Kateh Maida Vale

We booked a table for a family of 4 at 6pm and lady on phone told us where we will be sat. We booked this time as we have a baby so pretty early.  When we arrived (on time) we were greeted by a loud old stern angry lady and told us to sit elsewhere. No problem because we are not fussy. I did say to my son that i feel scared to eat here. The same lady came down during the starters and told me off because she could hear my baby whimpering. She then told me off for booking late in the evening With a baby but it was only 6pmish?! She continued to shout at me to quieten my baby asap and that she wouldnt have accepted my booking had she known i had a baby. I didnt reply. She didnt have baby seats either. Point taken. I asked her if it was a problem with my baby i would like to pay the bill and go elsewhere for dinner. She said others had complained. And then i asked whom because we had spoken to our neighbouring diners and all had children or were a couple and very kind to us.

 

I went upstairs to speak to a manager. There he was, another old scary man who began to racially abuse me, physically assault my baby and all whilst i stayed very calm and spoke with only kindness. He said get out of here, get out of here with your baby. Hitting my baby on the back and pushing us out. I said this is not the way to speak or act. He asked me if he should sack his staff and then without a second called the same lady over and began mockingly shouting ‘youre sacked’ then both laughed and looked at each other annoyed at me. She then went about continuing to serve tables as if nothing was happening. He then asked me to ‘leave him alone and go away’ to which i replied ‘i came up here to pay and leave, now i have to complain’

 

He started racial abusing me by saying all persians complain and something about the persian government. I said im not persian as my father is not and I am born in the uk but either way I am here for a meal not for politics or physical, verbal or racist abuse. Hypocritically, he was fully iranian. The young man waiter who was waiting on us downstairs came up to ask if everything was okay. He was very kind in front of the manager and tried to ask me to sit down again. I simply said I would like an apology from the lady waitress and now the manager. The manager started making horrible faces saying everyone dining are his friends here and they all complained. I dont think this was true as the diners all said they didnt have a clue what this manager was saying. As i was standing there in disbelief with a 5 month baby in my arms, the manager shouted downstairs to our waiter  ‘oh just comp their bill’ before turning to his screen to fiddle about the bill. The lady passed me by and i asked her for an apology which she agreed to in her usual aggressive tone. I went downstairs.

I was so upset I wanted to vomit, couldn’t even stop shaking or crying. My food all cold. My 7 year old son was panicked with anxiety seeing what was happening upstairs when he ran up to find me. my guest asked us what to do so I said lets go home now. it just feels horrible and difficult if baby starts a sound again. All waiters refused to give me the mans name. This is the worst thing experience. Food was mediocre i didnt even get a chance to eat with all the bad behaviour. I wanted to hide in the toilet every time my baby whimpered. He wasnt even crying or loud. They bullied me as a mother and put to shame for coming out to eat. They forced me to take a push chair downstairs in a corner neat a burning oil filled radiator . Nobody helped me take it up or down. Please ignore all 5* reviews. Others beware. We drove 3 hours to get there and back... It only gets worse...

I started to wear coat and put baby in his coat to feed baby in car. My guest and 7 year old were downstairs sat finishing cold food. The manager went down and told my guest to pay. She said but we haven’t finished. He told her to ‘F+*k OFF’ in front of all the diners and my child. My sister got up and he pushed her physically calling her a thief and threatening to call the police.

Fun night, great food, good wine

it was a great surprise to find this beautiful little restaurant in little venice, i was truly impressed. Food is simply delicious and the quality exceptional.

Kateh is a restaurant specialising in Persian food, located in Little Venice down a quaint side-street, on a site formerly occupied by the Green Olive. My dining comrade and I had been meaning to go for some time, it being local and also having being recommended by a Persian friend. When we arrived on a weekday night, the place was almost full, generally a compelling endorsement for any restaurant. However, from there it went somewhat downhill. We were greeted in a rather brusque fashion by the owner, told our table was not ready (since the previous guests were finishing their coffee) and left standing in the tiny vestibule of the restaurant, between the entrance and the dining room itself. We could see there was one table still free, but were not offered this. 5 minutes elapsed with no change. We were beginning to feel a bit miffed by this stage. The manager then came out, not explicitly to apologise but to run (in a slight Fawlty Towers-like moment) to the next-door pub in an attempt to locate the guests who should have occupied the spare table. Being unable to find them, we were eventually shown to the table and given a glass of (slightly too sweet) Prosecco by way of begrudging apology. Despite being run by an Italian, the menu is predominantly Persian. We were impressed by its length and variety, but my vegetarian comrade noted with some disappointment that although there was a broad range of starters from which she could choose, the main options were more limited for non-meat/ fish eaters, totalling just two, one of which was a fairly anonymous-sounding vegetable stew. We did eventually decide (crab cake and lamb for me; grilled aubergine and stew for my comrade) and were in the process of literally placing our order when the manager left our table to serve food to another. Nonplussed would not even describe our emotion accurately, particularly given the lack of apology; risible would be more appropriate. When the food came, it was good, but by no means excellent. Of the four dishes above, my lamb was probably the stand-out, pleasantly lean meat accompanied by pomegranates and mint. The service remained erratic throughout. One compensating factor was the wine list: extensive and varied, especially for a neighbourhood restaurant and the manager did at least seem enthusiastic and knowledgeable on this topic. We enjoyed a fine (and quite reasonably priced) Austrian Zweigelt. It is unlikely we will be returning. Maybe we were just unlucky (and clearly Kateh has to be doing something right to be this full), but there are certainly better local options in Little Venice: the Red Pepper for Italian and Gogi for Korean, to name but two.

Kateh has been shortlisted as Time Out‘s Best New Local Restaurant and deservedly so. Tucked away in a hidden Little Venice street and designed in warm, earthy hues, what must be London’s cutest Persian restaurant is a tiny piece of treasure. Each part of our meal was a delight and every bit of it was homemade, right down to the brilliant Taftoon flatbread which managed to be both feather-light and bursting with aromatic flavour, and the exquisite Persian date and walnut cookies (which arrived warm from the oven) and cinnamon ice cream. In between, were a beautifully tender tandoori red mullet, grilled baby aubergines, succulent skewer of venison and a heavenly veal stew with dried lime. Wine-wise, Kateh has a well-chosen list, and there are some lovely wines available by the carafe. We had a 2009 Chilean Carmenere.

Small but elegant and cosy place, tucked away off the Warwick avenue. It seems family run. Very pleasant and attentive service. All adding up to definite up-market image. V.s. usual Iranian places menu is refreshingly short, but still contains all the favourites. Cooking is obviously authentic and of high quality. Still not pompous and not chefy. In order to cover wide variety of dishes, two of us tried non-meaty starter, stew and grill dishes. All very well cooked. After enjoying Iranian food in London for last 15+ years, I can say that grill (veal and lamb mince) was of the highest quality. Also the desserts are very authentic and well presented. Lovely food, atmosphere and a bottle of very potent French red (£22). Final bill came to surprisingly low and unexpected £70. Anything around 100 mark, for this experience would not surprise me and will not be difficult to pay. 70 is a big bargain. No, make that huge bargain. And one more very important detail: service is not included in the bill. Will be heading back at my earliest convenience.