Latest favourites and wishlist by melanichael

Mosque Kitchen - review by afterevent

Sat, 13 Sep 2008 22:16:25 +0000

Mosque Kitchen - review by afterevent

Rating: 4.0

Location: 50 Potterrow, EH8 9BT, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Ok, so i didnt believe my friends when they said about a mosque serving indian food which closes when prayer time comes around. However is all true! I did feel quite old when i went to the mosque kitchen, the clientelle appears to be predominantly student based. That could be because of the price? Its so cheap! Also, don't expect fine cutlery or plates! Maybe i'm a bit old fashioned to expect in a restaruant to eat of plates that you don't throw away at the end of the meal! However the food itself is clearly why they are so busy. its delicious! and recommended based on that and that alone!

Hanedan Restaurant - review by afterevent

Sat, 13 Sep 2008 22:01:07 +0000

Hanedan Restaurant - review by afterevent

Rating: 5.0

Location: 41-42 West Preston St, EH8 9PY, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Tags: lively, british, family & home feel, cheap eat, crowded, romantic

This is a fantastic, abeit small, restaurant. You could be understood if you carried on walking after making assumptions about what it would be like, but if you do, you will be making a terrible mistake. The chef here is truly a master of the culinary arts and is so welcoming and friendly to his customers - not something i've experienced before! Service is lightningly fast and with a smile so that just adds to the wonderful experience you will have here. There is a good choice of dishes, all prepared in full view of the customers so that is reassuring too. The meat is so tender and just melts in your mouth!

Wannaburger - review by jmouat

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 16:48:01 +0000

Wannaburger - review by jmouat

Rating: 4.2

Location: 7/8 Queensferry Street, EH2 4PA, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Tags: american, family & home feel, good value

the burgers here are so good and now they offer free sides with every burger, so me and a friend went here both got a burger, shake and a side for just Â£10 each and i was full til the next day.

Loch Fyne Edinburgh - review by trandell

Thu, 29 May 2008 12:50:07 +0000

Loch Fyne Edinburgh - review by trandell

Rating: 2.3

Location: 25 Pier Place, Newhaven Harbour, EH6 4LP, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Phone: 0131 559 3900

Website: www.lochfyne.com

Tags: expensive, british, pretentious

Loch Fyne restaurants are now a part of a large catering/hotel group and NOT part of the original Loch Fyne Fish suppliers. The brand name is now being exploited by its unknown(to the public) owners.

Portion control is the name of the game & they are small in relation to the prices which are high. The quality of the fish is not special considering their antecedents as a high quality fishmonger. Service is indifferent. Overattentive at one moment & then you are left waiting between courses for no apparent reason as there seems to be plenty of staff.

The menu is somewhat overblown and in small print states that they do not necessarily derive their fish & shellfish from the now separate Loch Fyne Fishmongers. Quality of food & cooking needs to improve to justify the original reputation of the Loch Fyne restaurants when owned by Loch Fyne itself

The ambience is fair although you do not have a decent view of the Forth and the very attractive Newhaven Harbour unless you are seated adjacent to the windows. If booking always ask for a window table. The tables are smaller than average and the access for legs/chairs is poor as the under table space is rather narrow, especially if you are tall or long legged.

The fishmongers part of the restaurant is an attractive feature and the quality of what is on offer is very high(as are the prices). I assume these are directly supplied by Loch Fyne although the fish monger staff seem to work in the kitchen & restaurant as well.

I have eaten far better fish & shellfish dishes in other Leith restaurants at lower prices. This restaurant needs to get away from relying on its brand image and location and consider its food & restaurant offer more seriously.

Loch Fyne Edinburgh - review by fommil

Sun, 09 Mar 2008 18:05:15 +0000

Loch Fyne Edinburgh - review by fommil

Rating: 2.3

Location: 25 Pier Place, Newhaven Harbour, EH6 4LP, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Phone: 0131 559 3900

Website: www.lochfyne.com

Tags: seafood

Don't believe the hype... this chain seafood restaurant has a very overpriced and unimaginative menu. It might be located beside the sea, but don't think that means you'll get any of the view.

Myself and two other diners (we all had a disappointingly small portion of oysters each) suffered from food poisoning and missed a collective 5 days of work.

If you want good seafood, I'd suggest you head toward Leith...

