4 Star Restaurant and Takeaway Reviews
Browsing the newest of 343 4 star reviews on EdinburghMenus.com.
Trattoria Siciliana
5a Union Street, EH1 3LT, Edinburgh
from Bryan (65%) on August 12th, 2008 (1 month ago)
I've visited here a couple of times lately and it is a wee gem. No pizza on the menu. I've had Spaghetti Bolognaise (£5.95) a spicy Penne dish (same price). All succulent and flavour-packed and wholesome. They also do beautiful garlic bread, decent cheap house wine and a proper black coffee (if you tell them you want it strong).
Price overall is circa £30 for 2 for bread, pasta dish each, carafe of wine & coffee.
It's too bright, music's too loud and it's cramped but for me that all adds to the charm.
Give them a go if you're ever at the top of Leith Walk or on Broughton Street. Better than most of the options around there.
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New York Steam Packet
31 Rose Street Lane North, EH2 2NP, Edinburgh
from irishphat (80%) on August 11th, 2008 (1 month ago)
Edit: Additional to below Review
Recently arranged large group dinner here and it's also under new management since my last review.
This place does the basics tremendously well and having been in a couple of times recently I can say with absolute certainty that it's well worth a visit. Perfect pre-night out grub.
Double burgers might be a good idea though as the regular burger is a bit small. Also the dime bar dessert is top notch and has to be tried.
[/Edit]
Been here twice for work nights out. BYOB so very handy. Tiny place mind you. I doubt it could fit more than 22 people. good steaks, good burgers,
It's down an alley behind George St. so it does look ropey from the outside but it is a charming wee spot with lots of funky titanic etc memorabilia on the walls.
Entertaining place with good humoured staff. They've seen it all so you can be a bit rowdy if the place is empty.
Like it, will go again.
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Under The Stairs
3a Merchant Street, EH1 2QD, Edinburgh
from rachybaby (85%) on August 7th, 2008 (2 months ago)
Under the Stairs is a really cool new bar tucked away on Candlemaker Row. They have done very little advertising and I only discovered it one night when I went with a friend for some drinks. I love the atmosphere and style: very cosy, big comfy chairs, funky fish tank and coal fire - feels just like an extension of your living room and a home from home. Cocktail menu was fab too and the staff were all really friendly.
I haven't tried the food menu yet but I did have a look when I was last in - a good selection for both vegetarians and meat lovers at a very reasonable price. I plan to try it out soon so will edit my review accordingly then...
In the meantime, however, I highly recommend this cool new bar which has a relaxed atmosphere in funky yet comfortable surroundings.
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I am a lady who is true to her word and I visited Under the Stairs last night for some grub and, as I expected, I was not disappointed. My dining partner and I both had a fantastic meal in one of my new favourite Edinburgh haunts. For my main course I had penne pasta with chicken and bacon in a creamy basil sauce – the dish isn’t exactly unique but it tasted damn good, was perfect sized portion and cheap at only £6. My partner had lamb meatballs which were also tatsy and we both had a side of sweet potato mixed with brazil nuts – YUM, YUM, YUM….
To finish we shared a banoffe pie which was huge and delicious but between the two of us we could barely finish it. With two mains, one desert, one glass of wine and two beers our bill came to just short of £30 – great value.
I really love this place and now that I know they also do great food I highly recommend you all to check out Under the Stairs for yourselves.
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The Mussel and Steak Bar
110 West Bow, EH1 2HH, Edinburgh
from jimm gill (18%) on August 7th, 2008 (2 months ago)
Four of us went during the festival and it was terrific - starters were ok but the main course was spot on. Only downside one of the staff not very pleasant (Aussie guy) but I would go back.
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Javits
207 West Granton Road, EH5 1PD, Edinburgh
from Ishkhara (36%) on August 6th, 2008 (2 months ago)
Javits is probably one of my favourite takeaways in Edinburgh, for a number of reasons.
1. The food is really that good. I've tried their fish and chips, kebabs and pizzas and they're all fantastic. I'd recommend trying the Yoghurt Chicken or Shish, Turkey's answer to lasagne, with layers of chopped pitta bread, meat, garlic sauce and topped off with a bubbling layer of cheese. Amazing!
2. The food counters are kept absolutely spotless.
3. The staff are always really friendly and like to have a joke with you - the boy got caught with the 'spicy olives' scam, lol!
So, as long as you have a good sense of humour and stay away from any 'spicy' olives you're offered you should be fine! ;)
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Panda Inn
36 Leven St, EH3 9LJ, Edinburgh
from Ishkhara (36%) on August 6th, 2008 (2 months ago)
We first decided to visit the Panda Inn a couple of weeks ago after seeing Kung Fu Panda at the cinema, as my friend is slightly panda daft! So the choice was more about the name than the food. However I'm glad we did go as the food is superb! The Beggars Chicken and Mango Chicken come highly recommended, as do the satay skewers.
We'd gone off Chinese food a bit recently as a lot of Chinese restaurants can be a bit 'samey' - all the same dishes in the same brightly coloured sauces - but the Panda Inn restored our faith immensely. You wouldn't go there for the decor - it's clean but basic - but the staff are friendly and some of the dishes are quite unique.
