Far East, Pre-theatre menu within 5 miles of Edinburgh

Lying just far enough outside the city centre to be considered off the beaten track, Causewayside is never the less blessed with some decent dining options, of which Celadon is one of the best. The atmosphere is casual but homely thanks to some rustic…

Veteran restaurateur Bill Parkinson has been in the business for 46 years and it shows. Service is a speciality: he wants people to relax while they eat. If you’re enjoying his pre-theatre menu before heading across the road to the Playhouse you might…

Bar Soba on Hanover Street is the Edinburgh outpost of a successful Glasgow chain, born of the unusual idea that a pan-Asian noodle kitchen might fit nicely in a busy pre-club venue. Upstairs is the bar, with graffitied walls, trendy DJs and omnipresent…

Absolute Thai is an unassuming treasure. On stepping through the curtained doorway, diners feel sequestered from the outside world. The restaurant may be small, but the limited space makes for a feeling of cosy intimacy with small touches of kitsch…

In a new home or a restaurant, basements have a reputation for being filled with flotsam and jetsam, with just the occasional gem showing up how a well an underground space can be used – Ruan Siam is one such space. While intimate, fairy-lit nooks will…

A marriage of Scottish and Thai cuisine might seem a doomed alliance, and some of the menu options sound more like a drunken scramble around the kitchen than haute cuisine (lasagne chicken curry, anybody?), but don’t be fooled – this contemporary outfit…

Given Thailand’s multitude of islands and strong fishing heritage, it is no surprise that Thai cookery enjoys such an affinity with seafood. Few restaurants, however, have married this to Scotland’s bountiful larder as well as Port of Siam. Sourcing all…