Restaurant and Takeaway Reviews
Browsing the newest of 1279 reviews on EdinburghMenus.com.
Time 4 Thai
45 North Castle Street, EH2 3BG, Edinburgh
from Meng (86%) on August 6th, 2007 (1 year ago)
Sawasdeekrap!
Ahh, Thai food. The halfway house between Chinese and Indian, for people who like their food flavoursome and full-on, but perhaps not as ridiculously spicy as some zingers of a curry one can get.
Or so I thought.
My own experience with Thai food (like many ethnic foods) is that it's geographical. Regional differences have much of an impact upon the nature of the cuisine (coastal regions rely more on seafood [duh], watery soupier consistency, mountainous flavours are creamier, milk-based, etc). Don't believe me? Try the differences between Bangladeshi and Pakistani 'Indian' food, and tell me the South Indianesque fish head curry is not soupier than the North Indianesque mountain yak masala.
On with the review: Time 4 Thai? Once I had the fried salmon dry curry, and the other I had the roast duck and apples green curry. On both instances, superb, if not a bit on the sweetish side. They do tone down the spiciness by upping the sugar(for me), but my fellow dining companion found it quite on the hot side, and stuck with a ginger, lemongrass and peanut-infused mixed prawn stir-fry.
Authenticity? Well, the tom yam soup (standard hot n' sour prawn and lemongrass starter in all Thai cuisine. Not eating the tom yam is like going to a Japanese restaurant and not having the miso. How dare you!) was good, big @ssed prawns. (Prices are reasonable to high, so be warned!)
But the starters were the best thing about this restaurant. If you can stomach the spicy fishcakes and delicious rolls, come here. It's just like being in Thailand in funkified Opal-loungesque decor, without the hot n' dry or consistently typhoon-like Siamese weather.
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The Witchery by the Castle
352 Castlehill, EH1 2NF, Edinburgh
from maggot (28%) on August 6th, 2007 (1 year ago)
I have to say there was noone famous there when we went but some man did get down on one knee and propose to his girlfriend and the waiting staff all clapped and cheered...as did we...like something out of an american rom/com. It's that kind of restaurant. Decor is like it is from the film set of Narnia, excellent food especially the butter and bread varieties you get whilst waiting for your starters. We didn't order the £1000 bottle of wine off the menu but instead the cheapest on the menu at £24. For a fancy night out that you'll pay the price for I'd recommend but for the one off occasion.
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Viva Mexico
41 Cockburn Street, EH1 1BS, Edinburgh
from maggot (28%) on August 6th, 2007 (1 year ago)
Simple but effective filling mexican food. Reasonably priced. 8 of us had starters and mains, two large pitchers of sangria, a small pitcher of Margarita and coffees and the bill was split 8 ways at just £21.50 each. I've eaten here before and there are tables upstairs off Cockburn street but a bit drafty and cramped. We got a table down stairs this time which I'd ask for if going again.
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La Favorita
325-331 Leith Walk, EH6 8SA, Edinburgh
from nettles (95%) on August 6th, 2007 (1 year ago)
Going there on a family outing with three generations may not have been the best choice with the grandparents being hard of hearing and the need for a large table both making it difficult to communicate in such a lively setting! Would definitely reccomend for a girls night out or dinner with friends but a table for four at the most to avoid any shouting! It is loud and bositerous with a young feel and waiters seemingly imported from Italy (another good reason to make this a girls night out!)
I shared the seafood soup which was tomato based and flavourful but the good amount of seafood in the soup was slightly overcooked and a bit dissapointing. For my entree I chose an egg pasta, I forget the name of the shape, but it was like penne but hand rolled resulting in a delicate mouth feel. The sauce was a cream and italian bacon sauce with fresh veggies. It was nicely done and satisfying. My husband had one of the pizzas with fresh rocket and procuitto (laid on after the pizza came out of the oven which is the way to do it). It was a good choice. The just warm salty meat was a perfect match for the peppery rocket. Other choices around the table was a riccotta and eggplant pasta, very nice, a pizza topped with smoked salmon, I didn't understand that match, and a veggie pizza, among others. There were no complaints around the table and we managed to get through the meal without any hitches and that is saying much when you have so much family around.
Recommended highly and next time I will have a dessert!
