Bassam, Gjulnara and Badih
Delicious dishes, excellent wines and friendly, attentive service… take an exciting culinary journey to the Middle East from the heart of Fulham
‘I was chatting to an acquaintance when I was in the Lebanon a few weeks ago,’ recalls Gjulnara Nasserelddine, one of the founders of Annab, a new Lebanese Brasserie in Fulham. ‘He mentioned that his wife had discovered a fantastic new restaurant in London. It was Annab, and he had no idea about my involvement. That made me so happy!’
Annab is the creation of Gjulnara and her business partner and experienced restauranteur, Bachir Baaklini. Located on Fulham Road (by complete coincidence, next door to the popular Lebanese bakery and café Ta’mini), it opened in February and, thanks to word-of-mouth recommendation, is already attracting an enthusiastic following from SW6 and further afield.
Born in Latvia, Gjulnara was introduced to Lebanese cuisine by her husband, Fares. ‘He is a good cook and I learned the recipes from him and then made them at home. Our children loved them as much as I did: in fact, they used to say, “Mum, you should have your own restaurant!”
‘With my daughters growing up, I wanted to focus on something for myself and, at the same time, our family friend Bachir was looking for a new venture. We discussed ideas, and the concept for Annab was born: our vision is to offer warm hospitality and showcase the best traditional Lebanese food.’ And it was Gjulnara who chose the name: Annab is her favourite Lebanese fruit.
Annab’s kitchen is led by Chef Badih El Asmar, who has worked in prestigious London restaurants for 22 years and, before that, in the Lebanon for 15 years. The menu features a tempting choice of classics, modern interpretations and much-loved family dishes, including cold, hot and fish and seafood mezze, char-grilled chicken, lamb and marinated fish dishes and a wide array of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.
‘Personally, I love the starter mezze, in particular the Fattoush salad and the Falafel croquettes with a Tahini sauce,’ says Gjulnara. ‘For a main, I would recommend the Kafta lamb and the Seabass filet and, for dessert, Mouhalabieh, a milk pudding flavoured with orange blossom water and sprinkled with pistachios.
‘The menu is complemented by a superb selection of Lebanese and European wines as well as cocktails and spirits. The Ksara and Kefraya house whites and reds are excellent and, of course, you must try Arak, the national drink made from aniseed and grapes. We have four varieties and our Head Barman, Bassam Eid, will be happy to help you choose!’
Annab’s interior is stylish and comfortable, with leather seating and banquettes and a bar area where customers can enjoy a drink, and the front of house staff ensure that service is impeccable. The restaurant is open from midday to 11pm, there are two set-price lunch options and all delivery platforms are available.
‘We’re happy to host private parties, whether personal celebrations or corporate events,’ adds Gjulnara. ‘The team can also organise external catering, and not just the food and drink but also the presentation.
‘Lebanese cuisine is incredibly healthy – we only use the freshest ingredients – and the flavours are wonderfully subtle and varied. We would be delighted to introduce them to you. We want to provide a memorable experience and make sure everyone leaves us with a happy stomach.’
Annab Lebanese Brasserie
803 Fulham Road
Fulham SW6 5HE
020 3823 4424
info@annabbrasserie.com
www.annabbrasserie.com
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Photographs: #annabelmoellerphotography