When Eska Group co-founder Ibi Mubadar approached Ibrahim Kashif to head the kitchen at Noor, Kashif was hesitant.
He wondered what on earth he could contribute to a famous Middle Eastern restaurant with an unmistakable menu structure and hat.
However, Mubadar was convinced that Kashif was the right man for the job, and the chef accepted the offer after Mubadar’s third try.
The challenge of creating a menu that lived up to Noor’s illustrious past was no easy feat, but it was a job that “reinvigorated me creatively,” says Kashif, who was owner and head chef at the now-closed Stambuli.
The idea for the menu began with batata hara (spicy Lebanese potatoes), and after trying a number of bland, watery versions of the dish, Kashif decided to offer a tastier version at Noor.
His version is perfectly crisp, providing a beautiful contrast with the combination of toum and fermented chillies. “It was one of those dishes that started it all for me, and it just snowballed from there,” Kashif says.
Highlighted appetizers include stuffed wood-fired mussels with pine nut rice and chicken fat butter, and raw kingfish tabouli with horseradish chachik and sesame leaves.
“Mussels are a quintessential Turkish dish,” says Kashif, “but we’re doing a slightly playful version. We cook the mussels in chicken stock and chicken fat, then roast them again, so they dry out a bit and get a bit browned.”
The kingfish tabouli is tucked beneath two large sesame leaves, and the chef encourages guests to tear off a portion of the leaf, scoop up the tabouli, and eat it with their hands.
Mubadar first tried the dish at one of Kashif’s early pop-ups, and “I thought, ‘This dish has to be on the menu,'” he says.
Other highlights on the menu include mishe, dry-aged duck with Baharat and Ottoman quince sauce; a neck of lamb inspired by kebab shop dishes; and an already “super popular” mountain salad of tomatoes, green olives, pomegranate, walnuts and pistachios.
Since opening, Nour has established itself as not only a restaurant highly regarded by industry experts, but also a favorite with the masses.
Kashif takes over as executive chef Paul Faragewill remain with Eska Group in his new role.
“Kashif is the perfect person to take Noor to the next level,” says Mubadah. “Paul has set extremely high standards and I am confident that Kashif’s passion and expertise will take Noor even further.”
“This is a new chapter for Noor, but also one that celebrates its rich history,” Kashif added.
Nour is part of the Esca Group, which also operates award-winning restaurant Aalia, Japanese izakaya Itō and Southeast Asian eatery Lilymu.
