2-4 Four Elms Rd, Cardiff. 029 2048 0100 / www.mowlanarestaurant.com
Food **** Atmosphere ****
If you’re walking down Four Elms Road you’re likely to walk past Mowlana without so much as a double take. Dwarfed by the neighbouring church, this Persian restaurant sits unassumingly on a street that houses both No Fit State Circus and a pole dancing school, so I like to think it’s a good place to wind down after an adrenaline rush. The staff are all smiles and loveliness, the decor is discreetly exotic, and after sundown the space lights up in a dreamy glow thanks to multicoloured glass lamps.
We decided to start out with yogurt dip and grilled aubergine, both of which were very delicate. We paired them with what turned out to be two humongous naans – more than enough for the four of us. A first glance at the menu reveals a lamb-heavy selection of mains, but there is also a nice choice of vegetarian dishes. The lamb fillet lived up to its promise of being tender and juicy. There is a section of stews which are comparable to curries, if not as dense. The ghorme sabzi was again quite delicate, though it provided a novel combination of flavours for my palate and is best enjoyed with rice. The fesenjan, a chicken and walnut dish in pomegranate sauce, had a pleasant texture but lay firmly on the sweet side.
As for drinks, the lightly salted doogh is very similar to its Indian cousin, lassi. Both the doog and freshly squeezed carrot juice were wonderfully refreshing. The crown jewel of the meal is definitely the saffron ice cream topped with pistachios, which basically tastes like sunshine in a bowl. OLGA RACHELLO