Metro West End Brasserie

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Smart contemporary décor and the west end location of Metro Brasserie make it an obvious destination for business professionals and tourists alike, just a five-minute walk from Haymarket train station. The same menu applies for lunch and dinner, but offers an extensive selection of starters and salads through to more substantial meat, fish and pasta dishes, as well as the option of fixed-price two- or three-course menus, which include a glass of wine and feature a traditional roast at weekends. A well presented starter of mussels with white wine cream sauce comes with crisp charred toast, and home-cured salmon gravadlax with mustard dressing and lime herb salad is smoky, sweet and scented with dill. However, a main course of braised lamb shank is tough and chewy and clings disappointingly to the bone, while a fillet of Scottish pork is completely overwhelmed by lavender breadcrumbs and a red onion and coriander salsa. Dessert options include a synthetic-tasting coffee and chocolate mousse with amaretti biscuits, and a lemon panacotta that has the texture of cottage cheese and is virtually indistinguishable from its accompanying crème anglaise. While service is professional and friendly, some tweaks in the kitchen are necessary to ensure Metro’s success in a competitive market.

• High point: Good, friendly service
• Low point: Dishes lacking a finer touch