A one-off Palestinian feast at Ondine

Chef Joudie Kalla, author of Palestine on a Plate, will take over the Edinburgh restaurant on August 18

A taste of Palestine will come to Edinburgh this month, as chef and author Joudie Kalla takes over the kitchens of acclaimed seafood restaurant Ondine for one night only on Friday August 18.

The main is the za‘atar chicken with freekeh tabbouleh

Drawing on the recipes in Kalla’s book Palestine on a Plate, which was written as a way of capturing dishes that have been passed down through different generations of her family, the three-course meal (£50, or £75 with wine flight) will begin with meze comprising fatayer (spiced minced lamb parcels), rummaniyeh (a lentil, aubergine and pomegranate dip draped in fried garlic and pomegranate seeds), m’sabaha (a chilli chunky cumin and chickpea dip) and mamas mutabbal (charred aubergine dip with garlic, chilli, lemon and yoghurt).

The main will be za‘atar chicken, served with a maftoul tabbouleh – sumac tomatoes plus fresh mint and red onions – while the sweet, sticky, semolina and orange blossom cake (known as namoura) awaits in the dessert course, alongside batches of tahini brownies.

“I'm in love with Palestine’s amazing produce and the integrity behind it,” says Ondine chef patron Roy Brett. “We are thrilled to be welcoming Joudie to cook here, and I can’t wait to try the delicate and beautiful flavours of her dishes.”