Lavash

11th August
Lavash, as you probably don't know is the name of the flatbread that is served at Persian Restaurant, and so we are reporting on a visit to this contemporary Persian Restaurant, visited on a Saturday night in August.
They describe themselves as being in Finchley, but I would think the locals would judge it as being in Temple Fortune, as it is south of the Naked Lady and the North Circular.http://www.lavash.co.uk/lavash-persian-restaurant-london.asp?textpage=home
It is true that it is contemporary, with the current fashion for hard surfaces with all the noise that they bring. The atmosphere is good, and the lights are turned down low. However they were bright enough to suggest that this is not the place that the ex pats come. They are a bit north of her, and in Finchley proper there are some real Persian restaurants which make it clear that they function for their own kind, and locals are merely tolerated. For some reason there is a streak of ex pat Iranians between Finchley and Barnet with the restaurants and shops to prove it.
The menu is fairly short with a mixture of local starters and mains, the mains being split between grills and stew dishes. There is a limited wine list, and we had an unlikely bottle of Montepulcianoo D'Abruzzo at £13.95 which was nicely served. They know who their customers are.

I had mirza to start: a puree of Grilled Aubergine, Garlic and Tomato, Served with Freshly Baked Bread There was flatbread already on the table, and a yoghourty dip (good). I was surprised when this turned out to a hot starter.Very tasty. I know I should not be suspicious, but not being a great lover of meat and fruit combinations, I went for a Soultani as my main which was one skewer of Lamb FilletMedallion and one skewer of Minced Lamb, Served with Rice. Actually the menu said I could have it with rice and salad or chips. I opted for the chips, and they brought me rice and salad, and when this mistake was pointed out, a bowl of somewhat refried chips was immediately offered.

I have had similar dishes in other middle eastern and Turkish restaurants, and whilst ok, I thought this was a little sanitized for the local tastes, but there were chilli and other sauces on the table. Scored a 7.5 on the CHOF scale. I could not find anything wrong with this but it was less exciting than I was suspecting, and Ruth's Albaloo Polo (Chicken, Cherries, Pistachio and Almond mixed with Rice) seemed a better bet (no picture).

Desert was definitely a little different, and the mixed bastani (traditional ice creams) served with noodles and rosewater is not on the Internet menu

We all thought that the noodles did nothing for an otherwise excellent dessert.
Overall, the service was informal but helpful and the waitress seemed surprised to receive a tip. The cost for four (one bottle of wine) excluding service was £92.10 . There was no cover charge, and they made no fuss about bringing tap water to the table. Would probably try something a bit more adventurous if I went back there again.