YA BEIRUT — Restaurant in London

I desperately wanted some Zatar and I walked around West Ealing to find a Lebanese Restaurant but my usual was already closed. I consulted Google Maps and was directed to Ya Beirut. I was standing outside the door looking for a Menu on the wall but there's none so the owner opened the door and asked me what I was looking for. He was so friendly and polite I asked for Zatar but it's not on the Menu.Would you believe they made it for me anyway? I also ordered Tabbouleh and Hummus Beiruti and I can't remember the last time I had such Meze : everything was cooked on the spot and the young owner even went out and bought a huge bunch of fresh parsley just for me 😂 The portions are generous and I had a little chat to a lovely man who was directing the kitchen operations like a General!! I was impressed with the treatment I received, the two men really went out of their way to get me the food I wanted when they could easily have said "No". Instead both of them were rushing around and made the whole experience very pleasant. The Restaurant was quiet ( early dinner time) so I had a look around and I found it clean and functional, there is a big grill by the entrance and the kitchen is at the back so I observed no food contamination which is great news for me. The tables and floors were clean and I like the décor, the walls are covered by what looked like Bamboo leaves posters, I find green very relaxing and refreshing.

I will be back...

First time I tried Ya Beirut in Ealing and most likely last time. The staff and customer service is excellent 5 star for that very welcoming and caring. I ordered hummus with some shawarma on top with some bread. Bread seemed like local pitta bread from shop but other restaurant places in area cook fresh bread. The bread was only edible food in my experience. But the chicken shwarma on top hummus when it arrived it smelled like it had no seasoning and I put a few pieces in my mouth and I could only taste plain unseasoned chicken not even taste of garlic or any seasoning and the oil was left in hummus from shawarma. The shawarma was reheated but I dont know how. I removed all chicken from hummus and hope to enjoy hummus with bread but the chicken had ruined the taste and texture of hummus also so I pretty much ate mostly the pitta bread and wasted rest and paid £10. I have eaten hummus and shawarma with fresh bread in number of places and Ya beirut was first time I had negative experience of this dish. Maybe it was a bad day. But staff are very nice I am sure customers enjoy other food they have. But for me I think it was one...

The owner, the senior chap, was very warm and welcoming. The food prices seemed very reasonable too. Then, we saw him prepare the food in the kitchen area at the back of the restaurant- he squirted some tahini on the bread and licked the spout of the bottle, a full on slurp, if you will. He then continued switching between the gloved hand and the non gloved hand while preparing the food.He is a very warm host but I don’t believe he has the discipline or training to work in a commercial kitchen, it pains me to write this review but food safety comes first. We paid for the take away and thanked him politely. Then we binned the food later. We won’t...