The Palomar

Squeezed into a caterpillar of a shape in Rupert St on the edge of Chinatown, just south of Soho and Shaftesbury Avenue, this inspired and adventurous restaurant leans towards a foodie, non-kosher side of "modern-day Jerusalem", with a just big enough menu "influenced by the rich cultures of southern Spain, North Africa and the Levan". Pork belly, lentils, "stroganoffed chicken", dried fruits, aubergine, labneh (a kind of yoghurt), couscous, mackerel and tahini all figure powerfully here, albeit in sometimes surprising configurations, and to delicious and fresh-tasting effect. The restaurant's seating situation is schizo, with the front of house dominated by a long high-octane open kitchen framed by a bar with 16 stools. The cosy rear features intimate dining-car lighting with banquettes and tables, all made comfy by enveloping blue leather. Opened May 2014, renovated in 2022 (with extra table space). Closed Tuesday.