London - Yalla Yalla

This is one of the best rated restaurants on the Time Out website, and having now been, I completely agree with their recommendation.

Yalla Yalla translates, (or so the waitress told me), to 'Come on, come on!'. This is a fitting name, as I am now repeatedly urging friends to 'come on!', to join me in an expedition back there, as I really long to return.

Yalla Yalla can be found down an unassuming side road in London's Soho. It seemed to appear out of the blue as we wandered through the alternating grey, and rainbow coloured district, and as we alighted upon it, the cosy scene within the windows was a warming sight. It is a simple but tastefully done place, and the staff were very friendly in helping us to navigate through the multitude of wraps on offer.

We both went for the spicy chicken wrap, and ordered some hummus to share. What could have been a simple and tasty, but forgettable meal, turned out to be one of the best that I have ever had.

On first sitting down you are given a bowl of olives and a bowl of pickles to nibble at, and then a beautiful carafe also appears, one that far surpasses any jug. Even the word 'jug' now sounds unsatisfactory, please, I want a 'carafe'.

The wraps were truly delicious. They were free from gimmick and seemed intent on presenting you with just wonderful tasting food. Meanwhile, the hummus was similarly fantastic, and appeared in a bowl in which olive oil and chickpeas were nestling in its hollowed out middle. This also came with two other dips, both of which alas I can't identify now, but which were fun to mix with the wraps and pittas in different combinations, and which without fail, worked every time.

With the student streak living strong within me I can't resist my loyalty cards. I have practically a whole purse full of them. So when I saw that Yalla Yalla, too, had loyalty cards, well, I was over the moon.

J