Imad's Syrian Kitchen

Perched on the top floor of Kingly Court, Imad’s Syrian Kitchen inhabits the plot that once belonged to Asma Khan and Darjeeling Express, not just spatially but also spiritually. Imad’s has the same buzz and excitement as Darjeeling had before it - a vibe that carries through the food into a communal joviality. Tables are close together, and the noise is just a decibel or two above the optimal level. It’s a great atmosphere, but perhaps not ideal if you’re planning a serious catch up with a pal.

The menu is split into mezze and main courses, so we dive into the former with hummus and puffy pittas like mini footballs, which let out a sigh of steam when we tear into them. The signature falafels are serious business too - perhaps the best we’ve ever had in London, with a thick, sesame-laced crunch and perfectly-seasoned, soft innards.

The portions are decent, though, and before we can get through any of the mezze plates, chicken thighs and lamb koftas have emerged from the kitchen, the former reclining on a bed of bulgur wheat, and the latter in a bath of tomato sauce. We expect we won’t be the last people who find themselves desperately stacking plates and reorganising drinks to find space for new plates - that’s either part of the fun or slightly aggravating, depending on your outlook. The mains are very enjoyable too, though they’re perhaps missing a little spark of something to make them truly memorable.

The final highlight comes at the very end, with Syrian pistachio ice cream - a very specific thing, made with mastic to give it a chewy texture and served with a candy floss halva that provides sweetness. It’s clever, and delicious, perhaps our favourite thing of the whole meal.

Imad’s recent Bib Gourmand is likely to keep punters coming through the doors for some months yet - based on our visit, we reckon plenty will become regular customers.

The long-time project of Imad Alarnab who fled Syria is 2015 and came to London, Imad's Syrian Kitchen's first permanent site joins fashionable joints such as The Good Egg and Shoryu Ramen at Soho's fashionable Kingly Court. Alarnab previously owned and ran a number of restaurants in Damascus but by 2014, the city had become so war-torn that his small restaurant empire was destroyed. Since leaving Syria, he has spent his time cooking for hundreds of refugees in Calais and running a series of pop-ups in London. However, Imad's Syrian Kitchen is Alarnab's first bricks-and-mortar site in the UK and first new opening full stop for over half a decade.

The restaurant, based on the top floor of the bustling Kingly Court development, the bright restaurant isn't an overly formal affair. The space features a number of wooden tables and chairs spread around, while the black beams above add a bit of character, and the plain white walls play host to a number of photos of Alarnab's past. The odd section of patterned tiling and the colourful dishes that the food comes served in bring a touch of Damascus to Imad's Syrian Kitchen.

In terms of the food offering at the restaurant, the menu consists of an array of Syrian mezze dishes designed to be shared. Expect classic Middle Eastern dishes such as hummus and Alarnab's famous falafel, as well as other plates such as crispy baby aubergine stuffed with lamb and a watermelon, halloumi and za’atar salad. In terms of drinks, there will be a range of soft drinks on offer as well as wine by both the bottle and glass. £1 from every bill at Imad's Syrian Kitchen will also be donated to Choose Love, a refugee charity, meaning that everyone eating here will be helping a worthy cause.