LHR: Cheminee Restaurant

Hello from London!

For this entry, I'm reporting about Cheminee Persian Restaurant located just a few blocks from the Hilton Metropole Hotel.

The Address is:
17 Bouverie Place
Paddington, London, W2 1RD (Google Map)
Tel: 020 7402 1313
Hours: 12:00 - 23:00 every day.
View their menu (pdf)

Of course, Persia today no longer exists with that name, instead now being called Iran, the name change occurring in 1935. If you'd like to brush up on your Persian history, visit the Persian Empire entry on Wikipedia.

The atmosphere at Cheminee is quaint and warm. There are about 24 seats inside, which shares space with a real naan oven. If you prefer to dine al fresca, there are about 10 seats on the sidewalk area.


The naan oven is a neat attraction, although it can add a few degrees to the temperature inside. You may want to dress flexibly so you can remove an outergarment if you find yourself in close proximity to the oven. The oven is a neat addition to the restaurant and adds a little authentic ambiance. It's nice to see your naan order prepared and baked right in front of you (see video below). The bread is rolled and holed, then slapped on the inside wall of the oven using a pillow-like oven mitt. The finished bread is scraped off the side of the oven and cut into pieces before making it to your table in the bread basket.

I have been to this restaurant before, and each time I have been very pleased with the food. As an appetizer, the naan bread along with the hummis is a sure winner. The pickled veggies were very tasty, if that's something you fancy.

My main course was a combo plate (#20) which consisted of a mixed green salad, a skewer of lamb and a skewer of chicken, and a serving of white rice. For about 9 pounds, it was delightful. A very good dish if you want a little of both.

The service was not lightning quick, yet still timely and polite by Euro standards.
I would certainly recommend this restaurant. Because of the small seating area, if you go in a group larger than 7 (we had 9 that night) they may not be able to seat you at a single table.

Give it a go and let me know what you think!