Mohsen

Mohsen has been sticking to the same simple, successful formula for many years, and we’re happy to report that nothing whatsoever has changed. It’s a little dog-eared, and the laminated menus could do with a redesign, but the regulars keep returning for more, and Mrs Mohsen still works the tightly packed tables with a big smile, as if throwing a dinner party in her front room. The food is consistently good, although it doesn’t always quite have the spark of the top Persian venues. Kashk-e bademjan, an aubergine dip with walnuts and whey, is reliable, but the ox tongue was wonderful: soft, rich and melt-in-the-mouth (largely down to its high fat content). We enjoyed our koobideh (minced lamb) and barg (strips of lamb fillet) kebabs, which are grilled in the basement and sent up via a dumb waiter, but found the khoresht-e fesenjan a little disappointing: the sauce was overpowering and the chicken portion quite small. Doogh (yoghurt drink) was also a let-down, being more like a Turkish ayran than the carbonated, minty Iranian version. Nevertheless, prices are low for this part of west London, the service is extremely friendly and the café-like decor offers a laid-back alternative to some of the capital’s more showy Persian restaurants.