"We’ve been claiming that tahini is sexy ever since a hummus lid was located in one of our pillowcases, but The Barbary in Notting Hill has taken our personal mission one step further with this long, sleek restaurant seemingly built for seductive optimists with a thing for saffron and triple-digit bottles of Sancerre. It hums with a confidence that’s contagious and before you know it, you’re feeling as hot as the doe-eyed New York couple sitting next to you and scooping up an assortment of spiced dips with a pillowy flatbread like a conductor in an operatic meze musical. photo credit: The Barbary photo credit: Mickaël A. Bandassak photo credit: The Barbary The Southern Europe-meets-North African menu is something of a show-off too—miso tahini with an earthy umami tang, razor-thin slices of yellowtail swimming in a rich lake of brown butter sauce, and a sea bass crudo so citric that we started to suspect we might be on the receiving end of a lime juice cleaning hack. You’ll need to order several things to leave full, but between the allure of the slick banquette and huge navy booths primed for cosying up with your favourite Gucci enthusiast, it’s ideal for a stylish catch-up. If you’re here for a sexy little date night, ask for one of the pink velvet stools by the open flames in the kitchen—because when a restaurant is able to make you feel this good-looking, you should be willing to momentarily ignore the siren call of lumbar support. Food Rundown video credit: Heidi Lauth Beasley Moroccan Cigars A party snack du jour for when we inherit millions and millions of pounds from a currently unknown benefactor. They have a perfect filo crunch and the salty, soft cod filling goes a treat with the yoghurt dip. photo credit: Heidi Lauth Beasley Brown Butter Yellowtail Sashimi, Pistachio We haven’t felt this moved by a little fish since Nemo’s dad really sorted out his parenting style. The rich, near-butter flavour of the yellowtail combined with the thin pool of silky brown butter makes for a surprisingly luxurious serving of sashimi. video credit: Heidi Lauth Beasley Harissa Beef Tartare, Broad Bean Cream Beef tartare traditionalists, this is not for you. Move along, we’ll see you knee-deep in raw meat somewhere else. Mostly, it tastes of harissa but scoop it up with some flatbread and you’ve got a great, tangy bite with just enough spice to get your tongue jiving." - Heidi Lauth Beasley
