Villager

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• What are these?

• Average price 2 courses:
   £9 (lunch)
   £14 (evening meal)
• House wine: £11.50 per bottle

• High point: Treat yourself to a bottle of prosecco
• Low point: Give the chocolate fudge cake a miss
• Food served: Mon-Sun noon-9.30pm
• Bar open: Mon-Sun noon-1am
• Open since: 2003

The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 is now in the shops.

This review is from the 2007 edition.

Villager and its sister bar Dragonfly are prominent Edinburgh style bars with interiors that combine a trendy mix of traditional and contemporary design. In prime position on George IV Bridge, Villager attracts a mixed crowd of regulars, students, business lunchers and passers-by to its stylish, narrow bar area and larger drinking/dining room with scattered comfy leather sofas. Lunch and dinner are on offer, with numerous dishes appearing on both menus. The lamb cutlets with tzatziki dressing and lemon and mint couscous is a good meaty option. In contrast, the calamari main course may be 'wok-tossed' as promised, but it lacks the Cajun-spiced flavour that sounds so good on the menu. Vegetarians are treated to hot and sweet stir-fried Asian vegetables, served with steamed buckwheat noodles. Avoid the dry chocolate fudge cake, and opt instead for the perfectly balanced caramelised lemon tart. The service is good, and constantly replenished carafes of water infused with melon, cucumber and mint are a nice touch. There's an extensive drinks menu, but if this is what catches you eye, be warned that during most evenings the main seating area is reserved for diners.