Phenecia

The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2009 is now in the shops. This review is taken from the 2007 edition.

After two decades in the business, Phenecia has perfected the formula of combining wholesome fare with super-low prices. And its relaxed atmosphere and location, right in the middle of Edinburgh's university quarter, attracts the students in droves. The menu covers north African and Mediterranean cuisines, and you can sample both with a bargain set-price lunch (two courses for just over a fiver) or an evening meal. The huge dinner menu is hard to navigate, and matters aren't helped by staff who are unfamiliar with many dishes' ingredients and accompaniments. To keep things simple, begin with a shared starter platter - the Mediterranean option is packed with delicately-flavoured seafood, but let down by an unimaginative salad of peppers and iceberg lettuce. Fish-based main meals feature prominently on the Mediterranean menu, and north African choices include meatier dishes such as tagines, casseroles and couscous. The okra lamb casserole is hearty and wholesome, but the flavours of the griddle-cooked Moroccan-spiced salmon special are all but lost to an overpowering sauce that's heavy on cumin. Smaller groups might struggle in the hubbub that is Phenecia, so rustle up some pals, take in the colourful décor and artworks, and settle in for a cheap and cheerful meal.

• High point: Filling, no-frills fare at bargain prices
• Low point: They should either condense the menu or train staff to know exactly what's on it