Damal — Restaurant in London

I didn't realise how nice Somali food was until a few years ago I stumbled upon the cuisine at a place far in West London. If you're hungry and you want full filling food then Damal is definitely a place to go. I first went to Damal last year and comparing it to recently, last Friday when I went, is definitely a different environment due to the refurbishment. Before the downstairs was a little bit needing some TLC but now I can see some effort has definitely gone in and it looks very nice and cosy. As always Damal is very busy as the kitchen is constantly flying out with lamb shanks. Even if you're going in a group of 3, 4, 5, don't over order. They're not shy with their portions. We usually go for the middle portion tray size and it easily feeds 4 people. There's a lot of rice and a lot and a lot of meat. If you say you ate there and came back feeling not full then there's something wrong with you. The lamb shanks are so tender you literally lift the bone and the meat falls off. Very succulent. I've heard some great things about the fish however I am not a big fan of fish so I don't really eat fish. But I see in other people's trays the salmon goes down very well. The food cannot be eaten without the amazing green sauce and red sauce. Be careful, the green sauce does have a kick so go easy with it. My only gripe is that I notice that Asian people never get banana. Maybe it's a cultural thing. The last two times I went I definitely had to go upstairs and grab some bananas. You have to have the banana with the food. It's a weird but yummy combination. And lastly the mango lassi. Again, I don't drink milk being lactose intolerant. However, my friends at Family Square buy the mango lassi. I stick to my Shani drink which compliments very well with the food. The other thing is you kind of don't know who's working there as the staff don't have any particular uniform. It feels like random people serving you. Service can be a bit slow but it's not forgotten. They take order, the food does come, you just have to wait a little bit. But other than that, it's a good treat for my family when we're feeling like good Somali food and it really does hit the spot when I go to meet my friends for Salatul Jummah...

After seeing so many videos on social media, I had to go and try them out, but I was left pretty disappointed. Firstly, the good stuff - the lamb shank is to die for! It was juicy and succulent, cooked to perfection. I will go back just for that! Unfortunately that’s where the good ends…I was really looking forward to their chilli sauce, which is supposed to be an infusion of the Bengali Mr Naga pickle and their own chilli sauce mixed together. Unfortunately, when I asked them to bring the sauce, I was told they had run out! A word of advice, if you’re going to advertise something as a reason for people to come, please make sure you have enough, we went around 7/8pm so it’s not like it was late either. Anyway, I cursed my luck and gave them the benefit of the doubt. We ordered the platter which was supposed to be 2 lamb shanks, 2 chicken or beef steaks and beef sogar (a diced beef and mixed veg dish) with rice. When the order arrived, I realised that, curiously, our steaks were missing! I asked the waiter and was told that the steaks had run out so they just put extra sogar in for us. No one told us they ran out, or asked what we would like as a replacement. Forget asking, they didn’t even tell us, until we enquired! I thought that was extremely unprofessional and rude, especially as it didn’t look like there any extra of anything. So sadly, I can’t review the steaks, but the sogar was very average. A little dry and chewy with not enough flavour. It’s a real shame because the shanks were so good. I will be going again, but only because of the shanks. This time though, I will call ahead to make sure they have what I...

I recently dined at Damal, a Somali restaurant, and I decided to try their 3-person platter, which included two lamb shanks, chicken, and rice. I was pleasantly surprised by the tenderness of the meat; both the lamb shanks and chicken were incredibly soft and flavorful, making my meal truly enjoyable. The rice was also a standout, packed with delicious flavors that perfectly complemented the meat.

The portion size was quite generous, and the £33 price for the platter felt reasonable given the amount of food provided. There was an ample amount of rice, making it a satisfying meal.

I should note that the restaurant was quite busy, especially on a Friday after jummah. I had to wait for about 15 minutes to secure a table. This suggests that Damal is a popular dining spot, which can be both a positive and negative aspect. On one hand, it indicates that many people enjoy their food, but on the other hand, the wait time might be a bit longer during peak hours.

In terms of the restaurant's ambiance, there is seating available downstairs that is more suitable for larger groups or families, which is great if you're dining with a big party.

In summary, my experience at Damal was quite positive, with delicious, tender meat, flavourful rice, and generous portions, although it's worth considering potential wait times due to the restaurant's popularity...