Tanjore

The 2013 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

This review is taken from the current (2013) edition.

When you head to Tanjore, and it’s heartily recommended you do, there are two reasons to bring an appetite. First, this is where to sample the finest Southern Indian cuisine in Edinburgh. Second, you’ll be tempted to order everything on the enticing, extensive menu. Narrowing things down, a starter of lamb pepper fry is a good place to start. Visually, it may not be the most exciting repast: a small dome of a dish, accompanied by a side salad. Appearances are not everything though, and this blend of soft lentils, crispy onion, peppers and meltingly soft shards of lamb is sharply spiced and warming. If it’s appearances that you’re after, then pretty much any variety of dosa will fit the bill. These giant, theatrical crepes dwarf the plates they’re served upon, stuffed with your choice of fillings and accompanied by several chutneys that range from hot, garlicky tomato, through tart mint, coconut and chilli to, finally, the majestic sambar. The dishes are deceptively filling, but try to find room for a small dessert of delicate gulab jamun in rose water and saffron syrup.

• High point: Exceptional quality at wallet-friendly prices
• Low point: Cafe-style surroundings belie the quality of the food on offer