New restaurant opening @barboun.london inspired by traditional dishes from the Eastern Mediterranean. ⁣
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*only chicken breast and lamb is halal.⁣ ⁣
First of all decor is amazing. It has a very cool, artistic vibe to it and a lot of thought has clearly gone into design.⁣
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Smoked eel - delicious. Came on a bed of a paste which tasted like daal. Flavours worked perfectly together.⁣
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Beetroot fritters - Simple, yet full of flavour.⁣
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Prawns - so fresh you could taste the sea. The manager said there's a focus on fresh and the best ingredients only and you could tell when biting into this. ⁣
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Muhlama - a bowl of melted cheese and charcoal bread. Simple but cheese is always a favourite. The charred bread looked cool but taste wise It didn't add much. ⁣
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Blackened aubergine - it was like a mashed aubergine paste which we ate with the pita bread. There were apricots in there too to add flavour. Very nice ⁣
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Lamb rump - basically steak on a bed of smoked aubergine and tomato. It was a good cut of steak and well cooked. Not the best you will ever have but when combined with the aubergine it worked really well⁣
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Chicken - Another nice dish, the charred sweetcorn underneath was really nice and needed because the chicken had a slightly bitter taste. Again when combined it was great ⁣
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Girolle flatbread - one of the best dishes of the evening, a flatbread with cheese, girolle mushrooms, truffle and a runny egg. It was just a perfect comfort dish and the runny egg worked nicely as a sauce to dip the bread in. ⁣
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Tahini pudding - amazing dessert, never really tasted tahini used in a pudding but it was really surprisinf. The smell from the dessert was so strong - a mix of caramel and sesame. Inside the pudding is this kind of caramel goo. ⁣
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Kunefe - A classic dish and this one was great. Light, fluffy, cheesy and came with a side of syrup and ice cream. Yum! ⁣
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I think overall we really enjoyed it and would defo come back. The vibe is lovely, location amazing (right by Old St station), staff are knowledgeable, food was delicious and well presented. Scores a 8.5/10⁣
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Alcohol served. The meal was complimentary. ⁣

@halalfoodguy's review of Barboun Shoreditch on Instagram

Barboun Shoreditch

Decor and ambiance is great here, the service was fast and the waitress was very polite and ready to answer any questions.
The barboun dish was nice though I didn't like the preserved lemon with it as I found it overpowering, the salmon starter was pleasant though very sweet for me. The kofte main was nice and I liked the touch of the pickled onions. I loved the fact that there was halal options on the menu which made picking dishes much more of a breeze.

The very friendly and attentive staff were on hand as soon  as we arrived, especially on a quiet Sunday morning in the City of London. My Turkish coffee was a highlight, well brewed and packed a puch (much needed after a boozy night before 🙊🙈😆). My egg florentine was cooked to perfection and it was ready in no time at all. And the menu prices were reasonable. The whole atmosphere was upmarket yet relaxed and warm. Definitely will visit again.

Gorgeous interior and prices that do not match at all, in a good way! Food is pristinely presented and excellent quality, though portion sizes are perhaps about 2/3 of what you would expect, but still fairly filling. Weekend brunch is available all the way up to 3PM when they start to close. Coffee is excellent. Service was top-notch.

overall: dishes have an elegant taste. the vibe is perfect for a relaxing brunch with friends & beautiful decor. portion sizes could be larger & service could be a bit more attentive.

shakshuka 🍳: very odd presentation, with a few balls (poached eggs & yogurt) dotted around. but the dish itself is beautifully spiced,  balancing the sweetness & freshness from tomatoes & the spicy undertone. would much prefer if this delicious pan of sauce is served with more than half a piece of toast…

banana pancakes 🥞: pancakes have a very crispy outer layer compared to normal pancakes, feels like it’s lightly deep fried. tahini cream is whipped til extremely smooth, & together with the extra syrup gives the dish the right level of sweetness. the coconut flakes adds a bit of texture on top.

Decor, service, and food was on point. Went for dinner with my partner and was really surprised at how quiet it was for a Saturday evening, but if that is what you’re after then you’ve got it all and more at Barboun. It kinda felt like a best kept secret. The portions were surprisingly generous and you could happily go for an easy two course.

Only thing I would say is the music is a bit generic, a nicely curated playlist would really boost the atmosphere! But we did appreciate how it was more an ambient element which makes it a perfect place for an intimate dinner, or a chill one with some friends.

Will be back for brunch and the spicy margarita - easily the best margarita ive ever had

Our lamb and chicken is Halal. We sometimes have bacon for guests at breakfast. But this is all kept and cooked separately, without contamination.

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