Iran: Shayan

There is a new(ish) Persian place on the block in north London. Well I knew of it but only got round to visiting it for the first time a month ago. And I returned to it for the second time yesterday.

Shayan serves typical Persian grub like Chelow Kebabs (Iran's national dish) with rice and butter, grilled tomatoes as well as other variations of grilled lamb and chicken.

I went straight for my favourite, the Chelow Kebab which costs the bargainous sum of £5.50. My mum ordered hers with naan bread. We also ordered the Salad Shirazi (finely sliced cucumber, tomatoes, onions, tomatoes and herbs).

It's such a simple marriage yet so satisfying. The kebabs were tender and grilled perfectly, and the rice melted in the mouth.

Service was super-fast though the atmosphere was somewhat lacking (the restaurant was empty on Saturday night). This was disheartening and worrying, as the food is wonderful but the fear a local gem might close looms. I really hope this won't be the case as Persian restaurants for me are usually quite far away or difficult to travel to.

Shayan has a take-away and delivery branch in Barnet too (154 Lancaster Road, Barnet, EN4 8AL, Telephone: 020 8441 0222). The Edgware restaurant also does take-aways.

Address: 311 Hale Lane, Edgware, HA8 7AX
Telephone: 020 8958 1480
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday, 12:00pm - 10:00pm
Tube: Edgware (Northern line)
Bus: 221, 240, 113, 186, 142, 251, 303, 292
Car: Pay & Display Monday to Saturday from 8:00am - 6:30pm, free after 6:30pm, Sundays and Bank Holidays.
Link to google map

Pakistan: Taste of Lahore

For years I have passed the Taste of Lahore with only a vague acknowledgement of its existence.  On the odd occasion I glanced through the window the place was always busy which seemed odd for somewhere that on first glance seems like a down market kebab shop.  Then, one Saturday, when every other eatery on Wembley High Street was full to bursting with football fans on their way to the stadium, Taste of Lahore became my only option for lunch.

To my delight I discovered that this Asian greasy spoon serves more than just kebabs and chips.  The menu includes a wide variety of meat, veg and fish curries, Tandoori dishes, biriyanis, rotis, naans and prathas.  Which explains its popularity with the local Asian community.  The food served here is not just quick and cheap, it's also extremely tasty.

We were shown to a table by a waiter in a bright orange and green t-shirt and ordered the Paneer (Pakistani type of cheese) and the chicken Tika (both served with naan and salad) from the snacks section of the menu and when they arrived we were plesantly surprised to find that each dish was enough for a main course. 

Both dishes were excellent and the Paneer was so spicy it cleared my sinuses (I probably should have said no to the hot sauce).  We tried to visit again a few weeks alter to sample a few more dishes but they were so busy there was que for tables, so we left and went to Subway for a disappointing sandwich which made us wish we'd been a little more patient. 

Address: 417 High Road, Wembley, HA9 7AB 

Telephone: 020 8902 2744

Opening hours: Sat - Thurs 12pm- midnight, Fri 2pm - midnight

Tube: Wembley Central (Bakerloo & London Overground)

Bus: 10 bus routes stop along the High Road

Car: Metered Parking & car parks near by (Lonsdale Avenue and Central Sq)

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Iran: Mahdi Restaurant

Madhi restaurant has always caught my eye whenever I've been driving home along Finchley Road but it's only recently I had the chance to dine here. Less than a minute's walk from Finchley Road tube station, it's situated on a side street, a stand-out with its kaledoscopic window panes. I have to say, the outside of the restaurant is gloriously inviting but also gives the impression it's a small, cosy restaurant that's dimly lit.

Step inside and you couldn't be further from the truth. It's bright and spacious, with grand chandliers and transparent plastic table covers, which sends me back to the 80s and quite frankly, should have stayed there. It's the only ugly thing about Mahdi and you wonder why the owners have chosen such tacky table covers. Keeping the tables bare would have been much better, and a better contrast with the white decor. Lucky the food on the menu keeps your mind off the table covers...

For an Iranian restaurant, you can guess what's on offer - barbecued meat with rice and naan bread, of which the latter is baked within earshot of diners. It's something Iranian restaurants like to do and the sight and smell of freshly naan bread coming hot out of the stone ovens is divine. We toddled along on a week day so it was very quiet but I imagine this place is heaving on a Friday and Saturday night.

I was going to opt for two skewers of minced baby lamb with rice or naan bread (for a stupendous £6.90) but was coerced into settling for Mixed Grill of Baby Lamb and Chicken Kebab Skewers garnished with grilled whole tomatoes and lemon wedges for two people, served with a generous plate of rice each (£22.90). We didn't order any starters because we knew Persian food is served in generous portions.

