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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• What are these?

• Average price 2 courses:
   £17 (lunch)
   £17 (evening meal)
• House wine: £10.95 per bottle

• Hitlisted
• High point: Pre-theatre menu on performance nights at neighbouring Edinburgh Festival Theatre
• Low point: Not enough room to take all your friends
• Food served: Mon–Sat noon–2pm, 5.30–10.30pm; Sun 5.30–10.30pm
• Open since: 2004
• Also offers: Vegetarian options (at least 25% of main courses), Children's portions, Takeaway, Pre-theatre menu

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008
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Unpretentiousness, modest décor and a homely atmosphere all belie the classy, sophisticated food that is served at Saffrani. In this small but comfortable restaurant, wonders from Pawan Kumar's kitchen resonate with echoes of the innovative, but now gone, Shamiana at Tollcross (Saffrani proprietor Khalil Mansoori was part of its ground-breaking team). Just as they broke the mould of Indian eating back in the 1980s, Saffrani aims to introduce the public to a new style of cooking and food, combining Scotland's natural larder with the flavours and spices of India and Pakistan. A huge king prawn, spiced and grilled on the shell to become jheengha kauri with its nutty sauce, is but one starter from a list of 20. If seafood does not appeal, there are plenty of other options, including intensely flavoured marinated quail, deliciously light samosa and spiced chicken mince to delight both eyes and taste buds. Among the many main courses – more than 40 – kofta saffrani combines the world's most expensive spice with green herbs and meatballs. For fish lovers, trout, halibut, lemon sole, salmon and cod offer a quayside fresh selection, whether incorporating chunky tomato and peppers in machli bhuna or the delicately spiced marinades of tamarind and sweet chilli.