Mahdi

Authenticity is something the original Mahdi in Hammersmith has in spades, and this brighter, less cavernous Finchley Road branch is a worthy offspring. The brick arches that line the walls are set with traditional tapestries and topped with calligraphic inscriptions; the glamorous Persian tablecloths are covered with plastic sheets; and a head-high samovar looms in one corner. There's less of the haughtiness among staff here that made visiting the original an occasionally daunting task, yet there's no indication that the menu is taking itself less seriously, with a large range of dishes seldom seen in London's Iranian restaurants.

We started with a bowl of sesame seed-scattered sangak bread from a traditional wall oven (sangak is something of a rarity in the capital, where sheets of the simpler taftoon are standard), using it to mop up thick, creamy mirza ghasemi, a dip of baked aubergines mashed with eggs, onions and garlic. Mains were also excellent, and included a hearty bowl of abgoosht - a working man's lamb and potato stew with beans and dried limes. Portions, as in Hammersmith, are overwhelming: expect to live off the leftovers for a while.