Mohsen

It is testament to Mohsen's enduring popularity that the place was packed with late lunchers, mostly Iranians, on our recent 4pm visit. The secret? While neighbouring Persian restaurants have bowed to progress - installing fancy lighting and flamboyant outdoor heaters - Mohsen appears not to have altered in the past decade. Still the walls are decorated with the same gaudy dioramas and dog-eared posters of Iranian tourist attractions; still Mrs Mohsen swoops between tables handing out plastic laminated menus and bantering with regulars; and still the food is superb.

We started with hot taftoon bread from the clay oven, dipped in zingy masto musir, and a plate of butter-soft ox tongue in a tomato and garlic broth. Mains were brought out before we'd finished our starters - a common occurrence here - but were too good to send back. Baghali polo (lamb shank with dill and lima bean-infused rice) was note perfect, the meat melting in the mouth and the juices adding a rich undertone to the fragrant rice, while both joojeh (marinated chicken) and koobideh (minced lamb) kebabs were as good as we've come to expect. Atmosphere, however, isn't a strong point: Mohsen is bright and noisy, and service can be brisk.