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Britain's love affair with Indian food dates back to the 1800s during the colonial era, but Indian cuisine has evolved significantly over the years and has now made inroads into Britain, where places like Suruchi Too Restaurant invite diners to indulge in a remarkable discovery of food and culture from various regions of India. Even the design elements are chosen with care and the minimalist look is appealing.

Novices to Indian cuisine can break new ground with veggie haggis fritters, truly a triumph of international co-operation, while the rest could try salmon tikka, garlic king prawn or chicken kebab wrapped with potatoes and spices. Move over baltis, dhansaks and dopiazas, as Suruchi's exclusive curries such as lamb Malabar cooked in garam masala, black pepper and coconut milk and nirvana chicken simmered lemon grass, mustard seeds, curry leaves, lemon and creamed coconut make their way to an appreciative clientele.

The food festivals at Suruchi are good evidence of the never ending passion for Indian food in a city like Edinburgh, where loyalty to their own outstanding cuisine remains as strong as ever.

The Witchery has held legendary status in Edinburgh for what seems like forever. But in fact it was only in 1979 that James Thomson, the man who has given Scotland's capital city a major lead in establishing itself as the culinary hot spot in a country where good value in such matters had become unfashionable, set up the now internationally celebrated Witchery.

The effect has been electric, and even though new restaurants come and go in Edinburgh as they do everywhere, the staying factor somehow seems to be longer in Auld Reekie. Many would agree this is in no small part due to the standards of excellence set by the leaders. Perhaps this is the way it was following the establishment of the Edinburgh Café Royal in 1817?

Witchery started with a staff of just three. Now a team of over 200 work with James in his Collection of venues and his first year's turnover is achieved each day. As well as providing a memorable experience in eating, accommodation has been added with eight suites, all of which are as individual and stimulating as their names - Armoury, Old Rectory and Inner Sanctum amongst them. Wall to wall decadence joins with gothic décor to provide what is rightly described as 'an unforgettably magical experience'.

However, in the nature of things a wider audience is fortunate enough to be able to enjoy the delights of the table where the very best of Scotland's produce is invoked to bring pleasure to the discerning. Lunch and dinner is served daily from an à la carte menu, with incredible light meal value offered at lunchtime and theatre suppers for a modest £15.95 for two courses, there is also a three course lunch or dinner menu for £30.

The à la carte assembles a selection of about eleven starters, for any of which most of us would gladly make almost any sacrifice, not least the dressed Isle of Mull brown crab with samphire, cherry tomato confit, quail egg, lardons and cider dressing; a steak tartare or the platter of Scottish seafood on which is assembled some of Scotland's finest with a half or whole lobster to suit.

It's reassuring to order roast hot-smoked Loch Duart salmon with sweet potato, green beans and butter sauce, to find that it still had that same distinctive taste remembered from more rustic days when they would be cooked with some immediacy, and far less skill than that deployed here. Oysters and fish remains one of the favorites from the sea, or on your plate at Witchery where it comes with dishes such as Lindisfarne oysters, grown on the seashore of the Lindisfarne nature reserve and Traigheanna Bay oysters served on ice with lemon, Tabasco and shallot vinegar. It is indeed a dish fit for those who pass this way in search of the best and do not make their journey in vain.

A Witchery pudding selection is guaranteed to give pleasure; passion fruit and mascarpone trifle with pistachio biscotti is a combination made in heaven.

Talking of heaven leads on to the wine list which is selected by an enthusiastic team run by James Thomson himself. It embraces almost 500 wines, covering all the great wine producing areas, and has a special selection of seventeen available by the glass.

There are those who say that Witchery is a restaurant you should go to once in a lifetime. I can hardly agree. You should go there as often as you feel able to do so, for places like this are indeed rare, and life is for living - well.

More information can be found on their Website.

Located just round the corner from the hub at the top of the Royal mile and nestling at the foot of the Edinburgh castle, this chic Thai restaurant offers guests a spacious, uncluttered interior and a friendly menu. The understated décor with polished chrome fittings, charcoal colored leather seats, hessian wallpaper and long mirrors lend a sophisticated retro tone, and the staff provide gracious, alert and unobtrusive service.

Starters include goong teet hae, prawns spiced up by a tamarind and chilli dip, and todd mun keo pode, delicately spiced sweetcorn cakes, deep fried and served with peanut and coriander sauce.

Among the mains, lush moo aroy - an aromatic blend of flavours featuring thin slivers of juicy steamed pork in coconut milk and curry seasoning, underscored by a hint of roasted peanuts - and pla priew wan - a fleshy fresh monkfish poached in coconut and served in a creamy sweet and sour sauce, topped by a generous spray of fried onions - present delectable options.