Mother Restaurant is a Persian restaurant at 18 Ballards Lane in Finchley Central. The menu brings together charcoal style grills, fragrant rice, slow cooked stews and a broad collection of small dishes in a relaxed local setting. It works equally well for a quick kebab wrap, a single main course or a generous shared meal built across several sections.
Cold starters include fresh herbs with salty cheese and walnuts, yoghurt with cucumber or shallots, hummus, mixed pickles and finely chopped Salad Shirazi. Warm choices add kashk o bademjan, smoky mirza ghasemi, stuffed vine leaves and crisp tahdig rice. Fresh naan from the oven and a mixed mezze platter make it easy for a table to sample several contrasting flavours.
Grilled dishes range from minced lamb koobideh and saffron marinated chicken to tender lamb fillet, lamb chops and larger mixed platters. They can be paired with saffron rice, bread or salad, while grilled tomato and green chilli bring sweetness and heat. Lamb shank, lamb neck, chicken with barberry rice and whole sea bass extend the main courses beyond skewers.
Traditional stews provide a more comforting route through the menu. Ghormeh sabzi combines lamb, kidney beans, herbs and dried lime, while gheimeh uses tomato, split peas and potato, and abgoosht brings lamb together with beans and chickpeas. Persian tea or doogh can accompany the meal, followed by saffron and pistachio ice cream or the delicate rose scented strands of faloodeh.
Address: 18 Ballards Lane, Finchley Central, London N3 2BH, United Kingdom