Mezbaan is Edinburgh's only restaurant dedicated to just traditional and authentic South Indian cuisine. We are now open for lunch. If you are short for time you can sample our express menu or for a more relaxed our a la carte menu.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• What are these?

• Average price 2 courses:
   £16 (lunch)
   £16 (evening meal)
• House wine: £12.95 (1 litre) per bottle

• High point: Very friendly service
• Low point: Rock ballads from the 1980s
• Food served: Sun–Wed 5pm–midnight; Thu–Sat noon–2pm, 5pm–midnight.
• Delivery: No charge for local delivery on orders over £10
• Open since: 1987
• Also offers: Vegetarian options (at least 25% of main courses), Children's portions, Children's high chairs, Takeaway

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008
– in the shops now or buy online.

Still going strong after more than 20 years in business, Mount Florida's Alishan tandoori restaurant is an unapologetically old-fashioned Glasgow Indian, complete with tropical fish tanks, a predominantly 1980s soundtrack and a menu that reads like an encyclopaedia of the West of Scotland's favourite curries. The service is nothing short of excellent, with founder and head chef Chico Qureshi and his staff providing a welcoming and informal atmosphere. For starters, mulligatawny soup, a Raj-era favourite from Tamil Nadu, is richly spiced and contains nuggets of lamb. Chicken, lamb and prawn dishes dominate the main courses, served with a wide variety of curried sauces, though there is also a large and interesting vegetarian section. Indeed, Alishan's saag paneer – spinach and home-made cheese – is better than you'll often find elsewhere. Naan and paratha breads can come plain or with a choice of garlic, onion, chilli, meat or vegetable fillings. Alishan is a popular neighbourhood restaurant serving reliable British-Indian favourites.