Miros Cantina Mexicana, Rose Street, 17/03/11, ££

Miros Cantina Mexicana is a cosy 30 seater Mexican restaurant towards the west end of Rose Street. Once inside the cosy front room style set up with curtains over the windows you almost feel as if you could be on holiday, and it certainly doesn't feel like you are mere minutes away from the heart of Edinburgh. On entering the smiley waitress seated us bringing the lunch, specials and main menu cheerfully telling us "I will take orders for anything!"

Miss Twin had: Steak and Onion Tacos £6.50 + Frozen Margarita £3.50

Miss Twin: The margarita, while not the tastiest I have had was refreshing and quite boozy. The taco was a good size, with steak strips and onions and peppers wrapped in a tortilla and topped with salsa, guacamole and sour cream. This was accompanied by well cooked rice and a small salad garnish which had a dressing with a bit of a kick to it. Definitely tasty, definitely filling, definitely a good lunch.

Mrs Fish had: Borrego Con Miel £7.50 + glass red wine £2.50

Mrs Fish: When the slow-cooked lamb first arrived, the smell wafted up and I knew I was in for a treat. The lamb, honey and smoked chilli combination was sweet (in both senses) with just enough chilli to warm the belly. This was served with a small portion of rice, a tortilla and a spicily-dressed salad. The flavour of the lamb wasn't all that clear through the (very nice) flavouring, but the texture was lovely, melt-in-the-mouth. Good, but not quite as good as carnitas, which weren't on offer in this particular establishment.

They shared: Warm Waffle Pie £4.95

As a treat we split dessert, the squishy warm waffle pie which was accompanied by a scoop of ice cream and a generous amount of caramel sauce. Delish.

Entered at 1300

Ordered food and drinks at 1305

Drinks arrived 1310

Food arrived 1325

Paid and left 1355

The WestRoom, Melville Place, 11/03/11, ££

The WestRoom is an interesting wee space. It's an L-shaped cocktail-bar-cum-gastropub: well-lit, well-dressed and well-priced. From the people who brought you Sygn and Monteiths, the WestRoom is suited to being open all day (from 8am) - fresh in the morning, relaxed at lunch and cosy in the evening.

Miss Twin had: Posh pigs in blanket with mash £8, lemonade and lime

Miss Twin: The ‘posh pigs in blankets’ consisted of two large sausages of the day (beef and chilli, and possibly ginger) wrapped in a slice of bacon each. They were cooked just right (when I make ‘pigs’ the bacon usually ends up too crispy) and sat on a bed of creamy mash accompanied by some thickish gravy.

The chilli in the sausages did give the dish an extra kick which was welcome – sausage and mash is usually a pretty inoffensive dish, which can border on boring. I always assume that pub mash is microwaved from those frozen pellets caterers use, but if it was it tasted just fine.

The food was unspectacular but tasty enough and the surroundings boosted the dining experience. Over sized fixtures and fittings such as a giant mirror, huge light shades, a shiny bar area and the oversized chalkboard menu’s were all nice touches, as were the mints with the bill.

Mrs Fish had: Fish and chips in a bag, pickled onions and chippy sauce, tap water

Mrs Fish: Well they weren't 'in a bag', but these were the tastiest fish and chips I've had for a while. The batter was crunchy and golden, the chips were chunky with a crisp skin, the mini pickled onions were sweet and sharp and the chippy sauce was better than the real thing, fruity and a perfect portion. The 'bag' (piece of paper) got in the way a bit and tore unless one was genteel with one's cutlery (nope), but I wasn't too bothered by this because the food tasted so good.

The bar really is a nice space, if not slightly squished and the cocktail menu definitely warrants further exploration (when I'm feeling flush).

Entered, seated and drinks order taken at 1300
Ordered food at 1310
Food arrived at 1325
Food finished at 1335
Paid and left at 1340

Tigerlily, Rose Street, 25/02/11 £££

After a short break (holidays and work commitments thwarted the Friday lunches for a few weeks) Miss Twin and Mrs Fish selected Tigerlily on George Street for their reunion lunch.

Tigerlily is a boutique hotel with restaurant and bar attached, and while an overnight stay or a bottle of a fizz might be beyond us, the two main courses for £10 offer was not. The décor is modern, stylish, and rather girly – unless you know many men who are into pink and shiny beaded curtains. We were seated at a wooden booth which was comfortable but the suede seating was littered with crumbs – we figured someone had swept them off the table onto there. The waitress was friendly and the selection on the 2 for £10 was reasonable, around 10 dishes to choose from. However – the £10 did not include VAT at 20% so it was really 2 meals for £12. A little sneaky.

