Opening midway through 2011, Doost serves a unique array of Persian dishes and boasts an enviable stock of weird and wonderful vodkas, plus knowledgeable staff to guide you through them.

The Venue
The restaurant is small, with room for about 20-30 diners sat at its ultra-smart designer tables and a few more sat up at the bar. It’s dimly lit – each table has its individual overhead spotlight - with the glowing fridges behind the bar providing the main focal point, lending it a delicious air of intrigue and decadence.

The Atmosphere
In keeping with the low key lighting, the mood is restrained and polite, although an interesting mixture of punters makes for some good eavesdropping fun. You can expect to see groups of friends from the very opulent surrounding areas – its proximity to parliament means a lot of MPs have their London homes in Kennington – out for a meal, as well as a few local characters in search of something more interesting than a pint and a packet of crisps.

The Food
Definitely unusual, but also a range to suit most tastes and pockets. Start with spinach and noodle soup (£6.95), pomegranate soup with meatballs (£7.50), or a yoghurt-based appetizer, then move onto something more substantial like Persian stew, available in various forms from lamb and chicken to rose coco beans for vegetarians or sea bass and king prawns (£8.95-£14.95). But the grill is the central attraction, with beef tenderloin and a choice of fish, chicken, lamb fillet, vegetarian and other kebabs – they range between £10.95 and £17.95 but the portions are not only impeccably prepared but also very generous, served on a sizeable pillow of saffron rice. If you're on a budget, go for the lunch deal which enables you to enjoy one course for £8.50 or two for £11.50.

The Drink
The vodkas are the restaurant's pride and joy, and a quick guided tour through such rarities as the cherry, Turkish delight and even honey vodkas is a must, even though the prices are a little higher than a shot of the usual down at the pub, most costing close to a fiver for a single shot. There's also a selection of more usual beers - bottled Peroni or Becks (around £4) - and a wine list they're clearly proud of too, as they stage regular wine tasting evenings.

The Last Word
Not only a highly original menu, both in terms of the food and the vodka, but also highly atmospheric surroundings. Unless you're one of the local MPs you'll probably have to save up your pennies to eat here, but you'll find it's definitely worth it.

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