Bab Tooma, Leeds: I tried this authentic Syrian restaurant in Oakwood with stunning Middle Eastern décor
Middle Eastern food seems to be going through something of a golden period in the UK.
While tucking into a kebab has long been a staple of the Great British night out, it seems that a wave of wondrously crafted restaurants have helped alter the staple dish of Middle Eastern cuisine’s image into something far more savoury.
Turkish, Kurdish and Persian-serving places with their beautifully adorned walls have become noticeably more apparent, with the wonderful Diyar, a small Iranian grill house on Burley Road, being perhaps my favourite new addition to Leeds’s already enviable food scene last year.
Since then I’ve had Bab Tooma, which has shades of Diyar but on a much grander scale, firmly on my to-eat list.
The Syrian restaurant is situated on Roundhay Road in the formidable foody district of Oakwood and was the second Bab Tooma following the first’s success in Bradford, which was opened by two friends in 2016.
Named after a neighbourhood in the Old City of Damascus; were it not for the biting winter weather outside one would feel transported to the capital’s courtyards upon entering. The spacious room is beautifully decorated - with vine leaves, trinkets, lanterns, bare brick walls, sharing sofas and a water feature all adding to the charm - to create a resounding feeling of the Levant.
And fortunately the food had the goods to match.
After browsing the menu for some time we finally put our order in with the always subtly attentive staff and were treated to a complimentary bowl of lentil soup that had a lovely hint of cumin and helped clear the palate.
Then came the sharing platter of cold mezze starters, which featured four fluffy, freshly baked pieces of Arabic bread that allowed us to swipe up the generous portions of dips and their accompanying pomegranate seeds and onions.
Each offered a varying kind of fresh delight, with the muhammara - a toasty mix of red peppers, almonds and spices - being particularly addictive, while the hummus had a velvety smooth sheen that made you keep going back for more.
We were also treated to some malfouf - minced lamb, rice and spices wrapped in cabbage - that hit a savoury and strange spot.
For mains, I decided to go for the ‘highly recommend’ Karen Yarek from the chef’s specials; which was an aubergine stuffed with minced lamb with almonds and tomato sauce. Filling and fascinating, the dish had varying hints of aniseed and cinnamon but was still lacking in that special flavour kick sadly.
My partner meanwhile went for the smart and safe option by picking the mix kebab that featured delicious, succulent chicken fillets and a lamb kebab that was filled with charred, grilled goodness.
The restaurant has no alcohol drinks on the menu, which probably helps add to the respectable atmosphere, and as an alternative I went for a delightful lemonade and mint that helped wash away any lingering flavour at the end.
Too full for desserts, we instead paid up and said our goodbyes to the staff and enveloping décor before going back out into the familiar.
Factfile:
Address: 496 Roundhay Rd, Roundhay, Oakwood, Leeds LS8 2HU
Opening hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 4pm - 10pm
Friday, Saturday: 12pm - 11pm
Sunday, Wednesday: 12pm - 10pm
Website: https://babtooma.co.uk/
Scores
Food: 8/10
Value: 7/10
Atmosphere: 9/10
Service: 8/10