Miss Twin had: Lemon & pepper marinated chicken focaccia with balsamic mayonnaise, Long Vodka (around £4.50) and tap water

Miss Twin: Going to Tigerlily feels like a nice treat, it's very pretty and I would have been slightly tempted to skip out of work and spend the afternoon and my rent money on tasty cocktails in the relaxing surroundings.

My chicken focaccia was served open with chicken and tomato slices on one side, and salad leaves on the other. The sandwich came with a small side of fries, which we supplemented with a bigger bowl for the table. The bread was slightly singed but on the crispy rather than burnt side and the tomato and chicken were tasty. The lemon, pepper and balsamic flavours were slightly muted, and I would particularly liked to have the balsamic taste show through more – but that's just because I love that flavour. The chips were slightly salted and tasty. The long vodka went down a treat too.

Mrs Fish had: Caesar salad with grilled chicken, gin and tonic and tap water

Mrs Fish: Friendly service and nice interior (apart from literally crumby seats), with a fair 2 for £10 (£12) menu. The caesar salad was a bit on the small side with juicy chicken, crisp lettuce, parmesan shavings, croutons and marinaded anchovies. The dressing was good but there was too much of it making it a bit overpowering. The chips on the side made the meal complete, filling me up and offering some light relief from the dressing. The place is attractive and the staff are friendly, but there's not a lot to say about the food - fairly standard.

Entered at – 13.00

Seated at – 13.05

Ordered at – 1310

drinks arrived – 1315

food arrived – 1330

Finished – 1350

Paid and left - 1355

Oishii, Rose St, 04/02/2011, ££

A first for both Miss and Mrs, Oishii is a small 20-30 seater Japanese restaurant clad in red and black, just like their lacquer bowls. We hadn't reserved a table so sat at the glittery bar and ordered after having a good read through their extensive menu, both opting for a set meal. Service at the beginning was super quick and speedy but there was a long and frustrating wait for the bill at the end.

Throughout our meal there was a real mix of customers in and out - a large group of students, pairs of tourists, locals breaking for lunch and people popping in and out for takeaway. There was one more demanding customer who had reserved a table (a specific table) by phone. She was immediately rather angry and aggressive to find out she had to sit at a different table, but she managed to get one away from the door which I think was her main concern. I suppose the restaurant was slightly on the cold side.
Miss Twin had Set Lunch B (£7.50) - miso, 2 gyoza, teriyaki salmon and steamed rice + tap water.

Miss Twin: Oishii made for a nice little lunch. I went for the warmer of the two set meals, miso soup followed by a plate with two gyoza dumplings and a piece of salmon teriyaki. The fish, although very small in portion size was the taste highlight and the dumplings were pleasant enough. This was accompanied by a generous sized bowl of rice, which helped set me up for the afternoon. The glittery bar was fine to eat at, and although it’s a small restaurant it didn’t seem too cramped. Mrs Fish had Set Lunch A (£7.50) - miso, 3 cucumber maki, 3 salmon maki and 5 nigiri + Asahi (£2.50?)

Mrs Fish: Oishii seems small but has the look. Sitting at the bar in front of the happy-go-lucky chef was good - close enough to check out what was going on (in the mirror) but tucked in at lower height so weren't all up in his space. The service to begin with was super slick: quick to order, quick to receive. The food itself was good, clean and fresh, but somehow wasn't quite as good as the sushi I've had in Tang's or Sushiya. I'm not really sure why this was, perhaps I didn't put enough wasabi in my soy, but that's just how I felt. Bonus points for the selection of nigiri - tuna, salmon, prawn, sea bass and omelette.

Watching the food being prepared squeezy mayo featured highly, but I suspect it probably makes a good glue. The chef seemed very skilled and made rolling sushi look like a piece of piss. The only real problems we had to speak of, was our lack of foresight in sitting a lefty and a righty the wrong way round when using chopsticks (our own fault) and the trouble with the bill at the end. We finished before said large group of students but we arrived at the till simultaneously and although there was only two of us and ten of them we were asked to wait (a minute) whilst each of them paid separately and by card (10 minutes). Stood at the till squashed awkwardly into the tiny space was not really a highlight. To be fair the waitress probably didn't know they would all pay separately, but after ten minutes of waiting it took us ten seconds to pay together and pay cash and it was a bit of a crap end to an otherwise speedy and tasty service.

