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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• Average price 2 courses:
   £13 (lunch)
   £13 (evening meal)
• House wine: £9 per bottle

• High point: Fantastic value
• Low point: Difficult not to end up eating too much
• Food served: Mon–Sun noon–midnight
• Delivery: £3 per delivery
• Open since: 2006
• Also offers: Children's portions, Children's high chairs, Wheelchair access, Takeaway

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

The smart and contemporary Tawa & Grill provides proof – if you needed reminding – that a trip to Nelson Street in Tradeston possesses nearly all the virtues of a journey halfway across Asia. That this dilapidated zone south of the Clyde has become one of Glasgow's top destinations for authentic south Asian food is in no small measure down to this latest arrival on the post-industrial block. Opened in 2006, Tawa & Grill has already gained a large local following who flock here for its halal grilled meats, chicken curries and Indian flatbreads cooked on a tawa (a round metal griddle). The à la carte choices are predominantly from the northwest of the subcontinent. They include shami kebab (lamb and chickpea patties) or mughlai chicken cooked with ginger and mint. The real draw here, though, is the staggeringly good value lunchtime (£5.95) and evening (£8.50) buffet, which offer a tremendous selection of pakoras, samosas, dhals, lamb and chicken dishes, kofte (meatballs), breads, rices and Indian desserts. The emphasis is unquestionably on meat dishes and so vegetarians might feel a little out of place. But everyone else seems more than happy to heave their way to the mezzanine seats with a mountain of food on their plate.