Rating
Cuisine
Lebanese & Moroccan
In A Word
“Au-courant”
Just off of Curzon Street in Mayfair, the Mamounia Lounge offers something a little different from your ‘regular’ West London dining experience. Claiming to be a ‘Middle Eastern sanctuary of elegance and class’, the recently refurbished branch serves up an exciting mix of exotic cocktails and authentic Lebanese and Moroccan dishes, right in the heart of the city.
Whether you’re a fan of fine dining or sparkling champagne this diverse venue has a little something for everyone.
The Food
Starters
We started off with a combination of hot and cold mezze dishes…
As a big fan of halloumi cheese my eyes were automatically drawn to the Mamounia Arayes (homemade pitta bread filled with halloumi cheese, fresh mint and dried chillies). We accompanied this with the Hummus Shawarma (hummus with marinated lamb) and the Batata Harra (fried potatoes with peppers, coriander, garlic and fresh chilli).
The Hummus Shawarma in particular was creamy, full of taste and had the right amount of spices to give it that added kick. The Batata Harra worked perfectly with the Hummus and was incredibly moreish without being too filling. Alongside these dishes, we also had the Warak Inab (homemade vine leaves stuffed with rice, tomato, onion and parsley) and some of the Labneh (Lebanese yoghurt served with cucumber and fresh mint).
What really surprised me was the size of the portions. Priced between £6 – £8 per dish, they were definitely worth every penny. Perfect for sharing, you could easily go all out with the enticing array of Middle Eastern staples they have available. The majority of the dishes were vegetarian friendly, and were just as exciting as the meaty options. I definitely recommend the Labneh dip, it tasted good on almost everything and was incredibly smooth on the palate.
Mains
For our mains we went for the Mixed Grill (skewers of chicken, lamb and kafta) and the Shoulder of Lamb / Lamb Meshoui…
I only have one word for the Shoulder of Lamb, and that is ‘wow’. Having been slowly roasted for 8 hours and marinated in Moroccan spices,the dish epitomised the venue. It was rich, it was tender and it just looked incredible. Served with fresh dates, oranges and apricots the chef obviously took a lot of time on it and it certainly paid off.
The same (sadly) cannot be said about the Mixed Grill. Although still delicious, at £18 you expect a little bit more from the dish. It would, however, work really well alongside other dishes on the menu as the portion is quite small. Accompanied with a side helping of the Mamounia Special Rice (brown rice fried with chermoula, garlic butter, peppers, pine nuts and parsley) I was sufficiently full by the end of it and barely had any room for dessert.
Overall, I was incredibly impressed with the effort that was put into the dishes and just how tasty they were. There wasn’t a lengthy waiting time and when the dishes did arrive they were beautifully presented and were full of flavour.
The Drinks
As a bit of a cocktail connoisseur I have to say I was really impressed…
I found it really difficult to choose, with choices including the Mamounia Du Jour (a recipe that can change depending on your bartenders mood) and the Prince of Sahara (a fun and fruity mix in partnership with the Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity).
I was recommended a Black Caiproviska which definitely didn’t disappoint. A mixture of fresh berries, lime and Absolut Kurant with a dash of white sugar to give it that added touch. Delicious! If cocktails aren’t really your thing, they also had an extensive list of wines, gins, bourbons…
The Verdict
A genuine surprise.The food was fresh, filling and was worth the fairly steep prices! Kudos to the chef on the Shoulder of Lamb in particularly…
The staff were friendly, approachable and knew what they were talking about without being too pushy. The décor inside was beautiful and created a really calm ambiance that fitted the evening and the food as a whole.
Perfect for a mid-week catch up with friends or that all important first date. Even if you’re just popping in for one of their tasty cocktails, it’s definitely worth a visit if you are in the area!
The Details
A: 37A Curzon Street, Mayfair, London W1J 7TX
P: 0207 629 2211
W: http://www.mamounialounge.com/
F: https://www.facebook.com/MamouniaLoungeMayfair
T: @Mamounialounge