Omar’s Place Restaurant Review ~ London

Omar’s Place on Cambridge Street, Pimlico, is the creation of the talented and highly experienced restauranteur Omar Shabaan. A slick, chic, and laid back Mediterranean restaurant and bar; Omar’s place offers a fusion of the best of Spanish, Southern Italian and even Egyptian cuisines; curated by Omar and talented ex Ducasse chef, Rosanna Vittoria.

A 40 cover restaurant at present, with the wine cellar to open in due course, Omar’s place is the perfect setting for anything from date night to private dinner parties. The menu of contemporary tapas; perfect for sharing; insatiable in their flavour and creativity, surprised, filled, and delighted us. It is rare that I will commit this to writing; but here is one of London’s best restaurants for well-priced, modern-creative Mediterranean cuisine.

Whilst my honest advice is ‘order one of everything’ – below are the highlights of the brilliant plates we sampled!

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Spanish ham cured for 36 months with manchego cheese and tomatoes on crispy bread

This dish’s flavour is a direct product of its patience; the duration for curation of the Spanish meat being 3 years. 36 months later, you have a stunning mix of intensely rich ham supplemented by juicy tomatoes and fortified by a crisp finish. The result is a Spanish feast in one bite that challenges your participation in the tapas-sharing concept.

Delicate squid tartar served in lemon with a sea water foam.

For those of you who haven’t had your summer dose of vitamin sea yet, this delicate dish comes with its own sea water foam in a refreshing pool of lemon flavour.  Couple it with their sage and sand cocktail and you are truly transported to the Mediterranean.

Beef tartar, lemon goats cheese curd and egg yolk bottarga.  This dish is gimmick-free as a good tartar should always be, and all about the fresh flavour and perfect presentation.

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Golden Glazed soft Mallorca sausage served with crispy carasu bread

This dish is literally presented as a gold bar with a hidden gem inside called Sobrasada; a special kind of sausage from Mallorca. The meat is prepared by being panfried then drained and it’s natural oils mixed with maltdextrose to provide a sugary snowfall of flavour that balances texture and taste.

Seared Meditarranean prawns with garlic and chilli

These gambas are Pimilico’s best kept Crustacean secret. Fresh, colourful and succulent – and cooked so lightly that they practically crumble away with each bite.

Trio of crispy potato papers filled with soft yolk and jamon, chistorra and truffle

These are made to be eaten in one gulp as an edible shot of truffle yolk heaven wrapped in a golden parcel. They come as a gift of three; perfect for one!

Grilled aubergines topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella and parmesan

The dishes all owe their influence to t recipes and flavours from all around the Mediterranean area and even draw from old family recipes, such as the Sobrasada sausage taking inspiration from the south of Spain as well as the owner’s mother’s home-recipes!

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Slow cooked shoulder of lamb with celeriac pure and bitter watercress.

The secrecy of the lamb’s succulence is that it is cooked overnight for 12 hours at 90 degrees which provides the buttery texture in a marble format. A lamb dish like no other that is being made whilst you sleep dreaming of it.

Charcoal grilled tentacle of octopus in paprika oil.

For the tentacle lovers out there, this  octopus has arrived from Spain – boiled then cooked in their signature Joisper with Paprika oil added thereafter. The result is an incredibly soft texture with the grilled taste of charcoal that preserves its Mediterranean origins.

An incredibly talented Chef from South Italy who has previously worked in the Bulgari Hotel and for Alan Ducasse. The food reflects her heartwarming and soulful talent as she describes ‘making something she would like to eat too’. She summarises her unique and pancultural dishes as an adaptation to the British palate with a light transition from the Meditranean strong flavours. Her dish presentation is yet another signature art mastered and her Michelin background is clearly reflected in her ‘eat it with your eyes first’ motto.

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