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Located just a five-minute walk from Piccadilly Circus (Shaftesbury Avenue exit) and one street from Chinatown, Palomar presents itself as a modern bistro with a lively atmosphere. On entering, pink lighting sets the tone, with five high-chair window seats, an extensive bar area with surrounding stools, and standing space with small drink tables to the right. Toward the back, there is banquette-style seating for tables of two or four.
We were seated at the far end in a curved banquette for four. The space felt tight, and the non-banquette chair was particularly uncomfortable. The interior features a mix of white and wood panelling, wood-toned walls, and chevron-patterned flooring, giving a contemporary yet warm feel.
The menu is presented on a single sheet, divided into small, medium, and large plates, plus desserts. We were advised to order around ten dishes; we ordered seven savoury dishes and two desserts (nine in total).
Drinks
Filtered water was good value.
We had a bottle of Cantina Iuli (Umberta Bott.), a pleasant red wine with a reasonable markup of around 125%.
Food
Kubaneh with Baba Ganoush
An average dish. The brioche-like Jewish bread was pleasant, but the portion of baba ganoush was very small and not particularly memorable or classic in flavour.
Lamb Croquette (£4.50)
A good dish. No gaminess in the lamb, nicely seasoned, and finished with a pleasant sauce. Small—about two bites—but enjoyable.
Cucumbers, Green Tahini, Crispy Chilli, Almond
A well-executed and interesting dish. A mix of sliced and chunked cucumber with a flavourful green tahini sauce, crispy onions, and almonds. Fresh and balanced.
Whole Grilled John Dory (£58)
Poor value for money. The fish was small, with the head making up a substantial portion. The ras el hanout seasoning was very subtle, the sauce oily, and the flavour overall unremarkable. Capers were heavy-handed. Disappointing for the price.
Charred Hispi Cabbage, Spring Onion Salsa (Side)
Wood-grilled and chopped. Perfectly acceptable, but nothing special—better versions are available elsewhere.
Octopus, Chorizo, Butter Beans
The octopus itself was well cooked, but the dish was dominated by hard, overcooked chorizo, which overwhelmed everything else. The flavour profile was monotonous and unbalanced.
50-Day Aged Pork Chop, Grapes, Sherry
One of the better dishes, but flawed. The pork was sliced and coated in a very good sauce, and the halved grapes were a highlight. However, the meat was overdone—dry, extremely crispy, and tough in parts—with significant amounts of fat, some of it chewy and unpleasant. The sauce did much of the heavy lifting here.
Desserts
Baklava Ice Cream Sandwich (Pistachio)(£12)
Overly sweet. The baklava pastry became soggy at the bottom, and the overall dessert lacked balance.
Burnt Honey Custard Tart, Yoghurt Sorbet (£12)
Pleasant but very small and poor value. The yoghurt sorbet was overly tart, overpowering the custard.
In all we spent £48 for desert for a table for 4!
Service
Service was friendly and efficient, but not at a level that justified the 15% service charge.
Overall
Palomar offers an attractive setting and some interesting ideas, but execution is inconsistent, portioning uneven, and value questionable—particularly on larger plates and desserts. A mixed experience rather than a standout one.
