Eating at Delamina takes you to the sunshine of the Eastern Mediterranean
Delamina, founded by husband-and-wife duo Limor and Amir Chen, has been a popular addition to Marylebones’ vibrant restaurant scene since 2018. The restaurant is on Marylebone Lane, on the edge of Marylebone Village, a five-minute walk from Oxford Street and Bond Street Station.
It was my first time dining at Delamina, but I was delighted to attend the launch party of Limors’ first book, My Tel Aviv Table, last year. Now, the book is a well-thumbed edition on my bookshelf. The recipes in the book are a wonderful celebration of Eastern Mediterranean cuisine, so you can imagine my excitement in finally eating at Delamina.
As well as Delamina Marylebone, there is a sister restaurant, Delamina East, in Shoreditch. Interestingly, the menus are different, which I think is a good thing.
When we arrived for lunch, it was nice to see most tables full—just as well that we had booked. The restaurant’s interior design is cosy and eclectic, with a mix of rustic and modern elements, creating a relaxed and homely dining environment.
Once at our table, we settled down to look at the menu. While doing so, I enjoyed a beer, and my guest and better half, Leigh, went for a house cocktail (no surprise there) called Fifi Abdou. The cocktail was named after an Egyptian actress and belly dancer; it contained prosecco, rose elderflower, and creme de peches. It was lovely by all accounts, but sadly, I did not get a chance to try it.
Back to the menu, Delamina has a compact selection that comfortably fits on an A4 sheet. It is split into two parts: vegetables and a section for meat, fish, and seafood. Also, a daily specials board makes your decision even harder. The menu is designed, for want of a better word, for “Tapas” style dining, allowing diners to pop in for a quick lunch of one or two dishes or a large group with lots of sharing plates.
When offering this type of menu, each dish has to be a meal in its own right, something that Limor recognises and each plate is packed with different flavours and spices to complement the star of the show.
Limor draws inspiration from growing up in her family home in Tel Aviv, her passion for healthy eating, and the region’s produce; this shines through when looking at dishes to order.
So, for our meal, we chose a selection of vegetable dishes, one chicken, and the Hake from the specials board (a friend who had dined there the day before highly recommended it). While on the subject of recommendations, our waiter was heavily involved in making some of our choices. We found the staff at Delamenia very knowledgeable and keen to help, which certainly added to our dining experience.
For the vegetable dishes we ordered the house favourite of charred cauliflower with lemon-infused creme fraiche, grilled courgette in two ways, Carpaccio of Roasted Kohlrabi, and crispy oyster mushrooms.
The cauliflower was beautifully cooked and served with the cauliflower leaves, which I’m ashamed to admit I discard when prepping my cauliflower; the leaves were nicely chard and added a different texture to the dish, which we both enjoyed..
Another favourite of our waiters was the grilled two-ways courgettes, served with crispy onions and pine kernels and a Labneh drizzle. Labneh, I’m informed, is twice-strained yoghurt. Again, the clever use of different textures made it a complete meal on its own.
The crispy oyster mushrooms were served with a truffled artichoke mousse and Za’Atar, all deep earthy flavours. I could have eaten a plate of the mousse on its own; it was that good.
Finally, after tasting the Kohlrabi, I can confirm the Kohlrabi will be making a long-overdue appearance in my kitchen. It was delicious and came served with feta and pistachios.
A quartet of vegetable dishes worked so well together. The good news is there were plenty of other veggie dishes we must return and try; the house hummus and crispy rosemary potatoes caught our eye for another time.
Next, we have the chicken coated with the famous regional spice blend Ras-El-Hanout and grilled perfectly. It is served with a smooth roasted sweet potato puree complemented by a sprinkle of barberries. Limor dedicates two pages in her book to her passion for using these dried berries, which add a delightful sweet and sour flavour to a wide range of dishes.
The spicy chicken thighs sat on a bed of puree. As a lover of all things chicken, this would always be a winner.
On to the Hake from the specials board. Again, Delamenia’s use of different ingredients was evident. A perfectly cooked Hake fillet with crispy skin was served with corn fritters, corn puree, and roasted figs.
Limor’s talent and imagination for balancing flavours are evident here. Hake with corn and figs worked so well together, but I realise that’s why I write about food and not a chef, as I would have never put them together.
Dessert was offered and accepted, but we decided to share. Not for the first time, we went with our waiter’s recommendation of a Parfait of Halva and roasted almonds with date syrup and Tahini drizzle. Again, this highlights why it’s good to ask for recommendations; we would have bypassed this dessert and missed out, as it was a lovely way to end the meal.
Delamina offers a unique dining experience where vegetarians, pescatarians, and meat lovers can all enjoy a great meal together. Vegetables receive equal attention alongside fish and meat dishes. I can’t wait to return soon.
Delamina Marylebone, 56-58 Marylebone Lane, London W1U 2NX
Delamina East, 151-153 Commercial Road, Shoreditch, E1 6BJ
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