Our punter says...

Blush-pink velvet stools at the bar, the gentle perfume of spices in the air, and the warmest greeting at the door; welcome to Nutshell, a place that revels in being beautiful and inviting. From the chef talking us through the menu and recommending his favourites, to a kind and attentive maître d’, it’s evident that the passionate team understands that eating out is never just about the food.

All dishes were well-balanced with several vegetarian options – this is a sharing menu immaculately designed for enthusiastic ordering. Sesame-speckled bazaar bread was light, golden and perfect for scooping up olive-radish tapenade, rose-pistachio yogurt and smoked aubergine purée with blackcurrants alongside salty feta and chunky walnuts. Iran’s take on the samosa arrived piping hot and packed with a turmeric potato mix, refreshingly accompanied by the Caspian Sea cocktail, a blend of watermelon and sweet amaretto.

Meaty oxtail dumplings swam in a silky broth laden with sour cherries and chickpeas, and the heft of a single lamb meatball disguised a delightfully light texture with sharp fruit cutting through rich meat. Charred cauliflower was tender yet firm under the blanket of a traditional Iranian walnut sauce, with barberries and pomegranate adding zing.

Deep-fried coils of zulbia pastry were a feather-light, blank canvas that allowed pillowy mounds of fig cream to shine, but the hero of the night was the picture-perfect chocolate and roses, a slab of ganache with pistachio and cardamom. This sadly defeated us but we’ll be back to try again!