Homegirl London’s Food Review: Jikoni Restaurant. Friends were visiting us from out of town, and on their route into London, they suggested we meet at this lovely eatery in Marylebone for brunch. It was a delightful way to start the weekend tucking into delicious comfort food by cook Ravinder Bhogal. The eclectic dishes are influenced by flavours from Britain, East Africa, the Middle East and Asia. If you’re looking for weekend brunch in W1, restaurants in Marylebone or places to eat near The Wallace Collection, then you must book a table at the Jikoni Restaurant.
“A joyful place to hang out with friends and tuck into comfort food created with love using a fusion of flavours from Britain, East Africa, Middle East and Asia,” Homegirl London
Jikoni Restaurant Brunch Menu
We ate brunch there a few weeks ago. I’ve been super busy since then, so I haven’t had time to write up the feature until now! The mains include veggie options like cornbread made from spicy creamed corn, topped with a fried egg and jalapeno relish to spice it up. I tried the Kataifi egg with romesco and pickled cauliflower which was like a crispy bird’s nest with an egg inside. This was totally delicious and very adorable to look at.
Kataifi Egg with Romesco And Picked Cauliflower
Meaty mains include tamarind glazed bacon, fenugreek waffles with fennel slaw. The mutton keema sloppy joe (hamburger) with a side of fried Padrons is perfect for a comfort food treat. There are also lamb chops with home ground Ras el Hanout, courgette tzatziki and flatbread. Chicken lovers can enjoy the Kikapu chicken with plantain chips. Fish fans will be content the sensational saffron seafood stew.
Mutton Keema Sloppy Joe with Padron Peppers
The small plates and sides are impressive. The prawn toast scotch egg was a hit. This is served with banana ketchup and pickled cucumber. Everyone loves chips, and here you can try the chickpea chips or okra fries with curry leaf mayo. I could eat the okra fries all day long! Try fennel slaw, which was also very good.
Prawn Toast Scotch Egg
We also sampled the three desserts. I went for the pina colada pancakes with caramelised pineapple and coconut ice cream, which was awesome. This was quite sizeable, so it was very filling. Homeboy went all out on the banana cake with miso butterscotch and Ovaltine kulfi which was luxurious. Anna checked out the Turkish delight with summer berry semifreddo.
Desserts
To give you an of price points brunch mains were £12.50-26. Small plates are £6.50-11.50, and the sides are £5-6.50. The seasonal Bellini is £11, which was white peach, bay and orange blossom. A glass of Gratiot Pilliere champagne was priced at £12. It was a little pricey, but worth it for the thoughtful dishes and fabulous flavours.
Jikoni Restaurant Interiors
This is such a beautiful restaurant and has a homely vibe. Outside you will find a few tables for alfresco dining. Enter, and you will see a small bar area in front with high stools in front waiting for you to perch and order a cocktail or two. The rest of the main restaurant is a wonderfully bright space decorated with splashes of colour radiating from the beautiful table cloths. Patterned fabric is hung on the white walls to provide a vibrant decoration.
Restaurant Interior
Head downstairs where you will find the open kitchen. There are more tables in the basement where you can sit and watch the chefs at work. The toilets are also on the lower ground floor. Overall, this is a very relaxing and joyful space to catch up with friends for brunch, lunch or dinner.
Jikoni Restaurant Information
Restaurant Exterior
To find out more about the restaurant, go to the Jikoni London website. The restaurant address is 19-21 Blandford Street, London W1U 3DH. The nearest tube stations are Oxford Circus, Marble Arch, Baker Street or Regents Park. The current opening times are listed on the website. You can make a reservation online. Enjoy!
Author: Homegirl London. Photographs: Homegirl London. Thanks: Homeboy, Anna, Cookie and Ellis for dining with me.
