Yalla Yalla

Having taken Soho by storm, Yalla Yalla is now peddling its funky Beirut street food to the frenetic hordes of tourists & shoppers mingling around Oxford Circus. The new hangout is less claustrophobic than the pint-sized Green Court original, with big open spaces, rustic benches & heavy wood tables lit by dangling tubular lamps. By contrast, the menu is much as before, with a
host of mezze topping the bill for value, nourishment & authenticity: fattoush, tabbouleh & falafel share the limelight with batata harra (spicy potatoes with red pepper, coriander & chilli) or sawda djej (sautéed chicken livers with garlic & pomegranate molasses). There are also a few larger platefuls for those who want to pig out – anything from veggie moussaka to char-grilled chicken shawarma with pickles, sumac onion salad & vermicelli rice. Meanwhile, flatbreads & wraps are the stars in the takeaway stakes.