Molana Persian Restaurant — Restaurant in London

I recently dined at Molana, a spacious Persian restaurant located in West London, just a 15-20 minute walk from Ealing Broadway shopping center or West Ealing station. With a 4.1-star rating from 2,130 Google reviews, this popular spot specializes in Iranian cuisine, especially kebabs. Join me as I share my thoughts and explore their koobideh!

Location To reach the Molana restaurant, exit Ealing Broadway Station and walk south, turning right at Ealing Broadway. It's alternatively a 10–15-minute walk to West Ealing. Despite the new Elizabeth Line, which connects Central London to Ealing Broadway and West Ealing in 15-20 minutes, the walk from either station remains lengthy. It’s quite inconvenient. And Ealing itself is really on the outskirts of London at the end of Central and District lines, so a mission to get to if you are coming from anywhere outside of West London.

No star

Service The restaurant is beautifully decorated with impressive chandeliers, and the staff was very polite and attentive. However, there were some shortcomings I think can be improved. There were no complimentary starters other than the complimentary bread, whichseemed necessary due to portion sizes I will get to later. Additionally, traditional elements like tea, shirni and taarof at the end were missing. Overall, while the staff service was good, theseother offerings could result in improvements that elevate it from good to great.

Half star

Price The next point is the price, which is on the more expensive side. Yes there has been recent inflation, but a Koobideh that costs around £15is comparable to prices in central London, like Paddington. This is surprising considering the restaurant's location distance from central London, and prices should usually lower. Compared to Persian Palace across the road at £8-10, Molana is almost double in price. Although it doesn't break the £20 mark.

Half star

Portion Regarding the quantity, this was the biggest letdown for me. The amount of rice provided was simply too little, especially considering the £15 price tag and the location in the outskirts of West London. While the koobideh itself was a decent size and they provided refillable free bread, the insufficient rice portion was disappointing. The salad and jug of doogh were okay, but the portion size overall needs improvement, particularly the rice. I hope they can improve this aspect in the future.

Half star

Quality The Koobideh lacked the standout flavor compared to the Persian Palace nearby. While the Koobideh was definitely decently prepared and not lacking in quality, it fell short in delivering that extra flavor and punch that really separates good from great. The rice, bread, and salad were satisfactory enough.

Half star

Summary In summary, Molana in West Ealing receives 2 stars, which is just below average. The restaurant's location benefits from the new Elizabeth line, which could potentially add half a star to its rating. However, overall, it hovering around the middle of the rating scale.At the time of reviewing, there's was no compelling reason to go out of my way back to this restaurant.

Hopefully, restaurants can take the feedback constructively to improve. I would love nothing more than to come back in the future and report back a more amazing experience! I hope you could share with us your own experiences, whether better or worse, to contribute to the community. I look forward to hearing about any future visits, and an even better experience. Thank you for watching, and I'll continue to share my experiences at Iranian restaurants in London and beyond.

Watch my full review on my Youtube channel at...

I went Molana in Ealing on Thursday 10 th October 2024 for dinner. I ordered shishlik e makhsoos, can of coke,virgin mahito drink. I ordered salmon fillet as well because i can not eat meat and chicken for the time being. I was shocked when 2 slice of salmon fillet came without spices nothing marinated on the fish. Very tasteless without spices. when we grilled or barbecue fish we need to marinated some spices which is must to make delicious taste even you didn't put any chilly or salt on it You grilled simple without spices not even any fish masala If you don't know how to make fish then why you written in your menue. First learn how to grilled or barbecue fish otherwise cross them out from the menue It was horrible taste Fish was with rice just 1tiny slice cucumber 1little small tamato tiny bit beat root. We came few times before but they don't know how to provide good salad.You should know what salad called in uk. I wasted my money for the fish even they charged extra 10 % for customers service also food is already expensive. You only know how to make money from customers thats all. I think all middle Eastern resturant expensive greedy peoples for the money. Even don't have good customers service i dont understand why you charging extra 10% for the customers service. You should learn customers service from Nandos thats why Nandos all over the world. What amazing customer service even cheaper than your. All grilled food , You don't know what is the meaning of customers service even not smile on your employees faces. Like Someone focing them to work in your resturant It was tasteless fish. I think fish and chips shop got better taste than your. Can of coke, virgin mahito is very expensive If we compare to others. In mahito lemon and mints thats all You don't have good sauces. Your people's just know how to cook good rice and kebab that's all. How possible 1 bone came from the salmon fillet it shouldn't be like that. Your resturant is very expensive than others. £65 for two only main course without starter or dessert. imagen if with starter or desert then? You should learn how to make salad. Who ever thinking to order salmon fillet pls dont order. You will realised after eating that you wasted your money. Anyway I will not come back also not anyones...

This is my second negative experience at Molana and sadly, I won’t be risking a third.

A few weeks ago my partner and I ordered a chicken wrap, when we took it home it was dry, no sauce, no salad (just lettuce) and the bread was stale. I did mention it on the next (and final visit), and was told we should have been specific about the order. Actually, we should have been asked. Nobody wants to pay £25 for dry chicken and bread, seriously.

I used to eat here as a child, the food was good and so I decided to try again. This time, the food was good (chicken wings, labneh, prawns, rice, tabbouleh). That said, the treatment received by the manager was extremely disappointing. When we ordered the food, we were told it would be ready in 15 minutes. 5 minutes after, I ordered another batch of wings. The waitress kept telling us the food would be ready in 3 minutes, then 5 minutes, before we knew it 45 minutes had passed. During this time my boyfriend was asking (very politely) when the food will be ready, but the times given were simply not accurate.

He then spoke to the manager and said look, we were told 15 minutes and it has now been 45 minutes. The manager then said “if you don’t like it you can leave”.

I am of Indian descent and my boyfriend is African, and we are both British. Unfortunately, I am very familiar with the hostility and micro-aggressions shown towards the black community from practically every outside race. On the surface this incident may sound small, but the reality is that it is hostile, unwelcoming and laced with prejudice.

My boyfriend at this stage was frustrated, and he and the manager began to argue. The manager said they had a large event on, fair enough, but if at the beginning of order it had been communicated that “your order might be 45-1hour due to an event”, we wouldn’t have felt frustrated, or could have chosen to eat elsewhere. Clear communication, particularly in hospitality is important, not “well if you don’t like it please leave”.

A small sentence, but one that was hurtful, hence this long review.

I hope in future you will rethink the way you speak to your customers, of all races, and rather welcome us into a culture which holds so many positive attributes....