Naroon Fitzrovia — Restaurant in London

I find myself in London, United Kingdom, right at Piccadilly Circus in central London, where a newly established Iranian restaurant, Naroon, is making waves. This eatery has garnered significant attention, with numerous reviews and word-of-mouth recommendations circulating, especially among the Iranian community. Renowned for its Persian cuisine, including delectable kebab koobideh, Naroon offers a unique blend of traditional Iranian dishes with a contemporary twist. Its trendy ambiance and aesthetically pleasing dishes, as evidenced by their Instagram marketing, make it an exciting dining destination. Eager to explore, I'm accompanied by a friend as we delve into the culinary experience. Location The restaurant is conveniently located between Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road, making it easily accessible from various parts of London. Situated just off Oxford Street, London's famous shopping hub, it offers a central location that's ideal for locals and tourists alike. Whether arriving from the north, south, east, or west, it's in the heart of the city. Full star Price With a main dish priced around £13.50, and an additional £17.50 for two skewers with rice, the restaurant falls on the more expensive side. However, considering its central location and the overall dining experience, the prices are reasonable. While it's pricier than some other options, it's not exorbitant. Half star Service The service experience varied, with mixed outcomes. While reservations are recommended due to potential busy periods, the staff were accommodating in honoring reservations and ensuring seating availability. However, there were instances of pushy upselling of starters and a mistake with the bill, which impacted the overall experience. Despite efforts to maintain service quality, improvements in attentiveness and accuracy are needed. Half star Portion Portion size was somewhat disappointing, especially considering the prices and expectations. While the skewers were of decent size, the accompanying rice portion was relatively small. Lack of complimentary items like bread or salad further diminished the overall portion satisfaction. Despite leaving the restaurant feeling full, the expectation for a more generous portion was not met. Half star

Quality Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, there are two aspects to consider here. Firstly, the rice was delightful - fluffy, moist, and soft, with no dryness whatsoever. Secondly, the kebab koobideh was well-barbecued, tender, and juicy, with a satisfying texture. However, despite the pleasing texture, it lacked a distinct flavor profile that would elevate it from good to exceptional. The taste was somewhat bland, missing that extra kick that sets apart a great dish. Moving forward, focusing on enhancing the flavor profile could significantly improve the overall dining experience. Half star

In summary, the restaurant earns three stars for its central location and decent dining experience. While it offers convenience and satisfactory quality, there is room for improvement in pricing, service, portion size, and flavor profile to elevate the overall dining experience. Total: 3...

I recently visited this restaurant and, unfortunately, found the overall experience lacking in several areas. The decor was satisfactory, providing a comfortable and cozy atmosphere, albeit a bit tight in terms of seating. However, the service was one of the better aspects of my visit. The staff were exceptionally friendly and always had a smile, which created a welcoming environment.

For the main course, I decided to try the jujeh and koobideh. Both dishes arrived fresh and juicy, but I was disappointed by the overwhelming saltiness. The koobideh was moderately salty, but the jujeh was excessively salty to the point of being difficult to enjoy. Additionally, the portion of salad and garnish provided was insufficient, making the dish feel incomplete. Another significant letdown was the absence of sauces. When I specifically asked for garlic sauce, they informed me that they didn’t have any. This was quite surprising and disappointing – which restaurant doesn’t have garlic sauce?

Moving on to dessert, I ordered the baklava and saffron ice cream. The saffron ice cream was a highlight; it was delicious, with a rich, creamy texture and just the right amount of saffron flavor. However, the baklava fell short of expectations. It was not fresh, had a soggy texture, and was overwhelmingly sugary, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the dessert.

Additionally, they added the price of additional bread to the bill, even though it was supposed to be a part of the dish, replacing rice. This felt unfair and left a sour taste at the end of the meal.

Overall, while the service was commendable and some of the food was enjoyable, the excessive saltiness, lack of sauces, insufficient garnish, and billing issues were significant drawbacks. The dessert also left much to be desired, with only the saffron ice cream meeting expectations. Given these issues, I don't think I would visit this restaurant again. It's definitely overrated, and there are better options available that provide a more balanced and satisfactory...

Came here for dinner with a friend on Wednesday night and it was packed! Glad that we had made a reservation in advance so do take note of that.

We ordered the starter selection of a range of dips with traditional bread and everything was amazing - kashk-e bademjoon, mast-o khiar, mirza ghasemi and the last one I can't find the name on their website but it's apparently made with potatoes. I personally was a big fan of the aubergine one and potato one, such mild flavours yet very pleasant and went extremely well with bread. For main, we went for the mixed grill for 2 that came a variety of grilled meat including minced lamb, chicken and lamb chops. Wow everything was so tender and juicy and super well-marinated. We thoroughly enjoyed the food and couldn't stop food-moaning the entire time! Also the portions were huge for everything we had ordered and we couldn't finish the food so we took the leftovers away. What really impressed me was that they gave me a new portion of hot rice on the house and re-filled the yoghurt dip for my friend so we basically got free food from the restaurant!

Vibe wise it was modern, chill yet relaxing at the same time. We had space to chat and catch up and weren't rushed through our meal even though it was clearly busy on both floors and people coming in and out. Staff were all very friendly and approachable. I suppose the only down side is the slightly pricey menu but given its located in the middle of Fitzrovia you can't really expect very low prices for the high quality of food and service they provide. Overall, I really enjoyed my time here and would absolutely love to...