Bala Baya - London

Overall, I had a pleasant experience at this restaurant with lovely outdoor seating. I tried the vegan options, which included about 5 dishes. While I didn't enjoy the mushrooms as much, the cauliflower steak was a standout. The menu also offered a good selection of drinks and cocktails. However, the service was slow and inattentive, and the food arrived at different times without warning. The prices were on the higher side, and I'm not fully convinced I would return. It's a great spot to hang out with friends and enjoy a social outing, with plenty of indoor seating on two levels and gender-neutral facilities.

This restaurant is ideal for impressing your foodie friends, with creative dishes, vegetarian options, and influences from Asian cuisine. While not cheap, the plates are meant to be shared, so 4 dishes would be enough for a satisfying meal for 2 people. However, there are some flaws to note. The venue used to be elegant but now lacks character, feeling like a dull restaurant with canteen-style seating near the entrance and minimal heating. Despite pre-booking a table and arriving early, we were seated downstairs as upstairs tables are not guaranteed if they are full. The service is okay, with a warm welcome but little follow-up and the possibility of leaving with a cooking smell on your clothes, especially if dining downstairs. Overall, the food is excellent but the overall experience does not justify the high prices. It's a shame, as this restaurant was a favorite before the pandemic.

The restaurant is hidden in an alley, great ambience, staff are very friendly although a bit slow. Great for conversations. Food portions are small and pricey. We ordered six plates between four of us but not enough for everyone. I liked most of the dishes. The hummus is creamy and well seasoned. The grilled sea bass is really nicely grilled! My favourite was the prawn baklava, very clever and tasty dish but I forgot to take a photo of it. Would still recommend but wish portions are larger!

This restaurant is truly wonderful, offering one-of-a-kind shareable dishes such as kebab dumplings and baklava prawns. The hummus and pita bread were outstanding. The staff is very friendly and provides excellent service!

Fantastic experience! The restaurant gives cool modern vibes and we loved the ambience as soon as we went through the door. We also enjoyed the music in the background. As far as food is concerned, the marriage of aromas was really extraordinary. Everything was excellent, we loved every single dish absolutely to the smallest detail. The staff was very responsive and friendly. We definitely recommend!