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:
   £18 (lunch)
   £18 (evening meal)
• House wine: £13 per bottle

• Hitlisted
• High point: Dosas as good as you'll find outside India
• Low point: The wada – deep-fried ground lentils – are a little too dry
• Food served: Mon–Thu noon–2pm, 5pm–10.30pm; Fri noon–2pm, 5–11pm; Sat/Sun 1–11pm
• Open since: 2004
• Also offers: Vegetarian options (at least 25% of main courses), 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.

With its discrete entrance and first-floor location, Dakhin could easily be missed among the plethora of busy restaurants and bars in Candleriggs. Those who are curious – or cunning – enough to venture upstairs, however, will be welcomed into an elegant, atmospheric and almost colonial-seeming dining space, the map of south India at the head of the steps firmly delineating its culinary terrain. Dosas – rice pancakes fried on a griddle and stuffed full of spices, vegetables and chutney – are to south India what the pizza is to Naples, a ubiquitous snack eaten throughout the day as well as a substantial main meal. They are definitely top of the main attractions here. There are chicken and lamb varieties, though the purists might opt for the Mysore massala, a lively, mustardy vegetarian concoction that's as close to dosa royalty as it's possible to get. All come with sambar, a tangy tamarind and pigeon pea broth, and a soothing coconut chutney. There is also a wealth of enticing fish and seafood dishes from Kerala's Malabar coast, as well as a good choice of lamb curries, among which a Tamil variety cooked with mint and coriander comes particularly recommended – especially when accompanied by coconut rice. There is a good selection of Indian sweets, too.