OMM RESTAURANT, BARNES: REVIEW
Omm Restaurant, Barnes
The leafy south-west London village of Barnes may be one of the more sought-after districts of the capital to live in, but one thing it’s lacked on the culinary front in recent years is a restaurant of any kind serving Middle-Eastern cuisine.
Step forward ‘Omm’ (meaning "mother" in Arabic): a Lebanese venue which has just opened in the White Hart Lane building long occupied by local institution Annie’s, so has a lot to live up to already.
When you step inside the place you can see that it has immediately risen to the challenge on the aesthetic front: all earthy olive greens which I learn is inspired by Lebanon’s ancient olive groves, offset by serene cobalt blue (reflecting the Mediterranean) and beige and browns of mother earth herself – they’ve definitely put some thought into the colour scheme!
On the décor and furnishings front, tabletop lights add a sense of cosiness to the dining room space, and leather banquettes a touch of class, as do the original artworks on the wall by Lebanese artist Mireille Boustany, offering colourful snapshots of Beirut and the wider country. It is a stylish and intimate space for a meal, so high hopes and expectations now fall upon the menu.

Handily, the manager Pierre Hobeika, an industry veteran who formerly oversaw the award-winning Fakhreldine on London’s Piccadilly among other restaurants in Beirut and Paris, is on hand to guide me through Omm’s offerings.
The menu has been put together by Pierre’s longtime associate Salah Zneit, a Beiruti chef who has spent over 25 years showcasing his homeland’s cuisine in venues across London, Lebanon and beyond. His is a classic Lebanese menu of hot and cold mezzes, grilled and skewered meats, and traditional home-cooked dishes, from which my partner and I choose a mezze selection including freshly-made hoummos and stuffed vine leaves to start with, followed by the slow-cooked five-spice lamb shoulder served with Bukhari rice, and the ‘Daoud Bacha’ minced lamb balls with vermicelli rice. We spend the next couple of hours enjoying one of the best Middle-Eastern meals we’ve ever experienced in any country.
And what really raises the bar further is the wine list exhibiting some of the finest Lebanese wines on the market, including options from one of the country’s most celebrated wine producers, Chateau Oumsiyat, recently lauded one of William Reed’s World's 50 Best Vineyards. It’s great to see these wines on offer from the country and region itself (also including Armenia, Cyprus and North Macedonia), which authentically complement the meal better than any other could. Beirut beer and cider are on offer too for those who prefer a bottled brew.

Our feast concludes with an impressive dessert called ‘Maamoul Angel’: a baked milk pudding topped with Lebanese candy floss, which tastes as delicious as it looks, and rounds the meal off perfectly with this light touch.
I find out that Omm can accommodate 60 guests sitting inside, plus another ten on a terrace overlooking the street with a heater and blankets for these colder months. There is also a sheltered courtyard at the rear for al fresco dining in warmer weather.
It’s another reason I’ll be looking forward to spring and summer – to relive my dining experience here in a weather setting that more closely resembles the country it represents.
In conclusion, not only will you not find another restaurant of this quality in Barnes, you won’t find many better Middle-Eastern venues in the whole of London. Omm is here to stay and long may it prosper.
36-38 White Hart Lane, London SW13 0PZ. www.ommrestaurant.co.uk