Entered restaurant at 13:05 and ordered food and drinks.

Drinks arrived straight away and food at 13:10.

Finished eating 13:25/13.30.

Paid and left at 13:40.

Wannaburger, Queensferry, 28/01/11, ££

Wannaburger used to be a popular choice for Miss Twin and Mrs Fish, the giant burgers so tasty that on their last trip they decided to just half one to prevent spending the afternoon meaty full and sleepy. Plus you got a shot glass of peanut M&M’s when you paid! We were worried when it shut near the end of 2010 for a revamp and opened up as a counter service establishment, so returned to find out what the new look Wannaburger was like.

The design has altered a little, very simple and modern, with some small booths, tables for 2 and counters for 4 to sit at. Ordering is done at a counter in front of the open kitchen/grill area and you’re given a numbered pager which vibrates when the order is ‘up’ - “If I’m shakin, your burger’s waitin'". Food is then served in disposable wrappers and cups on a cute rectangular metal tray.


Miss Twin had: Cheeseburger (£3.45) with Cajan fries (£1.55) and chocolate shake (£2.95) = £7.95

The burgers have reduced in size from before, but thankfully this is accompanied by a reduced price, so they’re more wallet friendly and you can actually hold them in your hand. Well nearly, stuff was still falling out of mine and all down my face. There are lots of options to customise your burger, some free and others at an additional 30p, I went for some free relish and red onion to accompany the pickles, onions, cheese and salad that were already crammed inside the bun with the juicy meat. Definitely as good as I remembered. I chose the Cajun fries as an accompaniment which had a spicy kick to them, would probably go au naturale next time.

This was washed down with a chocolate shake which I was looking forward to the most, thick with flecks of chocolate, basically drinking ice cream through a straw is a tasty way to end your week.

While I do miss the shot class of sweeties, the food remains just as yummy and now comes at a cheaper price. Plus there’s bonus points for playing Counting Crows, the Rolling Stones and Bloc Party while we were there.


Mrs Fish had: Cheeseburger (£3.45) with fries (£1.50) and banana shake (£2.95) = £8.20

First off, you may have noticed the price doesn't quite add up on my order. I was charged 30p for something which I was hoping would turn out to be a giant pickle, which I would have been very happy to accidentally receive, but no, the 30p remains a mystery. Perhaps I was bazinga-ed. Not that it really mattered because the meal that followed was a very tasty meal indeed.

I opted for relish and fried onions as free extras in my burger, which I managed to hold together using the three napkins I was given. Surely burgers were never meant to be a tidy affair? A smaller burger than before, but still very tasty and easier to handle and to finish! Slight niggle - a bit too salty. The fries were good - nice and hot, golden, and again in the right quantity. And the milkshake? 11/10 - freshly made, not overly sweet and not too filling.

To summarise the changes: no crinkle cut fries, no peanut m&ms, no table service, better portions, better prices, better atmosphere, more speed and still very tasty. I think there were also a few new things on the menu too.

Entered Restaurant, ordered and paid at 13:05

Food arrived at 13:15

Finished food at 13:40

La Tasca, Charlotte Square, 21/01/11, ££

Nearing the end of the month and tightening the purse strings we sought out a cheapish lunch Spanish style at the Charlotte Square branch of the tapas chain La Tasca. 3 dishes for £5 sounded good so we ordered 6 items.

• Calamares Andaluza - squid rings with garlic mayo
• Croquetas De Pollo - chicken croquettes again with the mayo
• Albondigas A La Jardinera - Beef and pork meatballs in tomato sauce
• Tortilla Espanola - Spanish Omelette, and more garlic mayo
• Berenjenas Gratinadas - Aubergine baked in tomato sauce topped with cheddar cheese
• Paella De Verduras - Vegetable paella

Miss Twin: The principle of tapas is a good one - lots of things to share and try but dining out my general impression has been that the portions are tiny, you end up spending more and you can't eat at your own pace. Add to this the polite "no you have the last one..." and potential "Joey doesn't share food!" moments (Friends - The One with the Birth Mother) and this does not equal superfun dining. However, Mrs Fish and I are unlikely to duel over the last squid ring and I hadn't been to La Tasca before. We were also looking forward to a big meal and copious drinks at a friends later and didn't want to stuff ourselves.

