That said, there’s one thing that I’ve never liked about it—the service. This time it started before we even got there. I got a call from the restaurant the day before our 202 Meals visit, informing me that although we had a booking for six o’clock, we’d have to come at “four-thirty or five”, because a group of 60 and a group of 20 were coming at half-past six. The waiter on the phone assured me this was to give us “the best service”, but the rather abrupt command to leave at the end of our meal the next day confirmed their motives were entirely more predictable.

Every Persian restaurant I have been to has nice decor, but Mahdi’s is particularly pleasing, with real waterfalls as well as Persian rugs and cushions. While waiting for the inevitable latecomers, we admired the walls, covered in Persian art, and ordered a pot of Iranian tea (black tea with cardamom). The tea was not to everyone’s liking; the same cannot be said about the houmous, which everyone ordered. The sesame seed-covered nan, made onsite by a baker stationed by the front window to tempt passers-by, was an excellent accompaniment.

The choice in main courses is between kebabs and lamb stews—the menu is more or less evenly divided between the two kinds of dish. Fortunately there were no vegetarians among us, for there’s only one (unspecified) vegetarian dish on the menu.

Most of us went for kebabs, and all three kebab varieties on offer were represented at the table: lamb, minced lamb and chicken. The lamb versions were not hugely different from similar Turkish or Lebanese dishes, but the chicken was cooked with saffron and lemon juice, making it a little more distinctive. Those who ordered a side of rice rather than salad or rice/salad split were given not just a mountain but a mountain range of the stuff.

Unfortunately for Andrea, the waiters brought her a slightly boring lamb and okra stew she hadn’t ordered, only then informing her that that the more exciting lamb, pomegranate and walnut stew she’d chosen wasn’t available. Matt was luckier on the stew front, receiving a pile of fragrant saffron rice filled with tender lamb bits. Everyone else was happy with their choices, if a little overwhelmed by the size. There were certainly more unfinished than finished dinners, but it wasn’t a reflection of the food itself.

There are many good Persian restaurants in west London, but for the best it’s worth going a little further out than West Kensington or Bayswater. Despite the negative picture this review may give about Mahdi’s service, the food convincingly trumps this.

In summary

Mahdhi
217 King Street, Hammersmith, London, W6 9JT
0871 075 7388