Flame

Sitting inside this pleasant dining room feels remarkably secluded, with its smoked glass windows (to obscure the noise and traffic outside), heavy brocade drapery and walls lined with polished stone. Towards the rear of the space, a tanor oven churns out hot flatbreads to welcome diners as soon as they arrive.

The cuisine offers specialties that focus on salads, grilled meats and slowly simmered stews enriched with dried lime and pomegranate. Start with the soulful classic ash reshteh, thick with beans, broken strands of pasta and finished with a drizzle of kashk (fermented whey). A wedge of the hearty tahchin is a treat, layering saffron-yellow basmati rice with creamy yogurt, chunks of white meat chicken and baked until golden brown.