The Waterfront Wine Bar and Grill

The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 is now in the shops. This review is taken from the 2007 edition.

Originally a waiting room for steamship travellers, this delightful bistro has all the intimate charm of an earlier era. Food can be ordered and eaten in the bar area, a lair of snug booths and seafaring paraphernalia, or from the more spacious and contemporary restaurant which is housed in a glass-walled conservatory overlooking the Water of Leith. The seasonal menu has recently been condensed to offer the most popular dishes, sticking with fresh classics - oysters, mussels, scallops and salmon - plus a few inspired staples and daily selections such as a deep-fried hake fillet with home-cut chips and minted peas. A creamy Cullen skink makes a hearty starter and is packed with thick, smoky haddock and flakes of cod, while the Waterfront special fish-cakes come in a crusty shell with a fluffy centre of punchy, rich flavours. A main of sea bass fillet is perfectly handled, the light lemony flesh contrasting nicely with a vivid home-made salsa verdi, and the beautifully prepared Finnan Haddie is bolstered by slices of course black pudding and a chunk of velvety brie. The Waterfront has an informal, friendly vibe with easy-going waiters who know their food and wine, and there's always something satisfying about watching diligent chefs slaving over a fiery grill, working up their creations in a semi-open kitchen at the back of the room.

• High point: A lively building full of character
• Low point: Easy-going waiters occasionally distracted