The boy was really taken by the gorgeously subtle satay sauce and joked that he could have eaten an entire jar. Come to think of it I'm not so sure it was a joke - I've seen the way he eats! ;)
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Guru Balti Restaurant
9 Dundee Terrace, EH11 1DL, Edinburgh
from SHESFAMILY (32%) on August 6th, 2008 (2 months ago)
We visited this restaurant/takeway on way home on Sunday 03/08/2008 at approx 6.30pm. Due to time factor we opted to have a takeaway. The menu offered a massive choice but did seem a little bit on the expensive side however it did state that their portions were bigger than normal. We chose the mixed tandoori grill, lamb buna and basmati rice. Total cost was £21.95 but it was well worth it! The food was delicious the best Indian food I've eaten in a long time. The tandoori grill consisted of diced lamb, diced chicken, a whole chicken leg, chicken drumstick, sheek kebab and came with two nan bread, salad, spicey onions and two different dips. It was a nice touch that they wrapped the nans in tin foil, they were still lovely and warm when we sat down to eat them. The buna was faultless lots of lamb in a tasty sauce and the basmati rice was cooked to perfection.
We only ordered for two but upon arriving home my son seeing this food decided to have some, he too enjoyed this food and he's quite difficult to please! we all ate well and I'm being honest when I say that the food was more than enough for the three of us, so you can believe what the menu states, that they do give generous portions. The restaurant its self was quite busy and I noticed that they had won several awards( displayed
on walls) for service and food. We plan to visit this place again, next time to dine there as we were so impressed.
I highly recommend this place, you won't be dissapointed.
We've been back twice for takeaways, again we had the tandoori mixed grill , also tried Methi goust which was delicious. Lamb pathia was lovely but a little on the sweet side for me, didn't stop me enjoying it though.
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iso-bar
7 Bernard Street, EH6 6PW, Edinburgh
from nettles (96%) on August 5th, 2008 (2 months ago)
I have been here for lunch on numerous occasions as it's close to my work. The food is always fresh and tasty. The service was a bit lacking one time when we were seated upstairs. It was certainly out of sight out of mind! If you do go, stay downstairs if you need to be out for a certain time, otherwise enjoy the couches up there, they are comfy.
Their lunch menu is a nice mix of sandwiches, burgers, soups, salads and a few other items. Everything I have had there has been great. I especially like their pastrami with swiss cheese and gherkins. If only it was on rye bread! You can't have it all.
A lot of dishes are served with french fries or wedges or coleslaw. I always go for the fries, they are so good. You can have wedges elsewhere but I am certain they are good at Iso.
The burger is good and available with a number of toppings.
I will definitely return, not just because it's close to where I work! I am keen to try their tapas which are served later in the day at some point.
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Meadow Bar
42-44 Buccleuch Street, EH8 9LP, Edinburgh
from rachybaby (85%) on August 5th, 2008 (2 months ago)
This is my local and it is a great little pub. I have spent hours in here using their wifi and the staff are all really friendly. Their food is pretty decent too - nachos are good and they change their menu regularly so there are always a good selection of mains/deserts each time I'm in.
Definitely check it out for this month of August too - the pub is also a festival venue (it has a function room upstairs) and is providing FREE comedy/shows all through the day/evening. Guess where I am heading tonight....
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La Favorita
325-331 Leith Walk, EH6 8SA, Edinburgh
from MaraCarfagna (38%) on August 5th, 2008 (2 months ago)
Originating in the slums of 18th century Napoli, Pizza has humble origins, but has gone on to become a major type of cuisine across the globe. Unfortunately much of this drive has been perpetuated by abominable aberrations; Pizza Hut; supermarket pizza; and perhaps most recently, Pizza Express.
The philosophy of good Pizza is fresh quality ingredients, simply prepared. A good Pizza sits on a freshly made base, with mozzarella, basil and lightly seasoned tomato. Anything that comes from a frozen base, and is ‘prepared’ by a monosyllabic student/teenager who simply covers the article in mechanical cheese/assorted-dried-out-processed toppings, then places on an industrial rolling heater, is not good Pizza. It is an aberration. It should not even carry the title. The food you get in a place like Pizza Hut or Papa John’s should be termed intensively-farmed-post-frozen-basic-sustenance.
It is ironic that I am an elitist when it comes to a food of the peasant. Indeed, in Italy, there is a clearer distinction between Pizzeria and Ristorante. An establishment is more likely to specialise in one or the other. The best examples of the classic fine dining Ristorante, in Edinburgh, are La Partenope, in Dalry, and D’Antonios, in Leith.
The title of best Pizzeria in Edinburgh certainly goes to La Favorita. The adherence to the key principles of freshness are all there, together with a wood fired oven, which is truly the envy of most of Edinburgh’s Italian restaurants. Such an oven can attain a far higher temperature, ideal for perfect Pizza.
I have eaten in La Favorita several times, and my experience has ranged from good to excellent. The staff are attentive, knowlegable about the menu, and generally delightful. The Pizza is always excellent as is the antipasti selection.
It is a shame that many reviewers on the quite wonderful website, Edinburghmenus, seem to be devoid of critical faculty. Glancing across the history of many reviewers reveals, in many cases, a glut of reviews between four and five out of five. I noticed another lady reviewer, with at least 20 reviews, who has given every one either 3, 3.5, 4 or 4.5. One is justified in asking the point of submitting a review, when no matter the standard of restaurant, it receives a trite good or very good review.
The pertinence of the point is in my score of La Favorita. I deem four stars to be a very good restaurant, certainly one of the best in its category, in which you are assured to have an excellent meal. La Favorita is just such a restaurant, but it is not in the elite handful of five star establishments in the city, where attention to detail is exceptional. Exceptional, by its very nature, prohibits a plethora of such restaurants, or they would cease to be the exception from the normal.
Ciao
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