A filling experience

There's no way I can tell you exactly what we ate at Levantine, the new little sibling to Wigmore Street's Levant. I could spiel through the 22 small dishes we sampled, but you'd shrivel with boredom before I got halfway through. Rather as I did during the meal itself.

This atmospheric (read: reeking of joss sticks) little number near Paddington Station only offers set menus at dinner. Now I can eat, but 22 dishes (and I'm only counting the many puds - baklava, fresh fruit, stuffed dates, Turkish delight - as one course) are just too much. Especially since many of them weren't quite up to scratch. Breads, usually a highlight of Middle Eastern fare, were dry and perfunctory; muhammara - that gorgeously rich, nut and pepper dip - was weirdly overprocessed into a paste; falafels were leaden; and grilled meats lacked succulence.

There are intriguing dishes, like Firreh (grilled quail with cinnamon), and kaftas of both lamb and chicken were good. And, as is the case with meze, vegetarians are spoiled for choice.

But wave after wave, brought with great ceremony on raised, round trays by sweet-natured staff, numbed our tastebuds and deadened the pleasure. I'd go again, with vegetarian pals, and order the meal for two for four of us. Or try lunch, when you can order what you like.

Levantine
26 London Street, W2 1HH