from jwjlewis (75%) on August 11th, 2007 (11 months ago)

The Filling Station, 235 High Street, EH1 1PE, Edinburgh

If it's standard American fair that you want, then this place is fine. It has a good location, situated on the main pedestrian strip of the Royal Mile. I went there for a pre-comedy dinner and was very impressed that mid festival at 1900h we walked straight in and they got a table for seven together for us promptly. The staff were friendly and helpful. We were a little sceptical about the number of tables around us that didn't have their food yet, but this fear didn't bear out.

I had the Bison Burger. It came with chips, and a decent salad and was pretty tasty. The décor in the restaurant is as you would imagine from the name; dark and full of big American signs. Whilst there is as much soul to it as an Irish pub in the Alps, it is by no means unpleasant. When we came to pay the bill, I chose to pay by VISA and as so often happens nowadays, the girl entered the amount that was due and confirmed it, then handed me the handset to enter my PIN - at no point could I check the amount I was confirming that I was paying. I pointed this out to the girl, who was very understanding and offered to cancel the transaction and start it again. I didn't see the need. When she then moved on to a friend at the table who was paying separately, she took my comments on board and asked them to first confirm the amount, before entering their PIN. This positive approach to customer's comments was refreshing in an age of stroppy teenage waiters.

Would I recommend this restaurant? For a big group of people more interested in the company than the food, then I would say it's fine, you'll get decent food and good service, but this is not a place to take your loved one - as demonstrated by the couple in their 50s sitting at the table next to us who were facing one other, each with their own newspaper laid out in front of them!

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