Nora, Canary Wharf: Missing authenticity in every regard — Review

Every B-Side review is earned, never bought.

It’s a Tuesday evening in December. I knew, roughly, where I had to head to. It’s a new arm of the ever-growing Canary Wharf development — east of its centre. Yet, it’s not finished. In fact, I remember the birds-eye satellite view on Google Maps still showing an under-used brownfield site. Making my way from the Elizabeth Line exit of Canary Wharf station turned out to be a little longer than I expected. I wrangle through the nooks and crannies of new roads built, it’s quite inconvenient — even if you’re an East London native. I realise quickly the restaurant is a space underneath one of the new build flats — I feel slightly catfished.

I didn't have much to go off other than an impressive array of sleek images of the interior that nod to mid-century modern aesthetics with wooden walls and very current burgundy accent colours. You can imagine the immediate contrast when approaching the space, encased around glass buildings with the lingering dystopian air that is oftentimes synonymous with the financial heart of the city. It’s what makes the space inside feel like an attempt to mimic an atmosphere rather than embody it, like the outside of a simulation experiment — four blank walls surrounding a subject inside another a world. It’s only when going inside does that feeling only grow. Take the shelf of vinyls placed across the wall — a tired interior blueprint I’ve come across too many times over the past year. Like many places, it’s an untouched decorative prop and does nothing to further enhance the atmosphere. Little did I know that this was a foreshadowing of my meal to come.

Service was so-so throughout the night. I wouldn’t be able to tell you in depth on some of the dishes because the waiter didn't know any better, either. A lady next to me was made to get up and hang her coat across a busy room and my dips were snatched before my mains. I immediately realised that not a lot of Turks were waiting the tables — which explained the lack of gentlemen in the room.

Starting the evening off was a grilled balzama bread that was oily and bland. In fact, we found that the bread muted the flavours of the cucumber cacic dip which had a nice lightness but zero dill flavour, as described. After a few tries, it regressed into a glamorised yoghurt in an excess of onion shavings and tasteless chilli oil. Next, a courgette borani — creamy, decorated in a pool of sesame seeds and curry leaf oil. My biggest grievance is the minuscule crunch that feels like you’ve chipped a tooth on every bite. It’s too uncomfortable to finish so I move on to the wild mushroom tava — a tough feat whenever making a mushroom the centre of your dish, but a good result tonight. It grows on you bite by bite — slightly roasted in a creamy sauce with walnuts, no slime in texture and a soft peppery aftertaste the glides. The crab onion dolma was the low of the night, however. A crab overpoweringly potent in a bisque, oddly paired with the texture of a boiled onion that kept shedding layers down the fork. I moved on quickly to the chicken thigh — tender with a nice char, no aroma that sometimes comes with poultry thighs and paired nicely with a buttery garlic yoghurt. On the side we have pink fir potatoes which come fresh and crispy but the shepherds salad — a simple mix of tomato, cucumber, mint, onion shavings, pomegranate and vinegar lacked any zap. I’m always keen to look at the dessert menu, but the tone had already been set tonight and redemption was not on the menu — it was time to pay and leave.

Nora
7 West Lane, Wood Wharf, London E22 3AA
nora.london

Modern Turkish cooking.
Meze-led menus, charcoal grills and house breads; dishes designed for sharing; service charge applies.
Open Mon–Fri 12–9.45PM; Sat 11AM–9.45PM; Sun 11AM–9.30PM.
Dress code: Relaxed.