Barboun

Eastern Mediterranean hotel restaurant in Shoreditch 

Red mullet, chunky muhammara, walnut

Back in 2016, I dined at Yosma and experienced what upmarket Turkish cuisine is all about. No more just the standard BBQ lamb chops or yogurt with spiced adana. I encountered some big flavours, ingredient lead cooking. However, Yosma didn't last long and it has since closed down, I suspect it was largely to do with the location (Baker Street) and its super large space. Fast forward to 2019, the people behind Yosma is having another go, this time, a large Mediterranean restaurant called Barboun inside the Zabeel House hotel. From looking at the menu, it seems much more premium, you can see sirloin, octopus, and even smoked eel on the menu. The restaurant space is classy, it felts more like a British modern restaruant than a Mediterranean one.

Dolma, sun-dried aubergine, sour cherry, garlic yoghurt

Eel, carob molasses, split pea, caper leaf

The menu of Barboun is tailored for sharing, I opted for the red mullet, the fish was nicely cooked and the smooth hot pepper and tomato added sweetness and fruitness, the only downside was that the dish was only lukewarm when it arrived on to the table. The grilled tiger prawns were even less successful, it was overcooked and lacked freshness. The sauce of chermoula was lovely, however. Interesting enough, the best dish of the night was the green fattoush, the dressing was well balanced, and the crunchiness of the apple and freshness of the salad was just simply faultless. The main of lamb rump was cooked to the perfect level, the classic garnishes of aubergine and yogurt were fine, but perhaps lack a cutting edge that warrants a price tag of £26.

Prawns, chermoula, lemon

Green fattoush, crispy pita, apple, raisins, mustard green

Lamb, smoked aubergine tomato, lemon

The cooking of Barboun was decent enough but considering the elegant decor, with a typical cost of £50 per person before any drinks and services, it was simply too expensive. It was also a question mark for me why Barboun would be so risky to have such a large restaurant space that can take up to 80 covers. Upmarket Eastern Mediterranean food is not known much for Londoners, so I wonder if Shoreditch is the right location for Barboun. The service in the evening was sloppy and took forever to get our drink orders, but that is to expected in the early days so I won't judge on that. The main problem for me is the cooking really isn't worth the cost it is seeking.


Food 2.5/5


Average cost without drinks and services:
£50

61-67 Great Eastern St, Hackney, London EC2A 3HU

https://www.barboun.com/