Mes Amis (Hammersmith)

• All seemed to point to a unique dining experience with great food
• I knew from pictures what I was going to be met with when arriving at this restaurant
• Its location was a bit of a surprise
• In fact Mes Amis was a bit like walking into someone&rsquo
• Elvis was a bit odd but having had a couple of Saturday Elvis nights recently I was hoping to end that pattern
• Strange way to describe going into a restaurant perhaps but it is the best feeling
• It was quirky with so many artefacts from all over the world but I didn&rsquo
• It felt very private and intimate which is always nice when you are having dinner for two
• The smell was also amazing as the kitchen is just there
• In the middle of the room and I was pleased it wasn&rsquo
• Walking in off a bland residential street in Hammersmith you are welcomed with a bazaar of the bizarre
• Almost every surface is covered with nic nacs or pictures
• As you look around you ask yourself is this the work of a madman or a genius
• The place is warm (perhaps due to the fact the kitchen is in the middle of the restaurant) and the staff open and friendly as they took us to our table
• The veggie main was exciting for me
• The menu was obviously well thought out and I could see I was not going to get a repeat of vegetables so I was excited
• It continues to tick the boxes and I know for Michael it was a case of deciding which main to order rather than which main you were prepared to avoid
• When the menu is so small the fear is lack of choice but when it has been created with your dining experience as it had in Mes Amis you just feel like any choice is going to be a good one
• The described food was exactly what you expect
• This simplicity is not a bad thing
• Especially when you consider it is all cooked in front of you by one man on a single domestic gas cooker
• Loving and that is how the food came out
• T one part that you thought was the weakest
• It was all equally amazing and from memory it was all finished
• The fried elements were not greasy at all
• Not one thing was overpowering or dominant so you could enjoy everything as when you dipped
• Or bit into something it was able to be center stage without fighting another strong flavour
• That might sound odd but often with a Mezze something is so strongly flavoured that is all you end up tasting
• In fact it was all delicious
• Roasted vegetables with a cream and wine sauce was so delicious I actually wanted some more
• It certainly had a Lebanese feel and flavour and I guess it is the closest I may ever get to Lebanese fine dining in the UK
• The cinnamon flavour was perfect and the vegetables were cooked perfectly
• There was no dessert menu but we were treated as it seems all diners are to a small selection of Lebanese sweets
• Again home made and kept with the theme of delicate but just right
• The thing that hit me the second I started eating was the honesty of the food
• It was delicious but these were not the flavours of some high end restaurant trying hard to impress by over flavouring or attempting to reinvent the wheel
• Attention and love put into these aromatic dishes is right there on the plate for you to see
• The tabouleh was so fresh and clean tasting I piled it high on top of the homemade hummus
• Wiping it up with pitta bread and relishing every mouthful
• As I mentioned this was surrounded with citrus fruit slices
• My only criticism is that on the side was a portion of bulgur wheat with chickpeas
• Me bulgur wheat is a little heavy
• Their baklava is also made in house and was some of the best I have ever eaten
• All in all the food was truly authentic
• Well kebab houses as we know and this gem that is Mes Amis was a perfect alternative to something we love anyway
• Cook/owner made his dishes with a zen calm that certain chefs would benefit from being when in the kitchen
• I think it makes a big difference what mood you are in when you cook
• Service at Mes Amis is just about perfect
• The chef James is a truly passionate man and took great pride in his cooking and his business
• Explaining to me how important his regular diners are and how all he will modify dishes to their taste
• It was like he was talking about family rather than customers
• No grease and no fat is in his sauces
• I can only some up once again that this is like being in someone&rsquo
• In a world filled with restaurants bidding for our attention with complex and highly innovative food
• To find a gem like this which stays true to its family roots is something special&hellip
• We are going back in 2 weeks with more friends

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