Dinings, yesterday, was disappointing. The food was as good as ever, but the staff made me genuinely uncomfortable. It used to be a quiet, elegant place where the staff were helpful but discreet and retiring – very important in that cramped space. Over the past two years they’ve changed to all-hipster staff, most of them American, very overbearingly friendly and full of advice on ordering and unsolicited recommendations. Not sure I’ll go back there.
Today’s lunch was at the Barbary and was, by far, the best meal I’ve had since returning to London. Here the staff was friendly and helpful but not overbearing, happy to explain or suggest but not in the least pushy. And no anxious, infuritatingly solicitous questions about allergies and dietary preferences. The food was excellent. We started with a naan (the best I’ve had in London) and a bagel (also superb and actually very like a kulcha), with some baba ghanoush and zhug. as well as spring rolls filled with Moroccan flavoured fish. Then a fantastic grilled octopus tentacle and a couple of slices of rump steak with a healthy layer of fat and the best courgette I’ve ever had. Finally, Turkish coffee with two desserts: kataifi with orange and a tart filled with a sort of pistachio ganache. It reminded me of the pleasure of eating out in a truly global city which KL certainly is not.