The Tahdig is a Persian restaurant at 42 Watling Avenue in Burnt Oak, close to the Underground station. Its name refers to the crisp, caramelised layer formed at the bottom of a pot of rice, a treasured part of Persian cooking that appears throughout the menu. The restaurant combines familiar mezze, soups and salads with charcoal grills, stews and distinctive rice dishes.
Mezze includes coal cooked aubergine with tomato and garlic, kashk bademjan with whey and herbs, yoghurt with cucumber and mint, and olives mixed with walnuts and pomegranate paste. Shirazi salad brings together cucumber, tomato, red onion, mint and lemon. Ash reshteh, a hearty noodle soup with beans, herbs and whey, provides a warming start or a lighter meal.
Charcoal grilled koobideh, jujeh, chenjeh, barg and lamb chops are served with saffron rice and grilled tomato. Combination plates pair minced lamb with diced lamb or marinated chicken, while larger kebab platters bring several skewers together for sharing. The careful balance of smoke, saffron, herbs and tender meat makes the grill section a central part of the menu.
Signature dishes celebrate crisp rice through a mixed tahdig platter accompanied by ghormeh sabzi and gheimeh stews. Albaloo polo combines sour cherries and rice with a choice of chicken or lamb, while grilled sea bass offers a seafood alternative. Persian tea, doogh and traditional syrups complement the savoury food, followed by saffron ice cream or delicate frozen faloodeh noodles.
Address: 42 Watling Avenue, Burnt Oak, Edgware, London HA8 0LT, United Kingdom