Shamoli

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

Tucked away at the top of a curved flight of old stone steps, this newcomer to the High Street confidently declares its presence with a flurry of signs and neon lights in the window. As with its sister restaurant Mya, on Commercial Quay in Leith, the menu encompasses the cuisines of Thailand and north India, so gone are the days when friends had to argue over which of these nation's curries to go for. A good range of Thai dishes – focusing on favourite curries and stir-fries – is competently prepared. The lively chicken panang curry blends coconut sweetness with plenty of heat from chopped red chillis. However, the skilfully spiced pakora starter and Punjabi lamb korai curry suggests that it's in the Indian half of the menu where the chefs are really in their element. The restaurant's functional interior makes no reference to either homeland, with a stove surrounded by a peculiar classically-inspired fireplace at one end of the large room and tall, leaded windows offering fine views of the bustling street below. The one drawback of this tourist-friendly location seems to be higher prices than you might expect elsewhere.

• High point: Great central location
• Low point: Décor shuns menu's cultural influences

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