Restaurants

‘ Dahaati’ is a word used by Iran’s urban elite to describe people and places they consider rural or low-rent. Such snobs wouldn’t be seen dead in Patogh, which forsakes the forced orientalism of many Middle Eastern restaurants in favour of almost bare mud-coloured walls. Its crew of paper-hat-wearing, Farsi-speaking staff weave effortlessly between a handful of shared tables spread over two tiny floors (ground and first). Nor does the plastic laminated menu stand on ceremony, with a complete absence of the subtle soups and stews that fuel Iran’s upmarket dinner parties. Instead you’ll find workmanlike starters of masto khiar, masto musir and houmous, along with freshly baked persian bread. Mains are served, like the starters, on grim metal plates, and consist of lamb and chicken kebabs – both tender and delicious, although the latter needed longer in the traditional lemon and saffron marinade – accompanied either with buttered rice or wrapped in bread. It’s all so authentic that you could easily believe you were in a cheap café in Tehran’s central bazaar, if it weren’t for the bottles of bring-your-own booze.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2009