Strong start to Comptoir Libanais in London Ealing

Comptoir Libanais is an established restaurant brand which, while having started in the UK, has gone on to open restaurants in the Middle East, the Netherlands and Italy.

With 20 sites dotted across the UK, 17 of which are in the capital, diners can “experience the flavours of the cafes, restaurants and homes of the Middle East and North Africa”.

Located just outside Ealing Broadway Shopping Centre on the High Street, this particular branch in the west of London is fairly typical of Comptoir Libanais venues.

Not only is this restaurant’s interior festooned with vividly colourful decor and paraphernalia, but there’s also plenty of seating spread across two floors, as well as tables outside for 25 diners.

Comptoir Libanais is known for its strikingly colourful interiors

While a large alcoholic bar is situated towards the back of the premises on the ground floor, which is spacious enough to accommodate upto 80 guests, there’s also seating available upstairs via two flights of stairs for an additional 80.

The menu is a large and interesting one comprising of not just a range of your typical mezzes and grills, but burgers and other items which won’t immediately be associated with Lebanese cuisine.

Pineapple & Coconut Cooler – Franklins Natural Rose Lemonade; Tutti Frutti Beirutti – Orange juice, peach, apple, lemonade mingle, grenadine; Saffron Ginger Refresher – Saffron syrup & ginger beer, lime – £5.95 each

A good selection of beverages, where the Pineapple & Coconut Cooler’s mellow candy-like flavour came through gently followed by the sweetness of the coconut.

As for the Tutti Frutti Beirutti, then this was certainly a fruity affair in which the citrusiness of the grenadine lingered in the background. As for the Saffron Ginger Refresher, then the heat of the ginger therein was prominent throughout.

Rose & Orange Spritz – Wine & strawberry purée, £8.95; Faraawla Daquiri – Frozen strawberriess, £6.25; Orange & Cinnamon Sangria – Red orange juice, 0% Natureo red wine & cinnamon, £6.95

Aside from the intriguing combination of citrusy flavours in the Rose & Orange Spritz, the other two were disappointing.

While the Faraawla Daquiri turned out one-dimensional, the Orange & Cinnamon Sangria White (non-alcoholic version) just ended in a bitter aftertaste.

Tony’s Hommos – Topped with crispy cauliflower & Yemen salsa with flatbread, £8.25

The twist on this traditional version involves a Yemeni “salsa” topping which, in addition to a touch of heat, really added that extra dimension.

What’s more, this was one of the smoothest and tastiest versions we’ve had since our visit to Maroush in Earl’s Court way back in 2017.

And the freshly-made Olive Oil bread that accompanied it was an absolutely perfect match.

With plenty of olive oil smothered over the top, this is slightly denser than other Lebanese breads, which allowed one to scoop up plenty of the hommos.

Lebanese Wings – Marinated in lemon, garlic & onion, with cinamon & garlic sauce, £7.95

Given the size of these tiny Lebanese Wings, which were apparently “slow-grilled”, we’d skip over these for something else, especially given their price.

Fattoush – With pomegranate molasses dressing & crispy pitta, £6.95

Now this was a Fattoush for the ages, with the Moroccan mint being the driving force to what was a really well balanced plate of greens that included radish, parsley, and just the right amount of sweetness from the molasses. One of the best!

Falafel – Chickpea patties, coriander & parsley finished with tahina sauce, £7.50

Freshly-made Falafels whose exterior may have been crunchier than we’d have liked, but which gave way nonetheless to a satisfyingly herbaceous interior.

Presented on a bed of tahini sauce covered with flecks of pickle to deliver that sour edge, taste-wise this was an enjoyable one.

Mixed Grill – Lamb kofta, chicken kofta & chicken taouk, with salad & vermicelli rice £19.45

If this was an attempt at a refined version of the more typically meatier koftas the Lebanese are known for, then we prefer the traditional, because the lamb kofta here, although relatively moist in comparison to its chicken counterparts, was small and compact.

As for the chicken taouk, then this was verging on the dry. The chicken kofta on the other hand exuded a strange odour which all three of us found off putting.

Falafel Open Wrap – Chickpea patties with tahina, tomato, pickled turnips & parsley, £13.25

This smartly presented open wrap turned out to be a pleasant munch, with the crunchy nature of the falafel this time working really well with the wonderfully vibrant salad, which had plenty of that fragrant mint, and a beautifully scored butter naan.

Lamb Kofta Tagine – Ground lamb, herbs, onion & spices served with salad & vermicelli rice, £17.45

You know it’s all bells and whistles when the lid of a tagine pot is lifted to reveal just plain coucous alone.

The bowl of lamb kofta it was paired with, although quite flavourful in its own right, with dainty balls that were nicely cooked, was not nearly enough to justify the quantity of finely-textured couscous.

Spinach & Feta Borek – Baked spinach, feta & onion filo pastry parcel, with Fattoush & spiced yoghurt, £15.75

This ‘House Speciality’ Spinach & Feta Borek was crispy, crumbly and flaky, thanks to its layers filo pastry.

And though there should have been more of that interesting spinach and feta cheese filling, in the end, the saving grace here was that incredible Fattoush we enjoyed as a starter.

Lamb Kofta Burger – Grilled lamb kofta burger, spicy tahina sauce, served in Mahlab sesame spiced bun, £16.50

The best part about this burger was the unique Mahlab sesame spiced bun, whose addictively good chewiness couldn’t quite rescue what was otherwise a disparate burger

Other than the lamb kofta being paired with an insipid tahini sauce, whose apparent spiciness barely delivered much heat, what rescued this dish was the side of Batata Harra reviewed below.

Spiced Lamb - Lamb & spices, £5.25

Zaatar & Garlic Flatbread, £4.45

The freshly-made warm breads are outstandingly good. Despite being more dense than the normal breads one might encounter at other Lebanese restaurants, their quality was undeniable.

The Spiced Lamb version was just as good as the Zaatar & Garlic Flatbread; we couldn’t choose between the two.

Batata Harra – Spiced potatoes with garlic, tomato, peppers, sumac & fresh coriander, £6.25

This bowl of perfectly executed Batata Harra didn’t just boast a crispy exterior, but was topped in a finely chopped, smoky mixture of garlic, tomato, pepper and sumac.

We’d go so far as to say that this was the best Batata Harra we’ve ever had, with other versions more often than not turning out soggy.

Red Berries & Rosewater Mouhalabia – Rosewater-infused mixed berry compote with toasted pistachios, £7.75

With just that optimum level of wobble, this Mouhalabia was covered in a finger-lickingly fragrant compote of berries infused in rosewater, with a sprinkling of toasted pistachios delivering that textural contrast.

Baklawa & Fresh Rose Mint Tea - Baklawa with rose & mint infused sweet tea for one, £5.95

Baklawa & Fresh Rose Mint Tea - Baklawa with rose & mint infused sweet tea for one, £5.95

Although the selection of overly chewy baklawa struck us to be a day old, the tea was extremely good.

Again infused in the rich freshness of those Moroccan mint leaves, we couldn’t get enough. Don’t leave without a pot of their tea.