Spicing up the classics

Taking over the kitchen at Julono in June signalled quite a change in David Lem's working life. Not only has the former head chef of Bentley's restaurant, London, found his new kitchen brigade a lot smaller - three compared with 20 - but the food he is cooking is very different to Bentley's fish offering.

The menu at the 100-seat Julono, which opened in December last year, is Moroccan with a Mediterranean twist. So relying on his background in classical French cooking and drawing from the experience of cooking Mediterranean dishes at London's Canteen, where he worked prior to Bentley's, Lem has created recipes that are characteristically Moroccan.

Exploiting the north African country's love of combining sweet and savoury foods, with its trademark spices of ginger, cinnamon and coriander, the monthly changing menu features dishes such as a tagine of lamb with prunes, honey and sweet potatoes (£11.95). Lem marinates the meat in cinnamon, orange zest and juice and cumin for up to 48 hours to bring out the full flavour.

Also among the eight main courses is whole baked sea bass with a spicy charmoula (a mixture of lemon, coriander, garlic, parsley and spices) with orange and cucumber salad (£14.50).

Of the seven starters, the meze platter (£6.99) with hummus, almond paste, pitta bread, merguez sausage, chicken brochette and filo pastry with prawns and vegetarian fillings, is a favourite, as is the beetroot gravadlax of salmon with warm new potato salad and a sweet grain mustard dressing (£4.95). The gravadlax has been given an added twist by Lem - gin replaces the customary Cognac, while a few juniper berries are thrown in for good measure.

"These recipes show what Moroccan cooking is all about - using sweet and savoury together but without one overpowering the other," says Lem, whose inspiration for dishes comes from experimenting with ingredients.

Perhaps not surprisingly, given Lem's background, the five desserts are predominantly French. Roasted rhubarb crème brûlée (£4.75) is a favourite with customers, who average 60 per evening and spend £25 per head including drink. All are looked after by manager Justin John who heads the six-strong front of house team.

Julono, 73 Haverstock Hill, London, NW3.Tel: 020 7722 0909