Loch Fyne Edinburgh - review by melanichael

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 03:05:58 +0000

Loch Fyne Edinburgh - review by melanichael

Rating: 2.3

Location: 25 Pier Place, Newhaven Harbour, EH6 4LP, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Phone: 0131 559 3900

Website: www.lochfyne.com

Tags: lively, seafood, expensive

Set in the hangar that was once Harry Ramsden's, this is well laid out and airy without losing its casual intimate feel.

Can't argue with the produce - top notch oysters, outstanding potted shrimp, remarkable fish stew, excellent specials (whole brown crab, grey mullet). House wines are bland but there's a decent selection on the list.

On the downside, the service is fast and friendly enough but slack: one would expect a finger bowl after hand-to-hand combat with crab, one shouldn't have to ask for water, wine was abandoned at the table, reaching across a diner when there's ample room around the table is a no-no.

The menu is online, check it out. Best to book.

Atrium - review by melanichael

Sat, 19 Jan 2008 08:21:50 +0000

Atrium - review by melanichael

Rating: 4.5

Location: 10 Cambridge St, EH1 2ED, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Phone: 0131 228 8882

Website: http://www.atriumrestaurant.co.uk

Tags: romantic, international, expensive

We'd not been seduced by the a la carte when we snooped on a reconnaissance mission and hadn't planned on going until an offer came through 5pm.co.uk (where the sample menu only offered 2 choices for each course but they looked fabulous) so we booked.
As it happens, the actual menu offered 3 choices: an exquisite scallop/salmon terrine with passionfruit, a goats cheese roulade, and cauliflower soup; seared salmon with polenta and butternut squash, stuffed chicken leg with puy lentils, and a mushroom-based veggie alternative; pistachio creme brulee, lemon polenta cake, and cheese. What's not to like? We left the veggie choices alone and what we had was little short of magnificent. Portions decent rather than excessive.
We unearthed a Sancerre from the enormous, varied wine list. The sommelier chose the hand-to-hand combat fightin' dessert wines - a chenin blanc of some description and a treacly port-like Pedro Jimenez, not what we'd have picked but perfect. Amazing we managed the 2 minute walk home.
Service was attentive but not over-fussy. There is a 6 course+ Tasting Menu available (with or without their choice of wines) and we acquired the previous night's version to take home and study: that's our next Big Night Out! Hugely recommended.

Hanedan Restaurant - review by dzr

Sun, 18 Nov 2007 21:31:41 +0000

Hanedan Restaurant - review by dzr

Rating: 5.0

Location: 41-42 West Preston St, EH8 9PY, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Tags: lively, family & home feel, cheap eat, good value, crowded, turkish

Chef Gursel Bahar has created a wonderful, friendly, inviting little restaurant, and the food is simply exquisite. The chargrilled lamb cutlets are to die for (Gursel sources his meat very carefully), and the moussaka is one of the best I've ever had. The service is so friendly, and Gursel cooks at the front of the restaurant, greeting everyone as they enter. The food is ridiculously cheap, but don't let that fool you (along with the dreaded word "kebab") that this is anything like a kebab shop. Everything I've eaten here has been the kind of thing I would have willingly paid twice as much for. I highly recommend it.

Bonsai - review by ChrisFleming

Sun, 16 Sep 2007 23:10:54 +0000

Bonsai - review by ChrisFleming

Rating: 4.7

Location: 46 West Richmond Street, EH8 9DZ, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Phone: 0131 668 3847

Website: http://www.bonsaibarbistro.co.uk

Tags: Japanese, Good value, Crowded

I am a big fan of this small restaurant. They provide the range of food you would expect to see at a Japanese Restaurant, from tempura to sushi (especially the Salmon) as well as some excellent original specials. Last time I visited they had a phenomenal octopus salad.

Highly recommended.

Bonsai - review by almost

Thu, 23 Aug 2007 21:35:33 +0000

Bonsai - review by almost

Rating: 4.7

Location: 46 West Richmond Street, EH8 9DZ, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Phone: 0131 668 3847

Website: http://www.bonsaibarbistro.co.uk

Great place, lovely staff.

Wannaburger - review by Hazeleeno

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 12:04:21 +0000

Wannaburger - review by Hazeleeno

Rating: 4.2

Location: 7/8 Queensferry Street, EH2 4PA, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

AMAZING burgers!
No need for sides or anything - burgers are huge and come in beef, chicken or veggie options. Great shakes too.