The service was quite impressive - the restaurant was quiet and the waitress attentive. Without asking she brought me a glass of tap water along with my 'Sunshine Mountain' (Orange, Cranberry and ginger ale, £2.95 - yummy!) and orders were taken and dispatched quickly. The food was nothing to write home about but at least it made a nice difference from the dull sandwiches I've been eating the rest of the week.

The chicken croquettes were not what I expected at all - thinking I would be eating a piece of meat, instead it was more like a soft cheese paste in breadcrumbs. If I hadn't known there was chicken in there I would be none the wiser. Not a big fan of aubergine but that dish was quite tasty, and the meatballs were also decent. The rest was standard fare which I can't really get excited about in any way. But that drink was darn tasty.

Mrs Fish: I have to say the service was very good indeed, quick, friendly, efficient. But the food: school-dinners-do-Spanish - luke warm, over cooked and discoloured. Edible, not delectable. Some dishes worked better than others - the albondigas for example were good enough and it's a nice word to say - albondigas. Albondigas. Albondigas. And the calamari was also good - not chewy and in a nice light batter. The two that I was less fond of was the chicken croquettes (slimy and strange) and the vegetable paella (tinned veg and yellow rice). I'm not even sure if it was turmeric which made the rice yellow. To summarise: quick, cost-effective and filling, but bland, tepid and boring.

Entered restaurant at 13:05 and ordered drinks

Drinks arrived and food ordered at 13:10

Food arrived just after 13:15

Paid and left at 13:45

Weekend Lunch: Montpeliers, 15/01/2011, ££

Mrs Fish: Is fridge belonging to Mr & Mrs Fish, always bare come Saturday morning? You don't know? Is the pope Catholic? Does a bear shit in the woods?

Sometimes this results in a hasty trip to the shops, sometimes a liquid lunch, but today it resulted in a trip to Montpeliers in Bruntsfield. Montpeliers offers "comfortable, stylish surroundings, classic drinks and good quality dining at a reasonable price", and although disappointed in the past, Mrs Fish does tend to agree.

There always seems to be an offer on in Montpeliers and two mains for £10 seemed not bad at all. I opted for the house salad, whilst my bearded companion went for the chicken Thai green curry. Still freshly one-tooth-less and tender gummed, I admit to having had some difficulty with the odd poke of the rocket stalks and the odd goats cheese filling (and I mean odd). However, the house salad was lovely. Creamy melting goats cheese, piquant sun-dried tomatoes, cucumber (for some reason stripped of its seeds), crisp chicory, peppery rocket and a nice balsamic dressing. Very tasty indeed. The curry was also reported to be rather good, with minor niggles that it could be more "curryish" and there could have been a little more of it. Additionally, with lots of sauce to soak up, Mr Fish would have preferred the rice and the curry to be together on the plate. Since the curry was served in a bowl and the rice on the plate, the logistics of soaking up sauce with rice were made more difficult than they needed to be, though a soup spoon was provided.

All in all, not bad. Not bad at all.

Ghillie Dhu, 14/01/2011, ££

Second up, Ghillie Dhu. A traditional Scottish pub spread over three main areas, Ghillie Dhu boasts “the finest local produce, ales and premium spirits”, including their own brand Ghillie Ale and Ghillie Dhu own blended Scotch whisky. The décor is traditional without being tacky, the waiting staff wear kilts and serve to the sound of lively pipe music (slightly cheesy, but fun). Ghillie Dhu is a fairly new addition to the area (having revamped the casino formerly on site) and is a venue for all sorts – ceilidhs, tea dances, live music, weddings, meetings, hens and so on. You could have a three course meal and ceilidh until the wee small hours, or a cosy drink by the f'ire.

Miss Twin had: Hot roast on toast with small bowl of kitchen soup £5.55 + Coke £2.10

Miss Twin: My lunch was the 'hot roast on toast'. The roast of the day was pork, and two reasonable slices were served on a slice of fresh bloomer bread on top of an apple and sultana accompaniment. This was served with a few salad leaves and a small bowl of the soup of the day – tomato and basil.

