🍽️ Dining Without Wine | London's Barbary

📍Visited Barbary in London twice in a week, a Michelin-recommended North African restaurant with a touch of Middle Eastern and Persian flavors. In summary: Delicious! The dishes are slightly salty, not served in large portions, perfect for 2-3 people, and pair exceptionally well with alcohol, especially beer! Without alcohol, it might feel a bit heavy. A few dishes that are tasty and worth ordering again: Moroccan Cigars: Rolls of white fish mixed with spices, fried to perfection, fragrant, and juicy! Served with sour cream and green chili dip, which I felt had a hint of basil and cilantro, but it's actually a mix of spices with green chili. Cauliflower 'Jaffa' Style: First time: What's so special about cauliflower? Second time: Bring on another plate! It has a slightly charred, creamy flavor, served with a garlic, lemon, and chili sauce, and tahini. I thought it was grilled, but it's fried, and it's crispy and aromatic. Grilled Halloumi: Grilled salty cheese with a magical touch, surprisingly tasty, served with garlic, lemon, and chili sauce. Roasted Naan + Spinach Borani: The naan is amazing! It looks unassuming, but it's delicious! Thin, with a natural saltiness, it's great on its own. Spinach Borani, recommended by the staff, is a dip made of sour cream, spinach, dill, and other spices. 🏠Also ordered: Fried Bean Balls (Four or five per serving? A bit filling, and the flavor is a bit monotonous). Roasted Black Pork (Tender and fragrant! The sauce is slightly sweet). Grilled Octopus (Well-cooked, crispy and tender, but the dip is a bit greasy). For pairing with alcohol, the restaurant focuses on natural wines and full-bodied wines, which match their dishes quite well. Feel free to let the staff recommend based on your preferences, whether you like fruity, full-bodied, or refreshing flavors, they will generously offer you tastings. We've tried Jura from Switzerland, Xarel-lo from Spain, and a Greek wine recommended by the staff, all quite good. But ultimately, with different friends over two visits, we all agreed that beer is the perfect match for the meal, refreshing and greasy-cutting! The first time I ate there, I had a bit of a cold and only drank sparkling water, which wasn't as enjoyable. The second time, with a proper meal and wine, it was comfortable! Dining without wine is half the fun～ 💡 Tips: The food is a bit salty, so two people should order four or five dishes, that's plenty, any more and it might get heavy. The desserts are too sweet; you can try the 70% hot chocolate from Hotel Chocolat across the street, it's delicious!! #LondonEats #DrinkingDiary #LondonMichelin #Barbary #UK