Restaurant review: Vinyasa, Edinburgh

VINYASA, conveniently situated on St Mary’s Street, is Edinburgh’s newest Bengali/Indian restaurant. Typical in layout and decor style, I have heard several good reviews in the short time it has been open.

Starting with some poppadums (75p each) and chutney, pickle and onion tray (£2.25) we prepared ourselves for a typically lengthy menu. Pleasantly surprised, Vinyasa seems to have selected its favoured and best dishes, providing a perfectly manageable list.

Tempted by our lovely waiter Mirage, we chose the mixed Tandoori special (£6.45) which, with a selection of chicken, lamb and shish kebab, would have been comfortably enough for two. But we were unable to resist trying the chana with puri (£4.95), a beautifully flavoured chickpea dish with flaky and buttery puri.

For our main, we shared a garlic naan (£2.75), which lacked strength in flavour for my garlic-loving taste buds, and a fluffy pilau rice (£2.95). My mild-mannered friend chose a medium butter bean and lamb gosht (£10.95). The meat was delectably tender and the use of butter beans refreshing and tasty. Definitely to be recommended. My ‘fairly hot’ chicken karahi was also very good. Slightly beaten by the chilli, although helped by the raitha (£2.25), it was nonetheless bursting with flavour. The only downside was the chicken being a touch rubbery. This could well have been a one-off, though, given the high quality of the rest of our food.

We cooled our mouths with a sauvignon blanc (£15.50) from a decent wine list. Certainly somewhere to settle a curry craving – we left unbelievably full despite taking the next day’s lunch with us.

• Vinyasa, 34 St Mary’s Street, 0131-556 6776/0131-558 8882, www.vinyasaedinburgh.co.uk