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.
Khushi's
- Food served: Mon–Sat noon–11pm; Sun noon–10pm
- Also offers: Vegetarian options (at least 25% of main courses), Gluten-free options, Children's portions, Children's high chairs, Takeaway
- Music on stereo: Indian music
- Capacity: 220
- Largest group: 220
- Open since: 2006
- Average price 2 courses:
£17 (lunch)
£17 (evening meal) - BYOB: no charge corkage
This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 – in the shops now or buy online.
If there is anyone out there who still yearns for the bygone days of flock-wallpapered Indian restaurants, a trip to Khushi's will soon sort them out. Buzzing with energy, the vast, grand, contemporary dining environment that is home number five for this 60-year-old Edinburgh institution is even busy on Sunday evenings. Attentive waiting staff are alert and quick, while the chef patrols more slowly, peering at plates to make sure his food is fast disappearing from them. And it does. Light and dry vegetable samosas with tamarind sauce have not one glimmer of greasiness, while the much stickier murgh pankhari kebab – chicken winglets marinated with herbs and hot spices – are definitely worth getting messy fingers for. Chicken saag as a main course takes on a deeper flavour than the plentiful spinach may first suggest. The dish is brightened by fresh coriander leaves, but a little more of the promised cream might make it less dry. Fillet of sole is well stuffed with prawns and peppers, making it tangy and sweet. At the time of reviewing, a broken freezer meant no ice-cream, but fruits and gulab jamun with hot scented honey syrup, washed down by real mint tea, are a perfectly acceptable substitution.
- High point: Dreaming of tripping the light fantastic down the sweeping curve of the glass stepped staircase
- Low point: Can be a bit noisy for intimate conversation
Comments
- 1. Brown, Kushi's Victoria St. Edinburgh – 28 April 2008, 10:01amReport
-
a long time fan of Kushi's food and ambience I was disappointed to experience rudeness bordering on agression from the door staff on arrival recently. Food remains wonderful but overall experience spoiled.
- 2. Edinburgh resident, Kushi's Victoria Street, Edinburgh- June 2008 – 1 July 2008, 11:29amReport
-
I've been very keen for a long time to go to Kushi's, it always looks busy and seems rather popular. I had friends visiting and we were keen to have curry and BYO bottle. On arrival there was no note of our booking even though I had made it a week in advance and had my husband as witness to the phone call. Fair enough these things happen and it is their word against ours. After politely asking if they could fit us in later that evening the guy holding the clipboard on arrival, possibly the manager was extremely rude. He wanted nothing to do with us, was not at all apologetic or accommodating. You would think he was ruler of the world with his clipboard with the attitude he was displaying. He was really very rude and unhelpful. Dispite the review of excellent food, I will not be attempting to eat at Kushi's again based on the sheer rudeness and coldness of the staff.
- 3. Stewart Craigie, Edinburgh & Orkney – 13 July 2008, 8:28pmReport
-
I have been visiting Khushi's for about 10 years now since it was a small curry house on Drummond Street. Then it was the best and most authentic curries i had eaten and still to this day. Since it has grown due to demand the atmosphere and food has changed. Now the food aims to satisfy the British taste buds with more creamy, coconut and sweater dishes. It is an ideal restaurant for stag doo's and hen nights, but not for foodies. I think it is a great shame this has happened but it is understandable from a business point of view. I now go to The Mosque as it is the real deal, let's just hope the chefs there don't take the same route Khushis did. I cant see it happening to be honest.
- 4. M – 22 July 2008, 9:25amReport
-
Having been sorely disappointed by our visit at the weekend to 9 Cellars and previous visits to the best (sic) that Hawick has to offer we decided to visit Khushi's. To be fair, we tried to get in there at the weekend, but it was fully booked.
Khushi's itself is set in a spacious building which blends modern and traditional to create a relaxed, but distinctly 'Indian' feel. We were greeted and shown to our table and noted just how busy the place was for a Monday evening. Service throughout was efficient without deing intrusive, our BYOB wine and beer (no corkage) were opened and we were offered glasses as well as some complimentary poppadoms while we chose our food.
The starters were excellent, chicken winglets maintaining a blend of flavours with a subtle, but not too subtle, kick. The natural flavour of the Achari Grilled King Prawns were enchanced by the sauce they had been marinated in.
Our main courses were equally enjoable, with very healthy portions (no skimping on the meat in these sauces) of well flavoured Lamb Karahi and Chicken Jalfrezi. The lamb in particualr had been well marinated. Naan was light and tasty and not the over buttered and heavy naans you often get offered. We also chose a daal as a side dish which did not disappoint.
Highly recommended.
- 5. ferdia, stockbridge – 3 August 2008, 5:45pmReport
-
oh it gives me quite a bit of pleasure to be able to comment about the nasty experience my friends and i had whilst celebrating one of their birthdays...
All in all there were about 12 of us, upon arrival the staff seemed cold and literally like they were doing us a favour by squeezing us in..in a 220 capacity room. no beer was put in a fridge for us after we asked, if you have a problem with alchohol then dont have a byob policy for gods sake.
i basically wanted to share a large main course with my girlfriend, the whole chicken tikka, only to be told you HAVE to have a starter and a main each. no sharing.
right.. okupon leaving we were basically told to shut up, drink up and leave. some hard-on started shouting at the girl who's birthday it was because she was laughing loudly, which she was. fair enough but don't shout, you make people aggressive and basically want to leave comments like i am leaving now.
average to good food, but the rudest staff you are likely to come across in an edinburgh restaurant. never going back and i suggest spending your money somewhere else.
- 6. Lizzie, Edinburgh – 25 August 2008, 1:15pm
Report -
My friends and I also experienced the owners' rudeness on our visit. We ate our meal and then were just finishing up our drinks when the owner came over and demanded that we leave our table. He told us that the table had a two hour slot on it and we said that we should have been told that when we booked, but fair enough we would make sure we left by the end of our two hours. He then started a massive argument with us, telling us that we'd already been there for two hours and showing us bookings in the diary that blatantly weren't ours. I had to go through the book and show him our actual booking. I asked him to leave us to finish our meal in peace and he told me to get out of his restaurant immediately and that he would get security to remove me! could not believe it!
We finished our drinks anyway and paid our bills and on the way out the owner called us scum and tried to get the bouncer to remove us instead of letting us use the toilet - the poor little fellow seemed mystified!
I've never had a row in a restaurant before and a few other people have told us about the owner's rudeness. He doesn't seem to realise that part of going out for a meal isn't just the food, it's also the service. I'm sure this place will remain popular due to its BYOB policy and central location - just have to ignore the owner!
To post a comment or review you'll first need to log in.
- not registered? it'll only take a minute
- forgotten your password?
