Le Bab
A Calm Kebab Oasis in Covent Garden
Are you spending the day in hectic Covent Garden and looking for a cozy spot to relax? Le Bab is a fusion Middle Eastern eatery tucked away in a breezy and surprisingly quiet back street, only a 4-minute walk from the busy Leicester Square station.
The interior is styled in a modern and minimalist way, though it is not without soul. Cute neon signs and a forest of tropical plants give it a touch of personality.
There is also an open-plan kitchen where you can watch and drool over your food being prepared.
The restaurant must have excellent ventilation, as even with the open fires and grills, the smell wasn’t overwhelming!
We had an appetizer of their famous hummus, which came with a serving of flatbread.
We thought the hummus-to-bread ratio was a bit off, so we ordered an additional garlic flatbread, which was a great move!
The garlic oil was delightfully savory against the soft and chewy bread. The hummus, topped with an excellent peanut curry pesto, had an amazing texture and was super aromatic.
Then, we had the Le Bab Fried Chicken, served with sticky dates, chili and soy glaze, homemade garlic mayo, and spring onions.
This fusion dish was definitely a favorite! It seemed like it took inspiration from Korean fried chicken, with the soy glaze and spring onions.
However, it still had distinctly Middle Eastern flavors, and the chicken had an incredibly soft texture, falling apart immediately in your mouth!
Next we had several mains, including the Chicken Shish Kebab, The Dirty Bab and the Spice-Roast Aubergine Sabich.
Our favorite was the simple chicken, which had crispy chicken skin, herb yogurt, pickled red cabbage, cucumber and celery salsa, sweet chili mayo, and a whole bunch of coriander—my personal favorite!
If coriander is not for you, The Dirty Bab is one of the joint’s signature mains.
It’s grilled lamb Adana with pickled cucumbers, chili sauce, a mixed salad, and their signature fondue sauce. I think the ‘Dirty’ comes from the double-cooked fries they serve it with.
The lamb was excellently cooked, and although there were many toppings, everything enhanced the flavour of the grilled meat, which was no small feat!
Lastly, we tried the Spice-Roast Aubergine Sabich, a vegan option on the menu. It was filled with relish, peanut pesto, vegan mayo, and a mixed salad.
The aubergine was spiced really well, and all the flavors came together for a nice and hearty dish. Interestingly, for every vegan kebab sold, Le Bab plants a tree!
We also had a few classic cocktails on the side, though they had a range of unique drinks on their menu.
The cocktails were such a good combination with our meat-heavy dinner, cutting through the umami and creating a laidback and chatty atmosphere.
Location:
4 Mercer Walk, WC2H 9FA
Covert Garden, London
Written by: Mika Sudjarwo