Battle through the tourists on Oxford Street, slip down St Christopher’s Place and you’ll find Noreen - an elegant Middle Eastern haven. First impressions are everything and Noreen certainly is a looker, with cushion-filled window seats, butter yellow awning, and cascades of pink foliage from the flower boxes above. Step down into the sunken dining room and you’re greeted with softly curved walls, tasseled lampshades and candlelit nooks. Europe’s busiest shopping street is around the corner, but Noreen is unwaveringly calm.
The name means ‘two lights’ in Arabic, and the diverse menu flickers between the Arabian Peninsula and the Levant. We ease in with flatbreads and delicate avocado labneh, followed by a standout spinach salad, topped with sweet dates to contrast a rich, truffle dressing. Mushroom kubbe dumplings are less exciting, but quickly forgotten when a za’atar and cheese flatbread descends on the table like a golden flying saucer. Still hot from the tandoor, it releases little puffs of steam as we tear into the crispy crusts - a definite must-order.
Noreen has been a delicious, meat-free affair thus far, but we’re tempted by a Minqala-grilled chicken tawook, topped with chilli-cumin crisp. It doesn’t quite live up to the billing, but it’s cooked beautifully nonetheless, and delicious smothered in velvety garlic toum. Things pick up again when a hearty bowl of mandi - braised lamb shoulder with smoked rice - arrives with a little jug of braising jus, which we douse over in its entirety. The slow-cooked lamb pulls apart with ease and the savoury rice is spiked with crispy shallots - it’s a triumph.
To finish, kunafa with pistachio cremeux and orange blossom ice cream hits all the right notes: sweet, salty, crispy, fragrant - it’s everything you want in a finale.
Noreen manages to seamlessly blend tradition with contemporary. The food feels authentically Middle Eastern but polished for a London audience, interiors are sleek without being overthought, and the service is rooted in warmth and respect. Next time you find yourself on Oxford Street - hot, flustered and peckish - do yourself a favour: head to Noreen for a moment of respite.