Aubergine Stew
My Cottage Café

My Cottage Café

10a Clifton Terrace, London, N43SR, N4 3JU, United Kingdom

Cafés • Seafood • Fast Food • Mediterranean


"My husband and I were disappointed to find out that our favorite Pasta Restaurant had closed, so we were in search of a new dining spot for our Theatre Visits to the Park Theatre. Since we enjoy Lebanese food, we decided to try out My Cottage Restaurant. We arrived a bit early due to lighter-than-expected traffic and were greeted somewhat indifferently. The restaurant was narrow and deep, with slightly worn furniture and fittings. The table was sticky and the cutlery and crockery had water stains. We ordered apple juice with mint and a bottle of sparkling water, which turned out to be a small 330ml bottle of Perrier Water. For starters, we had Potato Harra and Makdous, followed by Qormeh Sabzi and Lahm Mashwi. To our surprise, the main courses arrived before the starters. The Potato Harra was flavorful, but the Qormeh Sabzi was disappointing and lacked seasoning. The Aubergine and Lamb were also underwhelming. The baklawa for dessert was tasty and well-baked. When we asked for the bill, we were informed that their card machine was not working, so we had to pay with cash. Overall, the restaurant was quirky and tired, with mediocre food and service. We felt like we were an inconvenience to the staff. While the meal was not cheap at £85, it did not meet the standards of other Lebanese restaurants in London. It is unlikely that we will be returning to this restaurant."

Alborz

Alborz

820 Stockport Road, Manchester, United Kingdom

Vegan • Halal • Persian • Vegetarian


"Alborz is a wonderful hidden gem in Levenshulme that serves a variety of Persian and Middle-Eastern food, located on Stockport Rd you could be forgiven for thinking that Alborz is as unassuming as it's humble exterior suggests. However, what lies behind those modest doors is truly fantastic restaurant both in terms of food and service. The interior is understated and tasteful, furnished with Persian vases and ornate tea sets, the tables are close together to make the most of the limited space available but this lends a refreshing communal atmosphere to your meal. The staff were friendly and attentive and more than happy to talk you through the menu and explain the various dishes. We ordered the Mezze Platter to start, this consists of four different starters, and is ideal if you're not overly familiar with Persian cuisine, the homemade hummus was a particular highlight being both fresh and tasty. We then ordered the Alborz special grill for two, which looks as wonderful as it tastes, succulent skewers of koobideh and chicken accompanied by grilled vegetables, saffron rice and a freshly baked taltoon bread which was frankly quite ridiculous in its magnificence and is so large it came supplied with its own stand. This was a true delight to eat and I can highly recommend it. After all of that, we were overloaded with food and couldn't possibly consider having dessert and so, asked for the bill, which led to true surprise of the evening, all of this wonderfully authentic and fresh food came to a grand total of £42. This reflects tremendous value in a time where a meal for two can often prove quite expensive. Overall I would say that Alborz is definitely worth visiting if you're in the area and if you're not well then it's worth making the trip for. If you're a fan of Persian food or perhaps want to try something new then you would genuinely struggle to find such a quality dining experience at this price point."