The Mussel and Steak Bar

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• What are these?

• Average price 2 courses:
   £8.75 (set lunch)
   £21 (evening meal)
• House wine: £12.10 per bottle

• High point: Watching the chefs assemble your dish on the flat screen telly . . .
• Low point: . . . ruined by intermittent tourist video
• Food served: Mon-Fri noon-3pm, 6-10pm; Sat noon-10pm; Sun 12.30-10pm
• Open since: 2005
• Also offers: Childrens portions, Childrens high chairs, Wheelchair access

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

This review is from the 2007 edition.

On first impressions, the Mussel and Steak Bar has the air of an upmarket coffee shop with a buffed blonde wood reception bar, pebbled floors and bench seating. It's a bright, punchy ambience that beams some flashy colour on its grittier Grassmarket neighbours. A variety of menus is on offer to seize the lunchtime and dinner market, with a selection of regular fish and shellfish dishes alongside a catch of the day. A chunky starter of swordfish skewers marinated in soy and smoked to perfection on the char-grill is skillfully handled, as is the spirited Japanese take on the spring roll with moist sweet potato, crab and sweetcorn filling. From the mains, a splendid seafood pasta comes heaving with scallops, mussels and king prawns huddled amid their shells on a nest of home-made linguine that soaks up the intense shellfish and white wine stock, while the catch of the day menu delivers a juicy pan-fried halibut given some serious vim by a luscious, rustic wild mushroom sauce. As the name suggests, specialities include steaks, which are properly hung and matured. They also do a nice selection of home-made desserts. This place is busy all the year round, so it's best to book, with the upstairs room more intimate and atmospheric.