Thursday 28 January 2010

Comptoir Libanais - Wigmore St W1

Thanks to the recommendation of my savvy friend Rob I had  lunch today at Comptoir Libanais, a Lebanese inspired restaurant in Wigmore St.  This is one of (I think) four branches and I am going to lobby for them to open a 5th in Soho because this place rocks!  We shared a plate of chicken sambousseks - tasty little pastries filled with shredded chicken, walnuts and sumac (a spice made from dried and ground berries as I learnt today) which were divine.  Seriously I could eat these every day, they were that good.  Then on to pumpkin kibbehs - roasted pumpkin parcels with a mix of walnuts and pomegranate molasses.  Are you salivating yet?  Because I am as I remember it.  The best was next though - a lamb kofta wrap.  Oh the joy of this simple looking wrap - tender spiced minced lamb mixed with hummus (or hommos?), pickled cucumber and tomato, in a warm, slightly crispy wholemeal flatbread.  I have run out of superlatives - but these were amazing.  Rob had told me that the coffee here was pretty good and you know what, just to seal my new found love for this place the coffee WAS pretty good.  OK not Aussie/Kiwi barista, Milk Bar standard but not far off.  It was a little too hot but the milk was nicely steamed and it was strong and tasty.  Accompanied by some traditional middle eastern sweets, this was a great way to finish the meal - if (or should I say when) you visit Comptoir, have the hadath - layered filo pastry with walnuts.  Sugary, nutty deliciousness.  I am so stoked that I have discovered Comptoir - I will be making the trek from Soho to Wigmore Street pretty regularly from now on - I need to eat a lamb kofta wrap at least once a week.

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