The mixed grill was brought to our table in an awesome platter and I did wonder if we'd be able to finish it. It comprised of two skewers of minced baby lamb, one skewer of chicken fillet and one tender baby lamb fillet. I absolutely adore the rice they serve in Iranian restaurants - plain white with a dash of yellow colouring in the middle that tastes delightful and compliments the meat perfectly and at Mahdi, the plates of rice are huge. As I write this review, I can almost taste the rice in my mouth.


Towards the end of our meal, we were stuffed and I'm ashamed to say, there was quite enough meat left over as well as a plate of rice. I think the restaurant owners are used to this for they very happily packed up the left-overs for us to take home. The lady at the table next to us also requested for her chicken fillets to be wrapped up. When the food is that delicious, are you really going to want it to be thrown away?

A fantastic gem in the neighbourhood of North West London that's great for couples and large groups and offers immense value for divine Persian cuisine. There is also a Mahdi restaurant in Hammersmith.

Address: 2 Canfield Gardens, West Hampstead, London NW6 3BS
Telephone: 07951 073 371
Opening hours:
Tube: Finchley Road (Jubilee/Metropolitan)
Bus: 113
Car: Metered parking


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Persian: The Rose Garden

I've often passed the Rose Garden and wondered what it was like inside, so I was pleased when my family booked it for a birthday celebration. The impressive decor belies the fact that this used to be a carpet shop and it's surprisingly nice place despite the location on a grubby section of the Harrow Road.

We ordered the Sini Mazeh, an assortment of five starters with some freshly baked naan bread, followed by the Sini Kebab Makhsous (mixed grill) served with large plates of buttered rice. The portions were very generous and the food was delicious.

Although it promotes itself as an Afghan and Persian restaurant the menu is mostly Persian with only three Afghan dishes. The staff were quick and efficient and coped well with the demands of our large group.

I'd definitely eat there again and would recommend it over Behesht for equally excellent food and much nicer waiting staff. They even have a Shisha Lounge upstairs for some post dinner chillaxing.


Address: 203 High Street, Harlesden, London, NW10 4TE
Telephone: 020 8838 0007

Email: info@therosegardenlondon.com

Opening hours: Mon - Sun 11:30 am - 11:30 pm
Tube: Willesden Junction (Bakerloo & London Overground)
Bus: 18, 266, 226, 220, 260
Car: Meter parking available nearby.


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Japan: Nambu

Update: Due to complex issues between the management of Pacific Plaza and the Land Lords, the whole complexs has been closed down as of spring 2011.

Once upon a time in north London, if you wanted good Japanese food you went to the Oriental City Shopping Centre in Colindale.  But when the recession bit and Oriental city closed down, a bunch of businesses from the food court banded together and set up Pacific Plaza in an old furniture superstore next to Wembley Stadium. 

Pacific Plaza doesn't look like much on the out side, but if you head upstairs, you enter an impressive food court full of independent businesses serving a variety of Southeast Asian cuisines. 

Nambu is a small kiosk in the food court serving Japanese rice and noodle dishes.  Their small but varied menu is displayed in full colour photos around the booth along with details of their excellent value meal deal.  For £6 you have a choice for rice, ramen and udon dishes, each served with miso soup, pickled vegetables & desert (fruit).

I have visited Nambu several times and have always been extremely satisfied with the quality of the food and the generous portions.  

Address: Pacific Plaza, Wembley Retail park, Engineers Way, Wembley, HA9 0EG

Telephone: 020 8903 2900

Opening hours: 11.30am - 9pm (7 days a week)

Tube: Jubilee and Metropolitan underground lines & Wembley Stadium - Chiltern train line

Bus: 92

Car: Plenty of parking on site - however if there is a match on at Wembley Stadium you may have trouble finding an empty space

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Thailand/Indonesia/Malaysian: Jakarta

Colindale isn’t likely to spring to mind for fine exotic cuisine. In fact, it’s not. The North West London suburb is a rather grim mish-mash of fried chicken joints, fruit and veg shops and dodgy looking massage parlours. It’s like whatever was rejected by the neighbouring areas has been pushed into the middle to create Colindale.

Under the circumstances, I’d normall advise you to move along quickly as there is nothing worth seeing here but instead I’m going to strongly motion you over to Jakarta, and you don’t need a passport and visa either.

Jakarta is a fusion of Malaysian, Thai and Indonesian cuisine and from what I’ve been told, has changed management over the years and improved vastly as a result. It's actually been around for over 20 years.

