Review of Akub – by Sara C.
AKUB – NEW PALESTINIAN RESTAURANT IN LONDON
I VISITED THIS NEW PALESTINIAN RESTAURANT IN JANUARY AND LOVED THE DECOR AND FOOD FLAVOURS. HERE IS MY FULL REVIEW.
If you have yet to hear about Akub, I highly recommend visiting this new Palestinian restaurant in central London close to Notting Hill. The restaurant showcases Palestinian cuisine and has beautiful minimal decor with white, green and brown hues predominantly lighting up the rooms, thanks to the big windows and glass roof. There is a peaceful and earthy feeling.
Akub is divided into three floors, each room having a distinct identity. There is a hidden bar on the lower floor next to the kitchen. Unfortunately, I saw it when going to the restroom and didn’t have my phone to take photos. Last but not least, I particularly liked the dark green plates used to set up the tables and the coffee cups, as they both had a rustic character. They were uniquely designed for Akub by a pottery artist. Time to dig into my review of Akub and find out about this new Palestinian restaurant in London.
BREAKFAST AT AKUB: YOU SHOULD VISIT THIS NEW PALESTINIAN RESTAURANT IN LONDON
Palestinian cuisine is relatively new to us, and we weren’t sure what to order. We decided to choose the sharing breakfast for two people called “Ftoor Lazeez (Delicious breakfast)” which included:
Coffee or tea each;
Two eggs each (boiled or fried);
A delicious bread selection (Akub bread, Nigella seed crackers & spiced focaccia);
Dips (Labaneh & Humous);
Veggy (Fava Bean Foul & Zaatar Roasted Tomatoes);
Selection of condiments & spices (Sumac, Zaatar, Olive oil, Pear Jam & Honey)
After Froor Lazeez, we ordered my favourite dish, the Arabic coffee French toast. I’m still ecstatic about it. I can score it the best French toast I had in my life. The fluffiness was like walking on clouds, the texture was so soft and the taste so delicate. Wow!
We spent around £65. Breakfast for two was £44, the French toast £14. Plus 12.5% service charge
OVERALL IMPRESSION
We had an excellent impression from the moment we arrived. The staff was welcoming and had great enthusiasm. I liked the natural light. The only decor aspect that I didn’t like was the artificial tree because it collects dust over time and is hard to keep clean.
Choosing Ftoor Lazeez was the best option because the menu was overwhelming, considering my lack of knowledge about Palestinian cuisine. On the other hand, I would have preferred to be approached by the waiting staff and driven through the menu.
When the Arabic coffee French toast was served, we were not told to pour the coffee on the French toast. Even if it could be logical to do so, I would have anticipated a potential guest’s question and informed them rather than go back to the colleague and keep on talking. Unfortunately, I didn’t find some staff attentive to the guest’s needs.
Regarding the price, maybe for £22 each, we should have received slightly larger portions. If I had gone somewhere else and had an eggy breakfast, I would have probably spent slightly less but had more food. Ftoor Lazeez has a lot of dips and spices, which will not fill me up for long. I recommend adding a sweet component to the breakfast to make it more attractive and substantial. Nonetheless, the flavours were authentic.
Conscious that we visited Akub just one week after opening, it definitely has all the potential to improve and become a destination restaurant within central London as the food was delicious while keeping the unique middle eastern flavours.