Whighams Wine Cellars - review by Hazeleeno

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 11:41:58 +0000

Whighams Wine Cellars - review by Hazeleeno

Rating: 4.5

Location: 13 Hope Street, EH2 4EL, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Phone: 0131 225 9717

One of my favourite places for lunch. It's an interesting cellar wine bar and does a menu which changes daily. Fresh seafood is always present and always great. It does get busy in the evenings, as very much functions as a bar too - popular for after work drinks.
I've also been for a work christmas lunch there and it was the best meal we'd ever had at such an event

Wannaburger - review by fommil

Sun, 09 Sep 2007 16:06:48 +0000

Wannaburger - review by fommil

Rating: 4.2

Location: 7/8 Queensferry Street, EH2 4PA, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Tags: burgers, onion rings, milkshakes

The best burgers and milkshakes in Edinburgh, although as of September 2007 they have changed the size and ingredients of the burgers and it has had an adverse effect. Can't justify giving 5 stars anymore.

I dare you to try the peanut butter and banana milkshake... you'll love it!

Whighams Wine Cellars - review by christianjw

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 17:45:06 +0000

Whighams Wine Cellars - review by christianjw

Rating: 4.5

Location: 13 Hope Street, EH2 4EL, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Phone: 0131 225 9717

Tags: relaxed, gastro pub, mature, cool & smart, seafood, young professionals, international, young and fun, business, good value, underground, trendy, friendly, romantic, lively

Whighams used to be the best place to take a first date in Edinburgh, hands down. The basement bar was based around a series of alcoves, each a cosy bare-stone candle-lit nook, intimate but not overbearingly so. Plus, you could show your immense sophistication by knowledgeably opining on the many wines offered. This was first and foremost a wine bar and its great forte was the immense number of vintages available by the glass. Allowing you to really chop and change, do a little global tour of Old and New World tipples.

Much of all this still stands, but what's changed these days is that the bar has been quadrupled in size and underground excavations have added a sizeable restaurant. This has opened up things quite a bit, so alongside the Eastern European vault feel, you now have a bright and breezy chrome-and-beech extension changing the whole feel of the thing.

The place is definitely worth a stop on any West End bar crawl, but if you're looking for food, you won't be disappointed either. For the most part this is a a medley of reasonably priced seafood dishes among the freshest in town. The plump Loch Fyne oysters make a tempting starter and the seafood platter (with phenomenal steamed langoustines) a great main. Some of the seafood ends up in salads which are also excellent; but if none of that tempts, there are also some tender lamb dishes and a pretty good mushroom stroganoff.

Expect two courses to cost about £13. MonSat noon-10pm; Sun 12.30pm-10pm.

Wannaburger - review by christianjw

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 16:58:41 +0000

Wannaburger - review by christianjw

Rating: 4.2

Location: 7/8 Queensferry Street, EH2 4PA, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Tags: american, West End, quick bite, lively

With more-or-less only one thing on the menu of this upscale burger bar, you'd hope they'd get it right and thankfully they do. Here prime local patties get the homecooked treatment before gracing premium sesame buns to deliver Edinburgh's best burgers.

There are two Wannaburger outlets in Edinburgh, one on the Royal Mile, the other tucked away in the West End. Both share a similar decor: exposed wood millennial minimalism fused with 1970s browns and oranges. The West End one has a few cosy booths too.

The burgers come briskly and are huge taking a bite is a bit of a challenge and range from classic renditions to surprisingly complex concoctions: take the Aussie, a beetroot, a fried egg, pineapple, cheddar, salad, mayo and relish combo. The prices however match the sophistication, with the price of a burger running from £6 all the way up to £8.50 and that doesn't even include fries or a portion of the excellent onion rings (both £2). Veggies can find a good selection of burgers too, with bean burger versions offered for many of the combos, and some portabella mushroom choices too.

To complete the American dining experience, wash the whole lot down with a shake. It's done to perfection here in all sorts of flavours: strawberry and banana is rich, creamy and delicious, the peanut butter and banana almost heavy to make it a dessert.

All very enjoyable, until you realise the two of you just cracked out £20 on two burgers and drinks. But with the quality is right up there, its easy to take a little overcharging with good grace... Open Sun-Thu 11am9pm, Fri & Sat 11am10pm.