Gurkha Brigade Nepalese Restaurant

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2009 – in the shops now or buy online.

This small homely restaurant with colourful Nepalese paper ceiling lights and photos of the Annapurna range of mountains adorning the walls is at the top of Leith Walk. Its position makes it very convenient if you have been to The Edinburgh Playhouse or are going to a club, especially as it stops serving food at half past midnight at weekends. Nepalese food tends to be less hot and spicy than Indian food, but you will recognise many similar dishes on the menu. There are a good number of Nepalese specialities, including momo, the fast food of Nepal, steamed flour and water pastry dumplings stuffed with lightly spiced chicken or pork and made on the premises. Dal-bhat – spiced lentils and boiled rice – is a staple of Nepal and is served on a large steel platter with assorted spiced vegetables and chutney and meat. Curries come hot, medium hot and mild with a choice of chicken, pork, lamb, prawn and vegetables. King prawns with ground almond and cashew nut and cream sauce is rich in flavour without being spicy hot. There are also clay oven specialities, which are similar to tandoori dishes.

• High point: Authentic Nepalese dishes
• Low point: Need guidance with menu – could end up with a lot of lentils and potatoes!