A last-minute meeting (and a long one to boot) in the middle of the day scuppered our plans for a jolly of a day: it was the day after meeting a big deadline and we were in the mood to celebrate. It was mid afternoon when we got out but all was not lost. Our close proximity to Edgware Road had us skipping down the road to Patogh for a late lunch of Persian kebabs. I’ve been a big fan of Patogh but hadn’t been back in a while; luckily, nothing seems to have changed about it. It’s still dark and tiny with a smokey ground floor with its open kitchen and a less smokey first floor and we chose to sit in the latter.
The portions have also remained large, as they were before, and we skipped starters and went straight for the mains. An order of kebab koobideh with bread (£6) resulted in this being brought to the table. Two tender minced lamb kebabs lay nestled in a large flatbread all topped with a small onion and herb garden. Try as we might, we couldn’t finish the huge circle of fresh bread between us.
A barg kebab (lamb and about £8, I think) was ordered with rice. The lamb was excellent but to me, it was the rice that was the star. Light and fluffy and each grain was perfectly separated and it was wonderful to eat with the hot grilled tomatoes. The only thing missing was a big pat of butter on top though perhaps we should have asked for it.
With a mint yogurt drink (doogh) and some shallot yogurt for bread dipping, the total for the two of us came to £16.50 – what a bargain. If lamb’s not your cup of tea, they have chicken kebabs too; I also have a soft spot for their grilled chicken wings.
Patogh
8 Crawford Place
(off Edgware Road)
London W1H 5NE
Fri, 16 Mar, 2012 at 11:26
Mmm… Why have I gone all Homer Simpsonesque?!
Right, I’ve pencilled this in for a review. Just checking if it’s as luscious as you describe it
Fri, 16 Mar, 2012 at 14:43
I know this restaurant and walk past it all the time! I’ve never tried it but it looks absolutely delicious. Am drooling over my keyboard.
Fri, 16 Mar, 2012 at 16:59
looks so good!
Fri, 16 Mar, 2012 at 21:22
I love Persian rice! I don’t know what they do, but it is always amazing! I have a particular soft spot for Persian restaurants because we were having dinner once and the waiter warned Paul that he was clearly going to marry me. Long before either of us thought of it!
Mon, 19 Mar, 2012 at 17:59
Robert: Yes, we have to do this review thing properly!
Laura: Do go in the next time you walk by!
kat: The food is delicious there. Actually, I’ve not met any Persian food I dislike.
Alicia: That is just about the cutest thing I’ve ever heard – do you have your anniversary dinners at Persian restaurants?
Tue, 20 Mar, 2012 at 09:51
This place looks really good, maybe as good as my beloved Mahdi in Hammersmith. Going to give it a try.
Thanks for the tip.
Wed, 21 Mar, 2012 at 07:24
I have never ceased to be amazed at the number of ways a kebab can be served. So many people just can’t think past stuffing it into a pitta with some salad!
(Though I say it myself, I do a pretty mean pork souvlakia myself, when I have the BBQ out. I don’t think you’d find it in a Persian restaurant, though … unless they have the ‘white beef’ we once had in Jordan!
)
Wed, 21 Mar, 2012 at 11:21
Mzungu: And I’ve still not tried Mahdi! I really have to.
travelrat: There are so many kebabs out there that we still need to try! And ha! White beef!
Thu, 22 Mar, 2012 at 13:24
Right! I had an idea for a television series, in which we’d visit every country that claims to have invented the kebab! And, sample them of course!
Thu, 22 Mar, 2012 at 14:14
travelrat: I’d love to do that one day…but maybe for dumplings…or flatbreads!
Fri, 30 Mar, 2012 at 12:41
this looks gorgeous. Now have a mad kebab craving.
Mon, 2 Apr, 2012 at 11:16
hollowlegs: Love love love kebabs. Well, all grilled meats are good!