Bloomsbury, an area of central London known 100 years ago for its writers, artists and intellectuals is fast becoming a foodie hub.
The intriguingly named Lamb’s Conduit Street is one of the epicentres. The picturesque, pedestrianised street lined with Dickensian house is home to cafes; wine bars and specialists; independent supermarkets; a superlative cheese shop (La Fromagerie) and now, one of the best Middle Eastern restaurants in town.
Pickles and ferments are good for your gut Photo: Victoria Prever
Two of my favourite people in food — Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich — have moved into a corner site that was once Cigala restaurant. The new Honey & Co Bloomsbury sits opposite local institution, Noble Rot wine bar, where, back in the day, all the suits would go to let off steam back in the 1990’s.
Thirty years later, on a Thursday lunchtime, in the Honey & Co dining room, the crowd was more creative — all thick-rimmed specs, linen shirts and not a tie in sight.
I’d been invited to see the smart new dining room and shiny new menu. Features Editor, Keren, joined me for a fress catch up.
Not wanting to miss out, we kicked off with a table full of starters and mezze plates: house pickles — sunny turmeric-tinted sticks of crunchy kohlrabi; sweet beetroot and salty olives; a plate of the softest pita; tender, toasted milk bun (which I’d assumed was challah) and chunks of sesame slathered bread.
The baked goods came in handy to mop up the smoothest, pale pink taramasalata showered in chunks of hard-boiled egg and a purple, confetti of sweet, pickled red onion.
1970's-style dinner party favourite melba toast made a perfect tarama scoop Photo: Victoria Prever
“It feels a bit haimish” was Keren's comment. We established that it was the blanket of chopped boiled egg that gave it a chopped liver vibe — a totally Ashkenazi flex. But that’s as Ashkenaze as you’ll get in this temple of Middle Eastern tastes and flavours. Thick slices of classic French carb, Melba toast took us back to the 1970's but proved an ideal tarama scoop.
We also squeezed two fresh and fruity salads onto the table. Sweet, juicy peach, salty, gooey grilled goat’s cheese and an orange flower-scented dressing perched on huge Romaine wedges were classic H & Co, as was a pile of green, smoky freekeh jumbled with chunks of dark cherries, shards of pistachios and golden, toasted pine nuts.
Next level goat's cheese salad Photo: VIctoria Prever
Freekeh was filled with cherries Photo: VIctoria Prever
We may have overdone it, but ploughed on to a cumin-heavy aubergine shawarma on garlic and tahina-heavy hummus (the proper sort) with sweet tomatoes and tangy threads of pickled onion, all perched on more of that super soft pita. A fish pastila was a mixed marriage — crunchy, crisp filo and smooth filling which had an unexpectedly English smoked fish bent. Strong saltiness was tempered by a fresh and zesty fennel salad.
Aubergine shawarma - no meat required Photo: Victoria Prever
Sumac sprinkled filo fish pie Photo: Victoria Prever
At this point the lovely Itamar arrived with the hugest bear hug — the warmth and love from these two is real.
It’s the law that you cannot leave without their signature feta cheesecake — a mound of sweet/savoury creamy cheese on crunchy shards of baked knafeh pastry showered of blueberries, almonds and syrup. Another classic H & Co bake — cherry, coconut and pistachio cake — held its own. A dense, semolina-style pud packed with juicy dark cherries and studded with nuts.
Looking to say goodbye to Sarit, I found her in her chef's whites, finalising the goodies they’ll be selling for Rosh Hashanah. Spiced chocolate bars paired with napkins in statement colours and a tin of sweet treats that will, no doubt, be borne into homes all over North-West London this chagim season.
The friendliest folk in food
So much love for Sarit and Itamar in their smart new digs that still manages to give off that haimish vibe. I’m delighted that they are on the doorstep of the JC’s offices. I’ll be able to work my way through the menu, dish by dish…
