Bangkok Café

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

South Clerk Street has been a challenging location for Edinburgh restaurants, the spot currently occupied by Bangkok Café having recently been home to both Red Marrakech and Porto Grill in the City. It's to be hoped that the current incumbent manages to establish itself, because Bangkok Café is at least doing something a bit different. Some might say, though, they're a little too diverse. Like the selection of Thai wall hangings, Jack Vettriano prints and photos of Marilyn Monroe which adorn the walls, the place seems undecided about its position. It's too plush to be a café, yet too informal to be a restaurant. 'Scottish' cuisine amounts to chip shop fare, but the Thai food on offer – owner Petra Stark used to run the Thai House on Candlemaker Row – is authentic and lovingly prepared. In particular, coconut-rich red and green curries, and a fiery jungle curry of shredded chillies and grachai amid vegetables and meat, make Bangkok Café well worth recommending as a takeout and delivery service.

• High point: The delivery menu is well worth pinning on your fridge
• Low point: The café itself has too many personalities for comfort