The aptly named Del’Ish restaurant wasn’t the most packed you might have come across during lunch hours but the food was just as the title suggested. This Persian restaurant in the heart of West London, a convenient two or three minutes from Warren Street tube, faces stiff competition from the excellent selection of such establishments within a 1 mile or so radius. The gourmet touch at such a level requires a little work but De’Ish’s wonderful ambience and generous proportions make up for any noticeable deficiencies.
Their Lamb Borek starter is a Persian delicacy of pastry stuffed with minced lamb, apricot and cinnamon. These rather resemble spring rolls but are an appetising introduction to the flavours of the Middle East. It’s a good guess that the accompanying pot of mint sauce which is served with much of the cuisine may well have emerged as a cooling balance to the soaring temperatures in that part of the world.
The offer which will no doubt prove a draw to the waves of hungry businessmen and women is their Lunchtime Mixed Grill. At a reasonable £12.50 one might immediately expect the proportions to be tiny – particularly in this part of London – but not so. The sumptuous lamb cuts are filling enough but then you discover yet more skewered on a shish and even when this is finished you have another chicken shish to get through. You also get a a serving of potato chips in chilli sauce. After a lunchtime meal as filling as this, work will be the last thing on your mind.
So if you’re in the West or Central London and seek a ‘real’ meal to power you through long working days then Del’Ish may well be the lunch hour choice. It also has that cultural edge that sets it apart and therefore favours those adventurous in their food choices yet that safe and familiar grill keeps you within your comfort zone. Don’t over order because you probably won’t need a starter with this. When they say mixed grill they mean it and hold nothing back in their ample servings.
