Feeling among friends in W6

This review was first published in June 2001

Imagine doing the same job every evening, a job that's labour intensive; you do it in full view of your customers, with no help. Then imagine you do this with a fervour bordering on obsession, never displaying any lack of enthusiasm, you treat each customer like a long-lost friend. Nah, you might think, get outta here.

But that's what James Ilyas does in his brick-surrounded kitchen in his tiny, quirky restaurant in Rainville Road. It might share an address with the River Café, but it couldn't be more different. It's as if you've gatecrashed a private party (to get to the loos I had to negotiate a room where three people and a dog on a leopardskin sofa watched Channel 5) and been made to feel like an invitee. You could order from the Lebanese-based menu but James would prefer you to have a bespoke creation.

'I have many recipes in here,' he says, pointing to his heart. He brought us a splendid array of mezze: goat's cheese wrapped in filo, 'samosa' of fiercely spiced tender chicken, meatballs of spiced lamb, tabbouleh, hummus, falafel and a rather oily deep-fried cauliflower. Main courses of chicken and lamb - quite the biggest, tenderest and rosiest fillet I've yet encountered - were slightly overwhelmed by their sauces; the lamb's featured orange juice, cardamom, coriander and cumin and came with couscous flecked with fluffy chickpeas.

We paid about £30 a head, which included drink, a free fudgy pistachio baklava, cinammon tea and a hug.

Mes Amis
Rainville Road, London, W6 9HA