Every neighbourhood needs a venue like the Seymour Kitchen. Walk in and it’s hard not to fall in love. The place works as a grocery, a deli and a restaurant. It’s full of colour and charm and if you haven’t yet fallen for the flavours of the Middle East, then you will after visiting.
My dining comrade had suggested the venue for lunch. I arrived prior to him and so had the opportunity to observe the action at Seymour Kitchen (so called, since it’s located on Seymour Street). The first thing that catches the eye is the counter which displays the day’s salads and frittatas. Imagine Ottolenghi but done more authentically. If you lust for lemon, hanker for harissa or savour sumac, then this is the place to come. Spend a bit more time observing and many of these ingredients are available for amateur chefs to purchase too.
The lunch menu amply demonstrates that there is far more than the above on offer at Seymour Kitchen. Diners can choose from small plates, grilled vegetables, stews and meats. We opted for a sharing platter to commence and then lamb chops to follow. The former allowed the venue to showcase its talents to the full. Persian predilections dominate. Your reviewer is always delighted by a burnt aubergine and also by the presence of kashke – a far from common occurrence. For the uninitiated, it’s a form of whey and provides a quite unique and textured sensory experience, especially when combined with said aubergine. Even the much simpler hummus we consumed was elevated at Seymour by the addition of walnuts and red chilli. Presentation throughout was superlative.
After such a strong start, the meat main had a hard act to follow. Yet Seymour delivered. Our server steered us towards lamb over chicken. The cutlets had clearly been marinaded for a lengthy period and the meat tasted especially tender. Any leftover aubergine, hummus or masto (strained yoghurt) worked as a wonderful foil. Your reviewer was only left wondering how good the chicken may have been. It again benefits from marinading, in this case with saffron, lemon and mint yoghurt. At less than £50/ head (soft drinks, coffee and service included), an imminent revisit may be in order.