Le Bab is a contemporary kebab restaurant in Kingly Court, Carnaby Street. “Contemporary” doesn’t quite do Le Bab justice, because not only is it a modern take on the beloved kebab, it’s done with creative cooking techniques and seasonal ingredients. More on the food to come, but first…

Le Bab is on the top floor of the very vibrant Kingly Court, and like the other Kingly Court restaurants, the vibe at Le Bab oozes casual rustic elegance. The service is right for the mark too – attentive and friendly.

Now, the food!

Snack

The bhaji was really nice. Simple flavours done well.

Mezze

The buttermilk fried chicken was good. It had the flavour and crispy texture you’d hope for, but nothing to make it standout. The green chilli relish and lime yoghurt was really good though.

The grilled halloumi was great! Wow. Just wow. Grilled to perfection for just the slightly charred texture outside and creamy texture inside. More importantly, it tasted delicious.

Kebab

My pork shawarma kebab was a bit on the sweet side, principally due to the date purée, but once you get used to the sweetness, there is a lot to enjoy about this kebab. The pork pieces were succulent, and combination of the spiced celeriac, date purée, and chillies made for a very unique flavour.

Shiima’s Chicken shish kebab was much more savoury, but nothing particularly outstanding or different in its overall flavour profile. It was okay.

Dessert?

There’s only one dessert on the menu. A Turkish coffee ice cream sandwich, but neither of us are fans of coffee so we gave it a pass.

Verdict

We really enjoyed our dinner at Le Bab. The vibe is vibrant and casual, the service is solid, and the food is really good. It’s much more than “fancy kebabs”. We recommend for casual dates, a group meal with friends or family, and anyone intrigued by the idea of a contemporary kebab 🙂. It’s also moderately priced, but then much more expensive than your local kebab shop. Also, do try to reserve a table because the space is small and it can get very busy.

Cuisine: Kebab & Middle Eastern
Dress Code: Casual
Shiima & Amen’s Star Dish: Grilled Halloumi
Price: £20-30pp (excluding alcohol)
Rating: 4.3 out of 5

Le Bab
Top Floor, Kingly Court
Carnaby Street,
London, W1B 5PW
Reserve at Resy,
Or call 020 7439 9222