Roti

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

Roti bills itself as 'a restaurant that serves Indian food' rather than an Indian restaurant, which may seem a minor quibble, but as soon as you enter the building it all becomes clear. This is fine dining without the pomp and ceremony, offering a relaxed but extremely efficient service. What could easily feel like a large, canteen-like space is made intimate by astute use of coloured drapes and lighting, while the choice of food will leave you torn in several directions. The novel tiffin menu offers layers of pick'n'mix dishes stacked on top of each other. For the adventurous, the tasting menu, both meat and vegetarian, is a great way to experiment with something new (lentil ice-cream anyone?). The innovative selection of mains, starters and sides manages to stay on the right side of flavoursome, without blowing your head off – even the beef vindaloo. With an emphasis on fresh Scottish produce, each dish has been passionately thought out and skilfully prepared, and there are almost 50 wines to choose from. The portions are substantial, sometimes with prices to match, but if you can save enough space and money for dessert, the passion fruit cream is to die for.

• High point: Innovative menu
• Low point: Some dishes slightly overpriced