Sufi

Sufi hasn't missed a beat in all the years we've been visiting. It's a restaurant that combines authenticity with familiarity and respects the sense of ceremony in dining out - something that elevates it above more functional contemporaries. The walls are decorated with sitars and framed paintings of old clerics, the shelves lined with shishas and the floors covered with Persian rugs. As evening sets in, the lights are dimmed and staff distribute candles, creating a romantic atmosphere and making this one of few Iranian restaurants in London suitable for a date.

The food is first-rate, and takes in many regional dishes seldom seen in the capital. We started with a bowl of zeytoon parvardeh (olives in a crushed walnut and pomegranate sauce), native to the northern Caspian towns, and a plate of buttery tah dig (rice cake from the bottom of the pot) indulgently soaked in sauce from a split-pea stew. Mains were also excellent, from bitter-sweet fesenjoon (a rich chicken, walnut and pomegranate stew) to a daily special of zereshk polo (saffron and barberry-studded rice baked with shredded chicken). Service is friendly and efficient, and there's a good wine list as well as the option of BYO.