Historical version 2 of Souk, WC2H 9NJ (view current version)

  • (020) 7240 1796
  • 27 Litchfield Street

Review by Simon Cozens <simon@simon-cozens.org>: (reproduced with permission)

It's worth going to Souk just for the atmosphere alone; the restaurant is dimly lit, cosy, and the decor wonderfully authentic. With tented ceilings, Arabic tiles, and waiters in kaftans and fez caps, it's everything you'd expect a North African restaurant to be.

There's a set meal which is pretty good value - my companion and I ate a two-course meal with plenty of beer, coffees and a shisha pipe for �35 pounds - although the waiters will grudgingly admit the existence of an a la carte menu if you ask nicely. The starters (vegetarian, and possibly vegan) was a beautifully presented plate of hummus, moutabel, harissa and several other mezze with pitta bread. As unscrupulous omnivores, we then had couscous with chicken and merguez. Arabic coffee and mint tea are available, as well as a rather good Moroccan beer.

For vegans, the a la carte menu may be a better option, with a wide selection for starters and mains - not much in the way of vegan desserts, however.

The service was variable; for the most part intimate and friendly, it had its scatty and sometimes brusque moments. All in all, though, an enjoyable evening, with excellent food.

Other Reviews

Menu and Prices

Starters: (all with pitta)

  • Soup �2.95
  • Pitta/garlic bread with feta �2/2.50
  • Grilled aubergine & potato salad �3.50
  • Warm roast pepper & tomato salad �3.50
  • Orange, feta & olive salad �3.50
  • Houmus with pitta �3.50
  • Warm fennel with rice salad �3.50
  • Yoghurt with cucumber and mint �3.50
  • Tabouleh salad with couscous �3.50
  • Falafel salad �3.50
  • Mixed mezze for 2 �6.50

Non-vegetarian starters: �3.95

  • Merguez wth tomato sauce
  • Sauteed chicken liver with garlic, cumin and coriander
  • Sardines maison

Vegetarian main courses: �7.95

  • Couscous with root vegetables
  • Couscous with green peas, date and yoghurt
  • Tagine of vegetables, prune and almond
  • Tagine of vegetables, honey, date and tomato
  • Tagine of vegetables, green peas and roast onion
  • Tagine of vegetables, chick peas, cumin and harissa

Non-vegetarian main courses: �8.95

  • Couscous with chicken and merguez
  • Couscous with lamb
  • Couscous royal (lamb, chicken and merguez)
  • Tagines:
    • Chicken, chick peas, cumin and harissa
    • Chicken, olive and pickled lemon
    • Chicken, date, honey and tomato
    • Chicken, feta, spinach and roast onion
    • Lamb, prune and roasted almond
    • Lamb, green peas and roast onion
    • Lamb, vegetables and herbs
    • Lamb, mint and honey
    • Cod, pickled lemon and olives
    • Cod, tomato, herbs and vegetables
    • Cod, feta and spinach
    • Cod, green peas and onion

Desserts: �2.95

  • Ice cream/sorbet
  • Orange, date and mint salad,
  • Crepes with honey and almond
  • Crepes with cholocate and rose water cream
  • Crepes with butter, lemon juice and sugar,
  • Baklava
  • Yogurt with honey and roasted almond
  • Rice pudding with orange flower
  • Apple and cinnamon compote

OS X co-ord: 529969     OS Y co-ord: 180991     (Latitude: 51.512394 Longitude: -0.126829)
This is version 2 (as of 2003-06-15 14:27:54). View current version. List all versions.