Faanoos

A dull parade of shops on the South Circular in Sheen is an unlikely place to find a Persian restaurant, & at first glance Faanoos seems more like a greasy spoon. However, the big brick bread oven in the window gives the game away. Inside, there are caff-style tables, but the walls have been given a sand blast & gilded in a cursory attempt to produce a desert ambience. Given all this, the food is bafflingly good. Fresh-baked bread & enticing, freshly made mezze start proceedings; kebabs follow. Chelo kabab chenjeh delivers great chunks of grilled lamb enhanced by a pungent herby marinade, served with piles of saffron rice. There’s a wine list, but it’s only for the desperate. Staff wisely encourage customers to BYOB for a small corkage fee.