Most people coming out of Shepherd's Bush tube station these days are heading for Westfield. And, let's face it, heading in the opposite direction towards Shepherd's Bush Green has always been, shall we say, visually off-putting. Even with the new developments (the aforementioned Westfield, the Green itself being re-turfed), it is still a relatively run-down area.
However, there has always been a vibrant and diverse local community, and Maison Souss is clearly a part of that. Nestled in amongst the long row of shops on the north side of the Green, it is a hidden gem. Run by (I think) a Moroccan family,* it seems to be an important hub for the North-African locals.
On walking in, you're presented with a long counter filled with cream cakes, and an huge array of biscuits and sweets. The top is usually lined with a variety of fresh custard pastries, which seem to be a particular speciality. I have never learned the names of any of them, usually I order by pointing. But I particularly recommend their version of the millefeuille: crumbly pastry filled with light custard, topped with icing. It's also considerably easier to eat than the usual variety, which collapse on biting and spread the custard everywhere. The cream cakes are fresh and substantial, and the honey-soaked items are always a pleasure, since they either use a very light honey, or dilute it with rose water. The result is delicious, and entirely free from the slightly cloying or over-sweet quality you sometimes find in baklava-type sweets. The savoury soups and stews, served with fresh-looking flatbreads have always tempted me, but I've yet to take the plunge and actually try them. They are certainly a popular option with regulars.
The best thing about this place is the price. It is a rare thing to find in London a place where two people can have a drink and a good-sized piece of cake each and pay around £5-6 *for the lot*. And I gather from a discerning drinker that their coffee is excellent (I don't drink coffee myself).
As an avid people-watcher, this is a great place to sit and watch people wandering in and out, bumping into friends, chatting with the family who run it. And, as often as not, collecting large orders of cake (or orders of large cake). The furniture and decor is cheap and functional, but I would say these things do not matter when there's good cake and a warm atmosphere to be enjoyed.
Recently they seem to have papered over the name, and I've yet to find out why. They may be planning a re-naming. Either way, it's still open for business as usual. The management doesn't seem to have changed, at least.
*Please don't hold me to this, I'm often wrong about such things. read more
