Ignite is your oasis of taste in Edinburgh's west end. Lauded by those who rate restaurants for a living, loved by just about everybody else, Ignite is one of the most well-presented, richly colourful and enjoyable of Bengali and Indian restaurants in our capital - and most keenly deserving of your custom. Discover! Enjoy!
Balbir's Saffron Lounge
- Food served: Sun–Thu 4.30–10.30pm; Fri/Sat 4.30–11pm
- Number of wines sold by the glass: 5
- Delivery: will deliver as far as Newton Mearns / charge £1.50-£3 depending on distance
- Private dining: Up to 80 covers
- Also offers: Children's portions, Children's high chairs, Wheelchair access
- Music on stereo: Sitar classics through to left-field jazz
- Capacity: 130
- Largest group: 80
- Open since: 2008
- Average price:
£18 (evening meal) - House wine: £13.50 per bottle
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The 2011/12 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).
This review is taken from the current (2011) edition.
With the familiar Sikh warrior guarding the entrance, Balbir’s Southside outpost is easily spotted among the bars and restaurants in Shawlands. Inside, it shoots back for a fair distance, with the buffet set-up retreating most of the way too. Offering ten mains and various starters, the buffet spread is very impressive, and more customers opt for that than the à la carte – which is still a worthy alternative. To start, chicken malai is marinated in a vibrant mix of cashews and yogurt – a refreshing take on the ubiquitous tikka. It’s hard to beat, yet tandoori salmon manages it – crispy, chewy and flaky in equal measure, daringly accompanied by apple and tomato dips. It’s brave, confident cooking, continued into the mains where big halibut flakes stand up to a sauce that's fiery fragrant – coconut, mustard seed, ginger and lemongrass bouncing off each other. Generous chunks of lamb soak up a fruity biryani, the use of mint both plentiful and brilliant. And the use of rapeseed oil instead of ghee can make a real difference to how you feel after dinner.
- High point: Mint never tasted so good
- Low point: Evening only opening
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