Awards pick out feasts of the east

Middle eastern cuisine is set to bring the ancient culinary delights of Lebanese and Persian cooking to more and more Londoners. For the first time it has its own category in the London Restaurant Awards, reflecting its growing influence.

And, according to one of the judges, ES critic Charles Campion, Londoners will soon be discovering dishes like baba ganoush, tabbouleh, fatoush and falafel for themselves. "It's going to become more popular because it is essentially a healthy and delicious cuisine," he says. "There's a wonderful emphasis on bread and fresh green herbs - and freshness in Middle Eastern cuisine means dew-fresh.

"The other main feature is grilled meats, so it's food that is really good for you."

Until now Middle Eastern cuisine in London has mainly catered for the large Arab community, particularly along the Edgware Road. But more and more restaurants are springing up around the capital. Lebanese food writer Anessa Helou, who wrote the definitive cookbook Lebanese Cuisine, thinks one of its primary appeals is that it is based on the concept of "grazing" over a meze - a mixture of starter-sized dishes.

"You get lots of little bits of different things on the table and everyone can share them," she says. "The main qualities people can expect are freshness and variety. And it's very pretty, a bit like Japanese food, with a strong emphasis on presentation. I think it is the last undiscovered food fad." Finalists in the category join contenders for best British, French, Italian, Indian and Oriental restaurants in London, being announced today.

The sixth annual Moet & Chandon London Restaurant Awards will be held on 2 April at the Grosvenor House Hotel and will be televised by Carlton.

There are 14 categories, including - for the first time - an overall winner of the prize London Restaurant of the Year, picked from among the award winners.

Decisions will be made by a panel of experts including Evening Standard critic Fay Maschler and Charles Campion from ES and the Rough Guide To London Restaurants, plus AA Gill of The Sunday Times, Matthew Fort of The Guardian, Caroline Stacey of The Independent, Robert Joseph of The Sunday Telegraph and Wine Magazine, and Bill Knott of Class and Waitrose Food Illustrated.

The panel will not, however, choose the winner of the prestigious Academy Award of Excellence - for restaurants which have shown consistent excellence for at least 15 years - because it is judged on the votes of all past award winners.

The final award is the Evening Standard's own Londoners' Award, details of which we will be announcing soon, giving readers the opportunity to vote for their own favourites.

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