Khatoon's kebabs Photo: Wang Zi/GT

Foodies who step into Khatoon for a taste of authentic Iranian fare are welcomed by kebab sticks and a tangy aroma coming off the grill. Khatoon adds to the long list of Middle Eastern flair in town, joining Alsafa and Alameen around the Liangma River; but stands out as the only Iranian alternative to well-known Rumi.

The ambience is cozy. "In Iran, a house without a woman is deprived of delicious food. The wife is the one who nurtures the family and brings in warmth with her cooking," said Mahdi Khorasani, 29, explaining why he named his restaurant Khatoon, an old Muslim word for wife used in imperial times. Khorasani's wife is also on board managing the cash register, but he has a male Iranian chef at the helm to deliver over 10 kebab options cooked to perfection.

The menu is diverse and rich, featuring Persian staples and Iranian exclusives. All options are seasoned with the spices and marinades that incite the palate into the mysteries of Persian food. Though Khatoon's hummus (25 yuan) springs up as one of the best in town, tasty and smooth. We fell for Kash-o-Bademjam, a creamy blend of eggplant, Kashk (thick whey), mint and crushed nuts that combined perfectly with the crusty nan bread. The lamb chops (82 yuan) although tender were a bit tasteless. The Khatoon special chicken kebab (55 yuan) was appetizing, with lemony marinated rolled chunks of chicken served with vegetables. We want to try the salmon kebab (80 yuan) and the chicken tahchin rice (42 yuan) next time. Served from Friday to Sunday, the Iranian soup Dizy (60 yuan) is an exclusive in town offering a bulky combination of tomato, potato, lentils and lamb inside a dip.

Desserts include the usual Persian baklava (25 yuan) with a specific recipe that employs thick dough instead of flakey filo, and a marzipan-like filling with a hint of ginger and rosewater. But the truly Iranian snack is the Zoolbia Bamien (25 yuan), a sweet pastry that is fried and soaked in rosewater syrup. Wrap up your Iranian repast pulling on a hookah (50 yuan).

Khatoon offers a daily dish but no set lunch. We can't give out points for the service, Beijing style. Staff are completely switched off when it comes to Middle Eastern, let alone, Iranian food: We had to repeat and refer to the photos several times; the main dish came out before the appetizers; and the waitress gave us a fork and spoon to manage a lamb fillet. The place is three weeks old, so we'll keep our hopes high for improvement.

If service steps up, light drinks might be Khatoon's real setback to fill up the place. Stick with the lovely teas or a fruit juice; we went with the Doogh (25 yuan), a yogurt drink with mint, which seemed well prepared but was too much of a bitter fright. Liquor is off-limits. "We're a Muslim-inspired restaurant with Halal menu so we don't take in drinks," Khorasani confirmed. Those who love their kebab with a sip of alcohol might drift away and sit at Rumi, the benevolent competitor who got used to revelers who cherish its food but carry along their own alcoholic drinks. If you prefer your spirits at night, you can always consider Khatoon for a meaty lunch.

1 Xindong Lu,

South bank of Liangma River, across from Yuyang Hotel

8532-1071, 8532-5335

*****

Ratings:*

5 - Take my wallet! I never want to leave

4 - Ssh, don't tell anyone else

3 - Let's get another round

2 - Distinctly average maidan!

1 - I want my money back