Whiski

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

At the heart of tartan and heather tourist-land on the Royal Mile, Whiski serves up Scotland by numbers. Whisky? Check. There's an impressive range of 250 single malts and blends behind the bar, plus a range of whisky cocktails. Haggis, neeps and tatties? Check. Here, the chieftain o' the pudding race comes fresh from reliable MacSweens, and there's a veggie alternative too. Cosy, olde worlde boozer atmosphere? Check. The bar is covered in faded photos, mismatched crockery, vintage signs and assorted Victoriana, which come together to create a warm, cluttered feel. Thankfully, the music stops short of bagpipes and fiddles, and the stereo delivers a laid-back mix of hits from the past 30 years. While the food is billed as freshly made, it arrives suspiciously swiftly and lava-hot, which may indicate some corner cutting, and desserts such as sticky toffee pudding or chocolate fudge cake seem fresh from the microwave. But with smoked haddock from the highly reputable Eddie's Seafood Market, fat Crombies' sausages and 100% Scottish beef steaks served in a whisky sauce of your choosing, there are enough fail-safe options to provide a hearty pub meal in a very friendly, if formulaic setting.

• High point: Bar banter creates a fun atmosphere
• Low point: Formula One-speed removal of plates