Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
chicken stew with herb gnocchi or pan-fried mackerel with lentil broth. There are
good pre-theater options if you're heading out for a show.
10 Cambridge St.
&
0131/221-1222.
www.bluescotland.co.uk. Reservations recommended. Main
courses £10-£15. AE, MC, V. Mon-Sat noon-2:30pm and 6-10:30pm. Bus: 1, 10, 15, or 24.
Café Royal Oyster Bar
SEAFOOD/FISH The Café Royal first opened in
1862, and after some 140 years its splendorous Victorian touches remain intact. The
main menu offers more than just oysters: Salmon, langoustines, and lobsters—as
well as beef and rabbit—might feature. If the restaurant's dining room is closed
(between lunch and dinner), head for the neighboring Circle Bar, which serves food
and beverages throughout the day. Its menu is more limited but also less pricey. A
highlight of the bar is the collection of tile pictures of notable inventors.
17a W. Register St.
&
0131/556-1884.
Reservations recommended. Main courses £14-£22. AE, MC, V.
Daily noon-2pm and 6-10pm (bar open daily 11am-11pm). Bus: 8 or 29.
Café St. Honoré
FRENCH A New Town favorite, this Parisian-style brasserie
with a classic black-and-white-checkered floor is deliberately rapidly paced at lunch
and more sedate in the evening. An upbeat and usually enthusiastic staff serves
French cuisine with Scottish influences, such as Borders beef with Dauphinoise
potatoes and bon bons made of Stornoway black pudding from the Outer Hebrides.
34 N.W. Thistle St.
&
0131/226-2211.
www.cafesthonore.com. Reservations recommended. Fixed-price
lunch £16.50; main courses £8-£20. AE, MC, V. Daily noon-2pm and 6-10pm. Bus: 24, 29, or 42.
Dusit
THAI Thistle Street, although little more than a slender lane with
narrow sidewalks, has become something of a hot bed for restaurants. This rather
unassuming restaurant has a reputation for being one of the best in the city for Thai
cuisine—some say the best in Scotland for any style of cuisine. The menu is not
typical and has a tendency toward modern dishes—many of which incorporate Scot-
tish produce, such as venison and Jerusalem artichokes. Recommended are hoi yang
scallops or stir-fried guinea fowl. The wines are plentiful and matched to the cuisine.
49a Thistle St.
&
0131/220-6846.
www.dusit.co.uk. Reservations recommended. Fixed-price lunch £11;
main courses £12-£18. AE, MC, V. Mon-Sat noon-3pm and 6-11pm; Sun noon-11pm. Bus: 24, 29, or 42.
Seadogs
FISH Owner David Ramsden historically has worked so hard to keep
his restaurants affordable that they have sometimes not been able to survive. Fingers
crossed for this new place. There's a coziness to the mismatched furniture and cut-
lery, while decoration is pretty much limited to doggy motifs and images. Fish 'n'
chips here offers a variety of fish, while sharing platters might offer paella or fish pie.
More innovative recipes include smoked mackerel on toast with rhubarb jam.
43 Rose St.
&
0131/225-8028.
www.seadogsonline.co.uk. Main courses £10. MC, V. Daily noon-4pm
and 5-10pm. Bus: 22 (alight at Princes Street).
Time 4 Thai
THAI There was an extraordinary boom in Edinburgh's Thai restau-
rant scene before the recession of 2008/2009. This stylish New Town restaurant was
one of them, featuring well-made and attractively presented curries and other Thai
specialties. Everything is served with extra doses of grace and courtesy.
45 N. Castle St.
&
0131/225-8822.
Reservations recommended. Fixed-price lunch £9.50; main courses
£8-£16. AE, MC, V. Mon-Thurs noon-2:30pm and 5-11pm; Fri-Sun 1-11pm. Bus: 24, 29, or 42.
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