Just opened, Bababoom is already the new hot restaurant in Westfield’s World Food Court. Our beloved shopping mall in Stratford is always busy and when I arrived at the food court at 1pm on a Thursday, Bababoom was throbbing with activity. Everyone wanted to try their fresh kebabs and rice bowls, and now that I’ve tasted their food, I can understand why.
The staff was super helpful and assisted me on how best to order from the menu. The concept is similar to Nandos: you can choose between a kebab, a rice bowl, a salad bowl or a Baba’s Grill. Then you choose chicken, falafel, halloumi, or beef as your filling. Finally, you can pick your favourite toppings and sauces. The menu is sensibly short, but you can create an exciting new dish every time you go because of the many different toppings and fillings to choose from. There are also a couple of sides and some exciting soft drinks, like mango and pomegranate juice.
My friends make fun of my obsession with Instagrammable food, but when I go out, I want to eat food that is eye candy. Therefore, I was delighted when they served us perfectly presented dishes. My friend Morgan ordered the Basic Bab: flatbread with apple slaw, harissa aioli and chicken shish – while I tried the rice bowl meal deal with regular fries and a drink.
The rice bowl with supergreen falafel all worked beautifully together: the apple slaw and pickled cabbage were crunchy and flavourful. At the same time, the vibrant turmeric rice added earthiness. I chose pomegranate seeds as my topping, which added a fruity and bitter note to the rice bowl. But the real star of the dish was the falafel – crunchy on the outside, soft and airy on the inside with chunks of vegetables. The creamy tahini and garlicky aioli rounded up the flavours. I didn’t expect much from my rice bowl, but it was a colourful, comforting and delightful dish that makes me want to come back to Bababoom the next time we visit Westfield.
The bill came to £17, including my meal deal and my friend’s Basic Bab – good value for such delicious and freshly prepared food.
First Floor, Westfield Stratford, London E20 1EJ
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