Restaurant-Guide.com
hand picked restaurants

Established by Frederick and Philipe in 1998, Petit Paris seeks to maintain l'entente cordiale, that mysterious umbilical cord that has bound together Scotland and France for several centuries now, not least via a common interest in matters of cuisine as well as rugby. Their Grassmarket, gaily-painted and bustling restaurant, with the customary blends of cellars and ground floor rooms offers traditional French cooking of a high standard.

Should we start with bouillabaisse, a Mediterranean fish soup with crouton, rouille and gruyère cheese or steamed mussels in bacon and cream sauce? The coq au vin is a test of any truly French restaurant and Petit Paris emerges with its head held high, exhibiting the sort of care and skills which are a feature of their daily performance. Or choose the 10oz prime Scottish rib eye steak specially selected from the Buccleuch Estates. Last but by no means least, save space for an irresistible crème brûlée.

A handy location for the city centre and theatre suppers, with the Queen's Hall and Edinburgh Festival Theatre very handy, when special offers can make this restaurant a very attractive proposition. The menu can be unpredictable but invariably contains a good range of attractive dishes drawn from various culinary cultures. Service is smooth and contributes to the overall air of sophistication and elegance. Although normally closed on Monday/Tuesday evenings, the restaurant will open by arrangement.

In 1975 Agostino and Gerardo Crolla established their business in Raeburn Place and have prospered. Their prosperity is linked both with the burghers of Edinburgh and their own zeal for ensuring that whatever they did was done to the best of their ability.

Their reputation for producing the best fish and chips and pizzas is well known and as successive refits have come and gone the quality has remained as high as ever. A high point was the award in 1996 in the Best Fish and Chip Shop of the Year title, a keenly contested title honour, resulting in L'Aquila Bianca receiving a Runner-up Award.

Located on High Street, Linlithgow is Bar Leo - an Italian style restaurant that's undergone recent refurbishment with bold aubergine walls and low ceilings working alongside to create an intimate dining experience. The original owner, a veteran named Gianni is back after his sabbatical along with his head chef James, thereby ensuring that the integrity of traditional Italian cooking is maintained. The waiters go out of their way to accommodate special food preferences and families in particular get great value for money.

It's hard to pick a favourite from the menu, because it's difficult to go wrong with the food at Bar Leo. The tournedos rossini is among the chef's signature dishes and highly recommended. All pastas and pizzas are acclaimed for their authentic preparations, so just go with the gut and pick one. Or get a waiter to make a suggestion. There are plentiful non-Italian options including rice dishes and special veal preparations. For dessert, go with the home-made tiramisu or lemon sorbetto. In a nutshell, gastronomical bliss that's easy on the purse strings.

In a countryside location in the East Lothian village of Dirleton, The Library is set in The Open Arms Hotel about 20 miles outside Edinburgh. The book-lined walls and soft lighting create an intimate, romantic atmosphere, ideal to celebrate an anniversary or birthday. The menu features a strong selection of traditional British and international dishes.

Tex Mex is famous for its flaming fajitas and fabulous frozen margaritas. It is run by its chef/proprietor, who takes great pride in the fact that everything is made fresh from scratch. The interior is bright and funky with a use of strong Latino colours.

Offering a contemporary twist on the traditional Indian restaurant, The Copper Bowl features traditionally prepared food using fresh and wholesome ingredients. Located in South Road End, on the southern outskirts of Edinburgh the restaurant is perfect for a quick lunch or leisurely family dinner.

In addition to the à la carte, a kids menu, healthy options and a full Sunday buffet are available. Dishes such as deep fried marinated chicken strips, makhmali seekh kebab made with ground lamb, salmon and prawn fish cakes and barbequed cottage cheese make for appetizing starters. The main course selection offers a variety of chicken and lamb curries in addition to a tandoori kebab platter and Hyderabad-style biryani. Fiery laal maas combines red chillies, coriander seeds, garlic, turmeric and yoghurt into a dish that titillates the palate. The house speciality is raan-e-khaas, whole leg of lamb served with pulao rice and naan bread. The Copper Bowl also offers a selection of British and international cuisine options such as penne with pesto, Cajun roast salmon fillet, Thai beef stir fry or even beer battered haddock and chips.