Digging into the soup first I found it flavoursome – but the kind of strong tomato taste that reminds you of pasta sauce. You don't want to drink a lot of pasta sauce so I'm glad it was just a small bowl. The roast on toast was better, the meat succulent and tasty – and not too chewy! The leaves could have perhaps benefited from a better dressing – just oil is a bit dull and tasteless. I ordered this with a Diet Coke, which turned into full fat on the way to the table, but nevermind, its only a few extra calories. I also approved of the way it was presented on a wooden board rather than a plate.

Mrs Fish had: Prawn marie rose olive oil baked potato £4.95 + lemony water (tap)

Mrs Fish: You should know something first. This meal was eaten just a few hours after I had a wisdom tooth pulled. I was not at my best. I could only feel half my face. I required something soft and mushy.

So. A baked potato it was! Prawn Marie Rose. An “olive oil baked potato served with house dressed salad”. As Miss Twin mentioned, the house dressing was... interesting (in a Loyd Grossman way) - It was a bunch of chopped parsley in a vat of oil and didn't really taste of much. I've ordered the same thing from Ghillie Dhu before and it was much the same this time – mediocre. It was a good tattie, good size, but the prawns were a bit small and tired (not “the finest local produce”, although Farmfoods is closer than the Atlantic), and the marie rose lacked tang. As I said, it was the same before and I ordered it a second time so it's good enough. Just not great.

Entered Restaurant at 13:00

Ordered drinks at 13:05, food at 13:15.

Food arrived at 13:25.

Finished food at 13:45

Received bill and paid at 14:00 (and were given a voucher - £5 off when you spend £10 valid until end Feb).

Friendly waitress, but given the number of staff, overall service was a wee bit on the slow side. Reasonable value for money but food nothing to write home about, nice atmosphere, well-stocked bar, but why were the Christmas decorations still up!?

Zizzi, Queensferry Street 06/01/2011, ££

For our first lunch of the new year we visited the Queensferry Street branch of the Italian chain restaurant Zizzi which has 8 branches in Scotland, 3 of which are in Edinburgh. This one particularly attracts workers on their lunch break and people who have perhaps been shopping on Prince's Street. Apparently they are "passionate about food" and pride themselves on what "comes in and out of our kitchens". Mrs Fish likes the stripy aprons the staff wear, quite "dungarees like". We started here as they have a 50% off main courses deal until 16th January, and it being the first week back at work after Christmas a little treat was needed.

Mrs Fish had: Chitarra Alla Pescatora £11.95 + Appletiser £2.10

Chitarra alla Pescatora

Mrs Fish: I opted for the Thundercats themed spaghetti dish - Cheetara Pescatora, or was it Chitarra alla Pescatora? Chitarra aparently means guitar in Italian and the shape of the cutter resembles the neck of guitar with strings through which you press the pasta. This produces (according to my luncheon) a thick rough spaghetti which holds on really well to sauce - in this case white wine, tomato and chilli with seafood.

The seafood consisted of king prawns (plump and juicy), squid and mussels (which were just right to begin with, but got a little rubbery as they continued to cook in the heat of the sauce). Speaking of which, the heat of the sauce was just right - both in terms of temperature and in terms of chilli. Plenty of pasta, plenty of sauce, plenty of seafood. Another customer had plenty of pizza, but for some reason this was a complaint! With only a knife and fork I pondered spoon etiquette, and managed not to slurp (I think - but you can ask Miss Twin).

Miss Twin had: Seabass Al Vino £13.25 + Sprite £2.10

Seabass Al Vino

Discount voucher in hand I skimmed over the pasta and pizza options and headed for the pricier meat and fish options and went for the Seabass which was cooked in wine, garlic, parsley and baby plum tomatoes and served with a lemon wedge and herbed potatoes. I do like a nice piece of fish, but unless its battered or sold as a 'finger' it doesn't tend to be too cheap.

The fish was tasty with a simple, inoffensive sauce and accompaniments. The real star was the potatoes which had a nice crunch and tasty topping. I could have eaten many of them. In fact I probably could have eaten the whole dish again as it wasn't the most filling. A nice light lunch all the same, and no Mrs Twin did not slurp.

Entered Restuarant at 13:00

Ordered at 13:05

Food arrived at 13:20

Finished at 13:35

Received bill and paid at 13:45 (couple of extra minutes while they worked out how to properly apply the 50% off voucher to the bill).

Good service and reasonable value for money (especially if you can get a deal). If we had been paying full price we might have been more likely to stick to old favourites.