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.

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• Average price 2 courses:
   £20 (lunch)
   £30 (evening meal)
• House wine: £10.95 per bottle

• High point: Emphasis on traditional Indian cooking
• Low point: Not ideal for a quiet, romantic meal
• Food served: Mon–Thu 5–11pm; Fri noon–3pm, 5–11pm; Sat/Sun 4–11pm
• Delivery: £1.25, delivery within six-mile radius
• Open since: 2000
• Also offers: Vegetarian options (at least 25% of main courses), Children's portions, Children's high chairs, Wheelchair access, Takeaway, Pre-theatre menu

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

Located in the city's Southside, Ashoka at the Mill is a more recent addition to the Harlequin Group's empire. There is a family feel to the restaurant, thanks mostly to the children running in and out of Poppa Dom's Playzone, which takes up one wing of the converted farmhouse. Although it's designed to allow parents to eat in peace, the noise from the play area may be slightly off-putting for other diners. The menu places great emphasis on traditional Indian recipes. The Amritsari fish – fillets marinated in carom seeds and spices, with a chilli and mint yoghurt dip – is rather mild, but the king prawn Goanese, made with coconut and green chillies, is creamy and fresh, and served with mushroom pilau rice. If one of the 15 curries doesn't take your fancy, try a tandoori sizzler, perhaps the very untraditional sounding 'kick-ass chicken kebab'. There are also some interesting dishes on the continental menu, including tandoori chicken pesto. The dessert selection is imaginative, the pistachio kulfi (traditional Indian ice-cream) being a particular highlight.