While I’m born and raised in this city, it’s refreshing to munch into dishes that remind me of my mum’s home cooking and my ethnic roots.
Of course London is not short of Middle Eastern restaurants, let alone Lebanese ones, but Ta’mini Lebanese Bakery in Kensington matched that home comfort feeling that so few eateries can.
Ta’mini – Arabic for “feed me” – was founded by husband and wife Ali and Nermin.
The couple first launched a bakery in Fulham during the pandemic in 2020 and launched a second Ta’mini in Bloomsbury in 2023.
The Kensington Church Street branch marks their third bakery in London and I was charmed by its bright yellow decor – as if I had walked into a small venue in Beirut.
Ali and Nermin were not there at the time, but I still felt the comfort of the family-run business when greeted by their son.
It’s a fairly simple menu, which I was pleased to see.
My eyes were grabbed by the large selection of manakhish choices, which are freshly baked vegan flatbreads with a variety of toppings.
On top of this, there were some traditional wraps to choose from along with Lebanese sandwiches.
Before it was even served to me, it was clear this would replicate that home cooked meal essence I was looking for.
One tray had slices of lahmeh bi ajin – minced beef and lamb mixed with tomatoes and other vegetables – and za’atar, which is bread topped with thyme, sumac and sesame.
We were offered a pomegranate sauce to drizzle on top of these freshly baked slices.
I was blown away as I bit into the meat flatbread, tasting the doughy crust along with the rich flavours of the lahmeh mix.
The za’atar was a lot more dry, as it traditionally is, but was equally delicious and went well when I dipped it into the hummus.
Both are things I regularly order since being a child – so imagine my delight as this itched my craving.
The hummus itself had a strong zesty flavour, but felt very refreshing along with the very bread-focused foods I had on my table.
At this point I as already full and more than satisfied, but seeing how amazed I was with the manakhish, I just had to try a sausage and a kafta wrap.
And in all honesty, if you leave the table at a Lebanese place not stuffed, you’re not getting the full experience.
So i had the biggest smile on my face tucking into the juicy meat wraps – both minimally stuffed with extra toppings, but its simplicity made the main protein even more enjoyable.
The tabbouleh salad complimented the overall meal.
Even being in such a beautiful area such as Kensington, I was pleased that prices were quite affordable with the za’atar under £4 and many other flatbread dishes between £5 to £8.
Along with the great food and being served with Lebanese charm, I undoubtedly felt at home.