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First Coast
97-101 Dalry Road, EH11 2AB, Edinburgh
from nettles (95%) on August 6th, 2007 (1 year ago)
Quaint and busy little restaurant in Dalry specialising in steak and seafood. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable about the food and wine and seem happy to give recommendations. When we were there my husband had the lamb chops, which like every other time he complained of the size. I thought the portion was a good size but I agreed with him that the potatoes it came with were not that great. But since this was a few months ago, this might not be on the menu now which is something I love about this place. It changes with the seasons and if you wait and go again there will be different things on the menu. I had steak frites. I rarely eat steak but every once in a while it's a treat and I am glad I chose this place. The steak was cooked a little more done than I would have liked and asked for but it was flavourful, well seasoned and well sized. The chips it came with were divine. They were sprinkled with pepper and salt that must have been almost a powder. It stuck to the chips beautifully and made me wish that all chips were dusted with this stuff. For the price, this place is fantastic and I hope to go back soon.
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Old Orleans
Unit 7, Fountainpark, EH11 1AL, Edinburgh
from nettles (95%) on August 6th, 2007 (1 year ago)
We wanted to see the Simpsons movie. We wanted to eat before. We saw ribs on a menu hence the visit to Old Orleans. I had never been there before, had never heard of it, but I am guessing this place is a chain restaurant that has been moulded from the chain places found in in America. The cookie cutter decor and our ever so friendly waiter who even cracked jokes told me this with no words necessary.
We ordered a full slab of ribs and a double portioned starter to share, garlic mushrooms (not deep fried) on brioche toast with a black peppercorn sauce. The sauce sounded weird to me but upon closer inspection of the menu I realised this was one of their four sauces which accompany a lot of dishes on the menu. I start to picture these arriving at the restaurant in huge vats or more likely plastic bags shipped from the Old Orleans homeland where most of the food is made to be shipped and assembled at its outlets. I fight back my cringe and try to concentrate on the food.
It's not bad. The ribs were juicy, succulent, and the sauce was sweet and thick. Not smoky and they gave you extra if you wanted (or one of the other three sauces). The friendly waiter asked if I wanted a variety of condiments including ketchup, mustard, mayonaise and some others for my fries. I could hardly hear him past my shock. It has been my experience in restaurants that if you want any kind of condiment you better ask your waiter right when you sit down! The mayo and ketchup came promptly, but there were only a few tables filled in the huge space but I have a feeling that this kind of service is what you always get there.
The mushrooms were tasty but I couldn't really get into the sauce. It was one of those slightly gelatenous sauces and did not go well with the toast, blue cheese, and mushrooms. I figure they could add on another sauce at the homeship.
In true american style we had the brownie with white chocolate sauce which was served in a separate pouring pot. It was dense and chocolately, not bad, and most likely not cooked on site.
If I do find myself there again I will stick with the ribs and the two for one fancy cocktails which I think only are on during the week. If there is a next time.
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The Lee On
3-5 Bruntsfield Place, EH10 4HN, Edinburgh
from Meng (86%) on August 5th, 2007 (1 year ago)
I used to live across from the Lee On, where my flatmates swore by this restaurant as a takeaway, particularly their beef satay sauce.
I can tell you their satay sauce was watery peanut crap. In fact, a lot of what passes as 'satay' is just watery peanut crap. You want satay? Go to an Indonesian/Malaysian restaurant. Chinese 'satay' sauce is as authentic as 'Japanese curry', or British 'tikka masala'. Oh wait...
But I jest, the takeaway, was pretty good. And I'm Chinese. From Malaysia. By way of Britain.
The food? Well it turns out just a few months ago i actually went down to their basement restaurant area and actually ended up eating there based on a friend's recommendation (whose family eat there loads. And her family's Italian). Guess what? 4 years is a long time, and the food is actually better than the takeaway stuff. No-prizes all around.
(Bet you the satay's still crap though)
Here's a tip. Look inside a Chinese restaurant. Do you see Chinese people eating there (as opposed to only serving, cooking, running the registers)? if the answer is yes, you can be sure it's at LEAST 3 and a half stars out of 5. You can use this formula for any 'ethnic' restaurant really. Indian restaurants, Japanese restaurants, etc. The more 'locals' you see, the more 'authentic' it would be.
Go in to the Lee Onn, look across and say 'I'll have what he's having'. Can't go wrong with this reliable stalwart of Tollcross Chinese cuisine. Unless of course it's the chicken feet dim sum. In satay sauce.
