Almas Persian Restaurant is a welcoming dining room at 83 Abbey Road in St John’s Wood. Its extensive menu brings together Persian salads, vegetable starters, charcoal grills, rice dishes and slow cooked stews. The restaurant suits family meals and shared dinners, with enough variety for diners who want grilled meat, seafood or a vegetable centred selection.
Starters include Shirazi salad, fresh herbs with Persian cheese and walnuts, smoked aubergine with tomato and garlic, and fried aubergine with herbs and whey. Yoghurt can be mixed with cucumber, shallot or spinach, while homemade pickles and olives with walnut and pomegranate add acidity. Fresh naan is baked in the restaurant.
The grill prepares minced lamb koobideh, saffron and lemon chicken, lamb fillet, lamb chops and mixed platters served with grilled tomato and crisp saffron rice. Jujeh torsh marinates chicken with lemon, pomegranate and walnut, giving the familiar skewer a bright northern Persian flavour. Sea bass, salmon and king prawns provide seafood alternatives.
Ghormeh sabzi combines lamb, herbs, kidney beans and dried lime, while fesenjan balances chicken with walnut and pomegranate. Lamb shank with dill and broad bean rice and barberry chicken show the importance of fragrant rice beside the stews. Faloodeh, saffron and rose water ice cream, baklava, Persian tea and fresh juice complete the meal.
Address: 83 Abbey Road, St John’s Wood, London NW8 0AG, United Kingdom