Delamina Marylebone — Restaurant in London

Service gone down hill and no longer caters for coeliacs

This used to be one of my favourite restaurants but unfortunately won't be coming back. I find this equally sad and frustrating when I used to love this place.

My first trip was during soft launch several years ago and frequently returned for lunch and dinner. I raved about it to everyone I know and must've eaten here at least 10 (maybe 15) times over the years - Which is rare for London when there is such an array of choices. The female owner used to always be present and all staff attentive and hospitable. Sadly, a change in management on my return last week meant this is no longer the case and I felt they couldn't care less that they've lost a previously loyal customer by no longer being accessible to coeliacs.

This place used to be great for coeliacs as almost every dish is gluten free (apart from the pitta bread) and the owner (and I believe her husband in the kitchen) understood the risks of cross-contamination and had clear processes in place so that it was safe to order food from the grill.

I used to think the food was always packed with flavour and I didn't feel restricted by having coeliacs. Sadly, this is no longer the case. They've added a few more gluten containing dishes to the menu, but more importantly no longer have processes in the kitchen to reduce cross-contamination when ordering the dishes that are labelled gluten free. I was advised to order a salad if I want to avoid the risk of gluten contamination. At this point we left.

On leaving, I naively thought I would let the manager know the problem so that they could take it on board and hopefully review it for the future. I felt fobbed off as he obviously couldn't care less. It is incredibly short sighted to dismiss losing a sitting for the evening when I've been a loyal customer for years.

Such a contrast to when I used to work close by and on the occasions I went for lunch the owner would let me take my fresh mint tea back to the office as was short of time. It used to feel like a beautiful little local restaurant and always felt looked after. Sadly that hasn't been retained by who you've employed since.

With a change in job I haven't been back to this locaton for a couple of years but have attended the newer East branch a couple of times. On both occasions I had a wonderful experience and they continued to offer gluten free dishes safely. I was also delighted to see the addition of more gluten free desserts, including cake. However, after last week's experience I'm no longer confident this is the case and therefore won't be returning.

I can see you're about to open a third location in Covent Garden. I can only presume with the expansion the level of care has been compromised to focus on profit. Sadly forgetting the loyal customers who were there and helped to deliver the footfall that has allowed you to expand to three locations.

What is most frustrating is it's easy to do gluten free safely for coeliacs, with education and clear processes in place. You previously proved this was possible so a real shame to take a step backwards rather than forwards. As well as going from what was a lovely place to management who clearly lacked the passion of when the owner was front of house. From now on if I want to have middle Eastern food I'll be going to Ceru. They understand keeping the bread in a dedicated area away from the gluten free options and still value...

This is an extraordinary restaurant that appears to be unremarkable, judging just by appearances. Tucked behind its awning, on the corner of Marylebone Lane, it whispers with modest credentials of something smart but not boastful.

Once inside, once you have been welcomed warmly and dealt with respectfully where knowledge and familiarity about the menu reign, you will slowly and delightfully becomes absorbed into an eating experience that takes you to places other restaurants should be envious of achieving.

Food is clearly what matters here, even though there is nothing wrong with the unadorned yet peaceful interior.

Seared tuna not only looked like delicate slithers of difference, cooked to perfection, but also tasted exquisite and with a delicacy, refinement and almost unrecognisable combination of thrilling texture and flavour that it felt like a re-encounter with what is otherwise a familiar dish, thanks to the way it had been perfectly cooked with its baharat and honey drizzle adding a welcome hint of sweetness to the dish.

Delamina's sea-bass in a chermoula marinade creates an equally absorbing, enticing and exciting plate that is supremely mouth-watering, packed with flavours and allowing both the wonderfully cooked bass (butterflied) to come through in tantalising tandem with the spice profile and other fine features of the paste's taste. It's sea bass as you would want to enjoy it when steeped in glittering sunshine somewhere else and this is what eating here allows for: humbly but irresistibly, you are smoothly transported to the places Delamina celebrates in its dishes and cultural origins without over-fussing or being overbearing about this! Even if, as during our visit, the sun was on holiday you will soon forget London drear and be catapulted elsewhere via sensory satiety care of the food!

Sides are decked with layers of flavour even in something as humble as roast potatoes with rosemary.

Dessert was a delicious, beautifully presented chocolate, nuts and praline ganache that was just the right flavour and firmness though potentially leaning towards sweetness but not so conspicuously as to dampen its enjoyment!

You come away, as we did, feeling utterly sated and craving more of the same, or variations on the same theme, for a subsequent visit.

If you value great food, great flavours, lovely presentation, simplicity of surroundings that are conducive to full immersion in the diverse delights that Delamina delivers then head their...

I’m half Israeli and was excited to try the food here. I’ve actually been before last year and remember the sabich being delicious, despite being very small. However I really have to say that I would not recommend Delamina for authentic, delicious, generous Middle Eastern food and after my visit yesterday. I will not be back. Having been to both Israel and Palestine, I can testify that the food is hearty, rich and full of flavour. Yesterday I was reminded that Delamina’s portion sizes, and some of the service, are very disappointing. My girlfriend ordered a goats cheese brunch dish for £15, which when it arrived, was a tiny plate of spindly lettuce leaves with a few pieces of scattered goats cheese and 3 or 4 tiny pieces of sweet potato. It was effectively a tiny side salad, served with no pitta or anything at all substantial. My dish was the Benedict Balagan, a very average dish, served up as a very small portion and with very average flavours. This cost £13.50. I asked a waiter if the salad came with anything else, and just told a frank “no”. The manager then came over and I explained our disappointment. He said that “that’s just the way it comes” or something along those lines, and then to his credit did offer for Delamina to “top up the portion” and brought out a bit more goats cheese salad, but still, it all just felt very disappointing. My friend ordered the Shakshuka which was also extremely average. I’ve made better ones at home. Delamina provides a nice buzzy atmosphere to meet friends, but considering the portion sizes, pricing and some of the service, I honestly would not recommend in its present state. I think portion sizes need to be significantly increased or prices dropped and for service to be a bit more attentive, otherwise Delamina will lose their customer base. I will...