What's the draw
Anything that's even vaguely associated with legendary Jerusalem-inspired restaurant The Palomar is enough to get us to prick up our ears, so news of Foley's had us very excited indeed. The opening comes hot off the heels of a hugely successful six-week residency in Shepherd's Bush, serving up modern Mediterranean-style food that draws on influences from the Spice Route – the network of sea 'roads' that link the East with the West, stretching across Japan, Indonesia, the Middle East and the Mediterranean.
What to drink
The cocktail menu is a suits-all roundup of all the usual favourites, each with a slight Foley's twist. We sipped happily on a chai old fashioned, made with Woodford Reserve – a particular favourite – and blood orange liqueur, and also sampled a refreshing spiced pear mojito. As for wine, there's no shortage of gems to discover – we went for a 2013 single vinyard malbec from Decero, Mendoza in Argentina to go with our food.
What to eat
This is where it gets interesting: we'd advise one small plate from the 'bits and bobs' section, and two large ones, giving you ample room to explore. You can't really go wrong, so we'll just give you the highlights: crunchy peanut crackers with spicy tomato sauce were a moreish starter, and the contrasting flavours and textures of the grilled octopus with pork mince made it the standout dish of the evening. Don't bypass the veggie offerings, either – aubergine, cauliflower and market salad were almost good enough to make us forget about the meat dishes entirely. As for dessert, you shouldn't need any extra incentive to try it other than the words 'baklava cheesecake' and 'brown butter popcorn ice cream'. Yep, you read those right.
Opens 1 July 2016. Dinner, cocktails and wine for two, about £80. 23 Foley Street, W1W 6DU; foleysrestaurant.co.uk