Unanimously declared by locals as the diamond amongst the rough, Jakarta is nestled in a parade of shops situated at the foot of a residential road that veers off Edgware Road.

Decorated with carvings, displays and pictures imported from Thailand and Indonesia, Jakarta has a real vibe about its atmosphere. Its warm and cosy, and the sweet and friendly staff are dressed in traditional garments.

The menu is illustrious, divided by starters, side dishes, fish, poultry, meat and vegetarian so all diets are catered for. However, a lot of their dishes contain nuts so it’s wise to check first. The staff will also cook food according to how hot you personally request though some of the items are classified by level of spiciness.

Another point about their menu is their chicken and lamb is halal so I assume the owners are Muslim. Disappointingly, the beef and duck isn’t but no pork is served.

My regular favourite dish is Sambal Ayam Goreng (tender pieces of chicken breast cooked in a red chilli sauce (£5.75) with egg fried rice (£2.25). The squid (Sambal Sotong at £5.95) and prawn versions (Sambal Udang at £6.95) are also available.

On this occasion, I vowed to try something different and so I opted for Nasi Goreng Special (£6.95) - special fried rice with shredded chicken, egg, peas cooked with Indonesian sweet soya sauce and garnished with king prawns and two sticks of chicken sate. It's a starter and main course in one and immensely filling. I found the chicken pieces in the rice were engulfed in strong spices, which complimented well with the crispy king prawns and the juicy, tender chicken sates.

I'd also recommend soup Tom Yum Goong (£2.50) - a Thai hot and sour soup with prawns that dances on your tongue. Bawang Putih Ayam, crispy chicken fried with garlic and chillies (breast or wing) priced at £5.75 is another delicious offering best shared and sampled with a sauce but it is incredibly salty and the garlic is particularly pungent.

Every dish is beautifully presented in unique platters and bowls, which just adds to the authenticity of dining at Jakarta's.

The prices are an absolute bargain too; you’re looking at roughly £15 a head for starter, main course and dessert (not including wine).

The staff are very relaxed and will leave you to enjoy your meal, not even hurrying you to pay the bill. Often I’ve stayed till the restaurant has to close for the night.


This place is perfect for for large parties, those with children and couples. Jakarta has its own website as well (http://www.jakartarestaurant.co.uk/) where you can peruse their extensive menu.


An absolute gem, this one. Venture far and you will be greatly rewarded.

Address: 7 Sheaveshill Parade, Sheaveshill Avenue, Colindale, NW9 6RS

Telephone: 020 8205 3335/3227

Tube: Colindale (Northern)

Bus: 142 stops a stone’s throwaway from the restaurant
Car: Park on Sheaveshill Avenue or neighbouring residential roads – check for controlled hours

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Iran: Behesht

Behesht on Harrow Road is a very popular restaurant with the London Iranian community. So popular that if you don't make a reservation on a Friday or Saturday night, you can find yourself at the end of a very long queue, which snakes out of the door.


Situated on a grubby part of Harrow Road on the Kensal Green-Harlesden boarder, this restaurant is a favourite of mine. I’ve been there several times for family celebrations, lured by the cheap and plentiful food which makes eating out with a large group extremely economical yet fun.


The starters and mains are served in huge portions which can easily feed two people and we have always come home with doggie bags, which have provided lunch and dinner the next day. Starters are priced around £3 per dish and mains between £6 and £10.


On our last visit 5 of us shared 3 starters: Greek salad (easily enough for a main course), Salad Oliveh (potato, egg, gherkins, sweet peas, carrot, lemon juice and mayonnaise with chicken breast) and some light and fluffy fresh baked Nan bread. For main courses we had a selection of their kebabs, the special chicken (all served with rice and grilled tomatoes) and the Khoresht Bademjan (fried aubergine, diced pieces of lamb and whole dried lime cooked in a special tomato sauce served with rice).


The rice was soft and fluffy and the meat was perfectly cooked and full of flavour, and the salads were fresh and crispy.


The restaurant itself is a double shop front and inside is divided into smaller rooms. From the main room you can see into the kitchen to watch the chefs at work. The walls are decorated with Persian rugs, pots and paintings and the whole place has a cosy family vibe.


My only grumbles are that they refuse to serve you tap water (which I believe is illegal). The waiters aren’t especially friendly but the service is brisk and efficient and to be honest, they don’t really have time to stop and chat when the place is that busy.

Address: 1084 Harrow Rd, London, NW10 5NL
Telephone: 020 8964 4477
Tube: Kensal Green (Bakerloo and North London Lines)
Bus: 18
Car: Parking can be difficult but you can park on the single yellow lines outside after 6pm

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