

Pudding: (Laura)

Apple tarte tatin with vanilla ice cream (£7)

Pudding: (Bex)

Marinated pineapple with sweet spice, coconut sorbet & passion fruit (£5.50)

Pudding: (Claudia and I)

Warm chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream (£5.50)

And one more snap that would make fondant maker extraordinaire Raymond Blanc proud:

Absolutely out of this world good

Undoubtedly the best meal I have had so far this year, La Sophia may be slightly off the beaten track, but it is a track that is well worth getting to. In London affordable fine-dining is a rare commodity, so get down to La Sophia while it lasts, because once the crowds hear about this, prices will rocket.

Food: ***** Service **** Wine **** Price ££

46 Golborne Road, London W10 5PR (off Portobello Rd)
Telephone 020 8968 2200

For pictures go to: The Audley Chronicle