The Times
Jay Rayner was in his element at this “Afghan-Texas BBQ mash-up” which, after years on the food festival circuit, has found its first permanent home in an old pub in “a less manicured corner” of Notting Hill.
Co-founder Mursal Saiq, who arrived in the UK as an eight-year-old refugee from Afghanistan, is dismissive of the whole idea of ‘authentic’ cuisine – much to Jay’s approval. The “star dish”, a lamb shank that undergoes eight-hours of Texan-style brining and smoking, “until the meat is not so much falling off the bone as waving it goodbye”, is served on a buttery and vegetable-rich Kabuli pilau, based on a recipe from Saiq’s mother.
British wagyu brisket is tender but “properly beefy”, while non-meat options include an Afghan stew of long-roasted aubergines in yoghurt and tomatoes, a “quality” tuna ceviche in lime and sumac, and baby salad potatoes boiled then burst open and deep-fried.
Jay Rayner - 2026-06-21
