Street food focus: Mezza Me

Henry Norman samples the most hyped dishes on the high street - are they more than just a flash in the pan?

What?
The lamb and chicken shawarma.

Where?
Mezza Me serves up ‘Lebanese street food, handmade with love’ from its one restaurant in Brixton.

How much?
£12.95.

The menu says:
‘Our mix of authentically seasoned chicken and lamb shawarma served with Lebanese bread.’

The hype says:
“Food was authentic, fresh and totally delicious”: TripAdvisor; “The menu of Lebanese cuisine is gorgeous”: Restaurant Guru; “Delicious and authentic”: Yelp.

We say:
Despite Lebanese’s apparently ongoing reputation as The Next Big Foodie Thing, and London’s status as a smorgasbord of a city where anything is acquirable, it is surprisingly hard to get hold of the former in the latter in anything other than a food-to-go format. Hiding in plain single site, however, is Mezza Me, which could easily be overlooked, sitting as it does right next to Pop Brixton and the covered market.

It's well worth seeking out though as, whereas many Lebanese places are handy for grabbing a quick wrap on the run, Mezza Me’s interior is as comforting as the food. The enticing interior offers large sofas to collapse into and Tintin and Asterix comics clipped to the walls to remove and read – which is just as well as the portion sizes are worth taking their time over.

The mixed shawarma is the highlight from the mains; the meat is as tender as it is tasty while also eschewing the grease that can often put a bit of a dampener on proceedings. From the starters, meanwhile, the soujouk sausages are the standout. The subtle spicing permeates into the accompanying tomatoes, bringing a truly authentic flavour of Beirut to Brixton.

Should you believe the hype?
The best London-based Lebanese I’ve experienced yet.

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