Taftoon Bread
Alounak

Alounak

United Kingdom, London

Meat • Persian • Local Business • Middle Eastern


"Fact number one: there are at least three Persian restaurants within a five minute walk from my office. Fact (or promise number two: I will try them all before my company moves to Central London. Alounak is my second experiment, and the one I had the highest hopes for: they have another branch in West Kensington (that is, within walking distance of my house , and heaven knows how much I need a Persian restaurant I can trust, afford, and reach without topping up my Oyster. Going by this experience, I shall try my local branch soon: Alounak 's Westbourne Grove restaurant may not offer the same variety or old school charm as nearby Al Waha, but its food is right on the mark in both quality and quantity, and made me glad to have finally got round to visiting. The lunch menu includes a set of hot and cold starters, and a selection of mains, among which you 'll spot most of the classic meat dishes you 'll no doubt know if you 're any familiar with Middle Eastern restaurants. They also offer one special course for each day of the week; I quite liked the looks of the Tuesday one (Zereshk Polo steamed saffron rice with berries and chicken , which made the realisation that it was only Monday all the more bitter. Not that I 'm complaining about my main: my saffron chicken breast skewer was well cooked and fulfilling, masterfully charred at the edges, and paired with the kind of fluffy, buttery rice that makes you wonder why on earth anyone should pick salad as their side (I might judge you if you do. I 'll try not to. At least get the bread, for Pete 's sake! . I 've recently learnt to master a similar recipe at home, thanks to Sabrina Ghayour 's Persiana , and have, as a result, grown more and more demanding towards its restaurant version. I couldn 't fault this one, just as I couldn 't fault the Kashke Bademjan (smoked aubergine, garlic, walnut and fried onion dip I had as a starter, paired with soft, freshly cooked taftoon bread; both a delight, and large enough to feed two people. Prices are very reasonable for the amount of food you get: £13.50 each (service included bought me and a colleague a generous starter to share, and even more aboundant mains. Not bad at all, considering that in most Middle Eastern restaurants £13.50 would be the price of the main alone. Visiting on a Monday also turned out to be a good idea. I 've walked past Alounak enough times to know it 's often crowded, but yesterday, there was no one but us inside at 1.30pm, and we could benefit from a speedy service that allowed us to enjoy a leisurely, relaxed meal well within our lunch break. Could this be my new recipe for beating the Monday blues? I 'm feeling positive, and might soon make it a Friday treat too. Or Tuesday, as I 'll have to come back for that Zereshk Polo. That 's also a promise."

Arnika Co

Arnika Co

26 Craven Park Road, London, NW104AB, United Kingdom

Halal • Persian • Vegetarian • Middle Eastern


"Having recently been subjected to a number of over priced, snotty, lack lustre restaurants that had left me utterly depressed and frustrated, I was more than relieved to step into Arnika on a sunny week day evening, a modest little Persian restaurant in my local hood of Harlesden. Sitting outside Arnika doesn't afford Parisian style views but it matters not a jot when the manager is most welcoming, polite and entirely happy for you to BYO without a corkage charge. Excellent start. In the mood for a little mezze, four of us chose a range of meat and vegetarian starters that were ludicrously cheap and had me wondering how on earth people could survive in the face of gigantic London rents and rates. Anyway to the food. Prettily presented, I am delighted to say we were in total unison about the delicious, fresh, clean tasting dishes that were put before us. Saffron and garlic chicken wings served with a garlic aioli; crisp pastries encasing succulent chicken with a tangy, fiery tomato salsa; creamy hummus topped with tiny but juicy pieces of lamb; babaganoush which was eagerly scooped up with super thin flat bread; a couple of the house salads which were adorned with feta and walnuts. This sort of food is neither complicated nor requires years of training in a sweaty French kitchen. It is, however, honest, simple fare that involves thought, spankingly fresh ingredients and a cook who knows about flavour combinations. Get this will you? We had no room for mains and so we asked for the bill. It came to a whopping £30. For those of you who are **** at maths, that means you would be £7.50 lighter of pocket. Shut the front door! By the way, I shouted about Arnika on the local Harlesden FB page and since then, I have heard nothing but similar reports from very happy customers. I should cocoa. Well done Arnika; If they don't make it, it will be a sad day for us all."