Pascor

Kensington’s Pascor has been reinvented - the broad Aegean-theme has gone, replaced by a modern Levantine theme. If you’re thinking this sounds very London circa 2015, well, that’s fair, but Pascor has an ace up their sleeve - former Palomar head chef Tomer Amedi - to oversee the menu here. Amedi made The Palomar into one of London’s most thrilling restaurants a few years ago, so his return to London is something to be excited about.

Pascor calls itself an ‘urban oasis’ - this might be a bit far from the mark as it’s right on Kensington High Street, but the interiors are pleasant and calm, with indoor palms bringing the oasis vibes alongside emerald green arm chairs. A seat at the windows is a lovely place to watch the world go by.

The menu will be familiar to fans of Amedi’s Palomar days - there’s lots of cooking over smoke and fire, and there are undoubtedly some hits here. We broke our self-imposed rule of never ordering more than one bread course for the delightful challah with whipped za’atar butter and smoked black tahini - the first was devoured, and the second was required to mop the harissa-spiked juices of the hot stone prawns, which melded sweet, succulent prawn with a rich, buttery tomato sauce. Two scallops arrived with a lovely sear, on a bed of charred leek cream, topped with the crunch and gentle heat of merguez gremolata. Dessert wasn’t winning any prizes for subtlety - a hefty lump of chocolate and tahini cremeux, with milk and pistachio crumble and a blueberry sauce - but it sure was delicious.

We applaud the focus on Levantine wines too. All in all, we didn’t eat a bad dish on the night, but equally, we weren’t blown away by anything either. That may not be a reflection on Pascor - we live in a post-Ottolenghi, post-Palomar world after all; there was a time when soft, silky aubergine, black tahini and pine nuts would have set London aflame - now it’s just an average weekday dinner.

Pascor is a fire-focused Levantine restaurant in Kensington from Tomer Amedi, who was previously the head chef and co-founder of The Palomar. The next concept from the Jerusalem-born chef revolves around the concept of cooking over hot flames to create dishes that are rich in smoky flavour, alongside a drinks list of exciting cocktails and explorative Levantine wines. 

Pascor means ‘to indulge’ in Latin, which is reflected in a menu rich in luxurious flavours and ingredients. Putting a modern spin on classic combinations, Amedi’s menu kicks off with a dish called Breaking Bread, which sees Samneh challah served with whipped za’atar butter and smoked black tahini. From there, signature dishes are divided into sea, land and garden, and includes things like kombu-wrapped halibut with pickled kohlrabi, tarragon and chilli almonds, charcoaled wagyu skirt with bone marrow, pomegranate and a coriander and watercress chimichurri, as well as burnt aubergine with black tahini, pine nuts, pickled tomatoes, mint and capers. 

Desserts also offer a vibrant take on a classic. Chocolate and tahini cremeux with a pistachio crumble and blueberry sauce offers an inventive twist on a British crumble, for example. Meanwhile, Pascor’s cocktail menu features creations like the White Turkish, which mixes cardamom-infused vodka, Turkish coffee, cream and kahlua. Finally, the wine list has been curated by Amedi with a focus on Levantine wine-making regions. 

Pascor spans two floors, seating 50 covers inside with a combination of intimate booths and long sharing tables. There is a large open kitchen downstairs and a small terrace with five tables, while an additional bar on the first floor is ideal for more relaxed dining and drinks. The upstairs dining room features a huge arched window, bathing the space in natural light and creating a bright and inviting space to dine.