Noura Central

They didn't even have our booking on their system! Fortunately it was early enough and they found room for us. The food was lovely but the bill came to about £50 a head for a few small plates of food which I thought was a bit steep …

Walking out of Noura last night after a good few hours of food and drink is a bit of a mixed affair. The restaurant scores pretty well on authenticity and flavour of food and the surroundings are as you would expect; cosily Middle Eastern with choice luxury elements such as the eye-catching centrepiece chandalier and various buys from the souks. But and its an unfortunate but, this sensory experience is somewhat reduced by a lack of service and attention.

To put this little gripe in context, it only affected our table three times during the whole evening and therefore not something I would hold on to, especially as when we were served it was courteous to a reasonable degree. But on this occasion is worth pointing out for two reasons. 1) It would be easily understood were it a Friday or Saturday night with bustling tables across the venue, but it was not. It was Monday night at 7pm, with around 40% of covers occupied . 2) Lack of attention was not due to lack of servers, in fact there was an army of waiting staff but they seemed more interested in catching up on each others weekend antics than keeping an eye on tables.

All in all, an inexcusable gaffe, but one that was saved from ruining the evening by the wonderful company I was in and the timely arrival of our many delicious and well made dishes. This is, I fear, the saving grace of the restaurant and the foundation for repeat customers wanting a quick and knowingly hearty meal. But one that is not unique and can be found at many Lebanese restaurants including Fakhreldine and more upmarket Levant. Noura should take note before its not too late, as we know what complacency can do to a restaurant, especially in the current economic climate.

I've been to Noura Central for the first time with 3 of my friends, the restaurant was almost full. We asked the waiter to make his own selection for us from the starters which was really outstanding, fresh and tasty. (Fresh bread from the oven is amazing fro dipping)
The service staff were very attentive, helpful and polite. The toilets were very clean and tidy.
I will definetly go back to Noura Central.

Had a pre theatre dinner here the other evening. The restaurant was empty but filled up quickly by 7pm. The service was attentive but not intrusive, and the staff were helpful and knowledgeable about the menu and wine list. We chose the set menu which despite not looking like a lot of food on paper turned out to be a feast and by dessert I was thinking I may be asleep by the end of the play! The food was excellent and well timed, the smaller meze style dishes were delicious only to be followed by tender and juicy meat skewers which were equally delicious. All in all a great meal, authentic surroundings and lovely staff.