(0) (0) (0)
Great Wall Chinese Restaurant
105-109 Lothian Road, EH3 9AN, Edinburgh
from Meng (86%) on August 5th, 2007 (1 year ago)
The Great Wall of China. Eaten there on 3 occassions (the restaurant, not the Wonder of the World). 1 for a proper full monty Chinese wedding restaurant-meal. The other sort of shared food off a flatmate's takeaway, and the last for dim sum (that's a light meal served with Chinese tea, usually a brekkie tradition a la Sunday tea, and more akin to tapas these days).
For the full-on Chinese wedding experience, get yourself invited to a Chinese wedding. Man, this restuarant spares no expense at trying to show off to show off. You know the type, lobster, deep fried sea bass, 4 seasons, chilli crab, etc, etc. Just like home. And Chinese weddings.
The takeaway stuff? Reasonable. But just not good enough for the price you know? I've had better takeaway stuff that's cheaper, is all I'm saying. And all of you KNOW that the 'Great British Chinese Takeaway' phenomena (much like the All-American Chinese Takeaway phenomena. See chop suey and fortune cookies. Yep, you heard me, fortune cookies are as Uncle Sam as Apple Pie) is a culinary genre in its own right. C'mon, how many Chinese people do you actually see eating that takeaway stuff? (if you want to eat cheaper stuff for the same quality, how about Jimmy Chung's around the corner? There you go.)
In all seriousness, the dim sum? Pretty damn good. For the uninitiated, the steamed meat buns (char siu pau), egg tarts (tahn tart), prawn dumplings (har gow), chicken in glutinous rice dumplings (siu mai) are all standardised Chinese fare one can order in any half-way decent Chinese restaurant with Chinese people in it all over the world, and this place? It's surprisingly good, just come in the morning, or ask to look at the dim sum menu (which they would serve at all hours anyway).
And if you want, you can even order 'local delicacies' like cold chicken feet. It's not a bushtucker trial joke. (But in all honesty, I detest the stuff anyway)
Come here if you know someone who can read the special menu in Chinese writing, that way you get better for cheaper. But other than that, pretty fair fare.
(+1) (0) (0)
Izzi
119 Lothian Road, EH3 9AN, Edinburgh
from Meng (86%) on August 5th, 2007 (1 year ago)
A 'Chinese-Japanese' sushi restaurant. Not a fusion of both cuisines thankfully (which one would imagine involves the stir-frying of sushi. Hey, I'd try that!), just an establishment that is both a predominantly sushi restaurant, which also happens to serve Chinese food.
Now, I've never had the Chinese food there, so I can't really judge it on that basis. But the sushi?
Well, for the inexperienced sushi-eater, this place will do you a good introductory course in the art of ordering and eating sushi (even if you don't know your nigirisushi from your maki from your sashimi. And if you're still clueless, just wiki it up on wikipedia, yeah?), which is pretty okay.
Best sushi I've ever had's been in Australia though with it's sizeable Asian community, and the best sushi I've (once) had in Edinburgh was at good ol' (extinct) Yo Sushi. How I miss you Yo Sushi. *sniff*
Word to the wise though, don't tap your chopsticks, DO NOT stick the chopsticks in a bowl of rice (big funeral-related taboo), and lay off the wasabi yeah? Jackass: The Movie, this is not.
Other than that, the nice atmosphere, reasonable prices, friendly staff make the above average fare taste pretty damn good.
(+1) (0) (0)
Morocco Restaurant
3A1 Dundas Street, EH3 6QG, Edinburgh
from Meng (86%) on August 5th, 2007 (1 year ago)
Do you like belly-dancing?
Do you like ordering a special lamb dish 2 days in advance for a prepatory 24-hour roast cooked to perfection?
Do you like women sashaying to the spices of cumin, mint, the scent of apricots, couscous, spiced lamb and sugared tea?
Well then, this may just be the place for you!
An experience in dining (though the belly-dancing is a welcome distraction considering how long it does take for food to be ordered and arriving on your plate. I've checked, it takes an average of 30-40 minutes. But hey, that's pretty normal for a half-full restaurant right?).
But when it's served, it's hot, spicy, welcome, in big portions and needs plenty sugared mint tea to wash it down.
If you like your food fast and insubstantial I can recommend the Golden Arches just 10 minutes walk down west way, but the Moroccan food here takes time to prepare, and served to you perfectly. Plus if you want to flash your cash and impress friends/family/a hot date, bring them here.
Just stop staring at the jiggling womanflesh and concentrate on your food.
(+1) (0) (+2)
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