Soujouk
The White Horse

The White Horse

154 Fleet Road London, NW3 2QX, NW3 2LL, United Kingdom

Tea • Pubs • Lebanese • Barbecue


"Faced with last-minute New Year's plans, we were attracted by the convenient location and Mediterranean small plates menu in a pub setting. When we learned that the New Years menu was a fixed price mix of Mediterranean appetizers and traditional English roast beef or salmon, we thought that would please our party of diners so long as we could share plates and not have a full-price dinner for each person. The fixed assortment of Mediterranean appetizers included a duck pate which we asked to be substituted or removed, but the argumentative server insisted it couldn't be changed and it eventually came to the table anyway. Otherwise, the appetizers were unremarkable and proved to be the best part of the meal. After a loooong wait, the entrees of roast beef and salmon arrived. Both were extremely overcooked, slathered in unappealing sauces, and none of the accompanying vegetables were as advertised in the menu. The food quality was below that of a school lunch room. When we pointed out the differences and requested the listed Yorkshire pudding, the servers told us we must have had the wrong menus. We asked for a correct one but it was never produced. The miserable evening ground on for more than two hours with intermittent and unpleasant service from the staff. We eventually complained to the manager and he had the grace to subtract one fixed price meal from the charge. It was still an overpriced, memorably bad dining experience."

Lyalena

Lyalena

175 City Road, Cardiff, Cardiff, CF243JB, CF24 3JB, United Kingdom

Pizza • Salad • Italian • Lebanese


"Visited on a Friday afternoon/evening on a work afternoon out as a large group and was not disappointed! Started with grilled halloumi cheese, no sweet chilli sauce or condiments to go with it but some lettuce salad on the side. Lovely thick pieces of halloumi cooked perfectly and a generous portion for a starter at the usual price of upwards of £3 and closer to £4. Totally worth it and with the pitta bread on the table, chucking a piece in there is a winner for the taste palette. The main event really was impressive, I opted for the £10.90 Lyalena Mixed Grill. Lamb shish, chicken shish and lamb kafta were the main components and were accompanied by rice, chips, side salad and a stunning mayo and chilli side sauce. Considering the very reasonable price, the portion size was more than impressive and realistically could have been a meal for two. If you’re a good eater and like the challenge of battling meat sweats though, it’s more than worth the effort! Located in the heart of City Road in the Welsh capital, you may struggle to find parking but a drive up and down the side streets should prove fruitful eventually. It’s about a 10 minute walk from the city centre though, so not completely off the beaten path. No alcohol is sold there either, so you’re if you’re looking for a drink with your food: it’ll be a soft drink or water. Overall, I found the staff to be friendly and helpful and the restaurant itself was clean and tidy, which is always a plus. It’s suitable for couples and groups and it’s worth a visit if you’re looking to try somewhere different and take in some authentic Lebanese food."