The Greek gods have been shining down on Oma, one of London’s best new modern Greek restaurants (and definitely the hit of the summer). I visited for lunch a while ago and it was easy to see why this industrial-chic taverna hits the spot.
Location
Chef & restaurateur David Carter (of Smokestak & Manteca) has taken over two floors on Bedale Street overlooking the iconic Borough Market. Walk in through the casual, moody Agora souvla bar, past the open grill with meats slowly sizzling on the spit, and head upstairs to brighter, sleeker Oma.
The restaurant
At the heart of Oma is the busy yet zen open kitchen with a live-fire grill and a crudo bar with glistening whole fish and seafood (‘oma’ is the Greek word for raw, after all). Around it is bar seating and tables with floor to ceiling street views, which the front of house staff manage with charm and ease. There’s also a covered, heated terrace for watching over the hustle and bustle of Borough Market.
The chefs
David Carter is joined by Ecuadorian chef Jorge Paredes (formerly executive chef at Sabor) and Nick Molyviatis (previously head chef of Kiln). Their global food influences can be traced on the menu, making interesting additions to Oma’s journey through the Greek islands.
The food
The dips and breads are an absolute must and the perfect start to a meal of sharing dishes. Hummus, masabacha and green zhoug was velvety and aromatic with lovely, crunchy chickpeas and a dusting of sumac. Babaghanoush, tahini and jerusalem artichoke crisps had a smoky flavour with a touch of zestiness and the golden artichoke crisps added texture.
The bagel-like açma verde was irresistable – fluffy and glossy with a gorgeous swirl of garlic and herbs. We also enjoyed the wildfarmed laffa – a lightly blistered flatbread made with plenty of olive oil to keep it moist.
I was immediately drawn to the lobster bisque börek and it was just as luxurious as it sounds. The pastry was unbelieveably crisp and oozing with a lavish shellfish sauce, finished with a flurry of grated cheese.
A staple of the Oma menu is their take on a Greek giouvetsi, a tomatoey orzo stew with meat or seafood, cooked slowly in a traditional clay pot. Wild red prawn giouvetsi, deep-fried prawn butter was just on the right side of decadent with rich flavours, tender orzo and six top notch scarlet prawns. It’s a real treat to find wild red prawns on a menu and the moreish orzo stew was a delight.
We passed over the crudo section of the menu, but in hindsight, a zesty gilt head bream ceviche would likely cut through the indulgent flavours with a touch of freshness. Otherwise, we ordered rather well for lunch and left feeling satisfied – for dinner, perhaps add some skewers or salads.
Impressions
Oma is the perfect restaurant for a special occasion with enticing dishes, accomplished cooking and inspiring surroundings. I will definitely be back to try Agora, which offers a few of the same dishes as Oma but with a focus on smaller skewers, wood oven flatbreads and rotisserie meats.
For more information and booking, visit: www.oma.london
All images by Chérie City
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