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| The Outside of Mithas |
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| Our lovely table settings |
MJ’s Verdict
It’s darn hard to say anything bad about Mithas, but I sure am going to try. I mean, I have to, right? It simply cannot get a perfect score, even though they seated us, took my jacket, placed a napkin in my lap and played soothing music while we perused the menu. One of the first things I noticed when entering is the sheer size of the place and the sleek and elegant interior. The place was set up so that each booth or table was not overly close to one another, every dining experience felt intimate and like we were the only people in the restaurant, and the service made us feel that way too.
They even served us Voss water (a reminder of water from posh bars in ATL). We decided to go for a variety of options. I chose the non-vegetarian lunch special for just under 12pounds. I admit, I had a bit of food envy when B and G’s food started to come out one delicate little plate at a time and M and I sat staring at the food hungrily (me more than him, admittedly, since the first dish was a pair of dainty chicken rolled in lettuce), but it wasn’t to last because they soon brought us little salads of rocket and baby beetroot leaves, dressed with a spicy but finely balanced dressing.
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| Simply dressed salad |
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| Vegetarian light lunch |
While more and more of B & G’s food came out bit by bit, M and my food arrived. My dish was pilaf rice, tarka daal, roast aloo, monkfish kebab, chicken kebab, a chickpea patty thingy and a creamy pomegranate raita. The whole thing was fantastic. I cannot fault it at all. I would love to come back here and try each of these dishes as whole meals.
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| Lunch non-veggie platter |
After mains, I ordered the cheese platter and a black coffee while M went for the sticky ginger toffee cake and ice cream. The cheese platter arrived just in time for B&G to have a go after their mains of chicken curry came and quickly went. (as an aside, the naan bread was delicious. It tasted fluffy and reminded me so much of my dad’s waffle batter that I was transported to winter nights and early pre-church Sunday mornings back in AL). The cheese platter was well presented with a blue, hard (cheddar), brie and goats cheese with fruit filled parathas, grapes, and an apple chutney. Here is another time when I confess a dastardly flaw for someone who wants to review restaurants… I don’t eat cheese. I know, I know… Back off! More for my friends, I like to think.
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| Cheese board was well enough for 2 people |
From the nice lady who brought us wee pots of plum sauce, chilli sauce, and spice mix, to the way they mixed on the plate, I was terribly impressed. If there was one flaw it was that the coffee was good, hot, standard, but it was almost 4 pounds per cup, and when compared to the price of my lunch, it felt a bit much.
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| Ginger sticky toffee cake |
Overall, I am glad I got the platter I did. I now know I want to go back and try just about everything I ordered as a full meal, and it seems entirely possible, because Mithas is reasonably priced. The average main was between 7.95 and 12.95. Which is a steal, A STEAL! I tell you.
So my conclusion? GO, go now before they get that star and can charge much much more for what is by far and away the best Indian food I’ve ever had.
Blythe’s Verdict
Mithas aims to be the first Indian restaurant in Scotland to be awarded a coveted Michelin star. It had a visit earlier this week by celebrity chef Nick Nairn, who is apparently a big fan. Slowly but surely it’s starting to build quite a reputation, but does it live up to the hype?
The answer is a resounding ‘YES’!
Mithas has been put together with meticulous precision and close attention to detail. The space sees a combination of two previous post-work pub staples transformed into discrete and discreet booths, wider communal dining areas, along with a generous private dining room. The setting is modern and stylish, the ambience pitched at a relaxed but classic feel, with a real sense that careful thought has been applied to all aspects of the dining experience.
The service sees a dizzying array of staff, each with precisely defined aspects of the process to manage, from the woman who painstakingly explains the function and purpose of the dipping sauces, to the men who deliver each dish with a clear description of what is being served.
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| Sweet chili sauce, Spice mix, and Plum sauce |
You have three main options for lunch: the light bite; the platter; or the tasting menu, each served as either vegetarian or omnivorous. We managed to sample from all three.
Gary and I opted for the tasting menu, which came as series of small portions, while MJ and Milo received their main dishes in one burst.
We started with chicken wrapped in lettuce, with a julienne of apple, sweet chilli dressing, and yellow coconut-infused sauce. It was an absolute delight, with the wow-factor bar set high from the outset.
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| Chicken wrapped in lettuce |
This was followed by chicken marinated in black pepper, served with a coriander and chilli sauce. This was the most sensational piece of chicken I’ve been served in a restaurant. It was moist, succulent and completely heavenly.
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| Chicken kebabs |
The banana and vegetable kebabs that came next offered a unique combination of flavours. These intriguing items were sampled by all and agreed to be very tasty indeed.
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| Banana kebab |
Wild salmon followed, with each bite more satisfying than the last. Again, a top quality dish. Roast potatoes were next, which we augmented with some of Milo’s pomegranate raita. The smiles on our faces were constant and beaming.
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| Wild Salmon Kebabs |
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| pomegranate raita |
By this point, MJ and Milo were just about done with their portions. For us, we still had chicken curry, mushroom and chestnut, rice and naan to come!
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| Potatoes, chicken curry, and rice |
The curry was bang on and the accompaniments were exquisite. The naan was a particular standout – served piping hot, with a real crisp lightness.
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| Naan |
Not a morsel was left, as we fastidiously made our way through each item. It would have been utter madness to leave any item unsavoured.
MJ easily convinced me to sample the cheeseboard, to follow this. Again, it was faultlessly excellent, with four cheeses served with sweet Indian bread and apple chutney.
I’m quickly running out of adjectives to describe just how good the Mithas experience is. I can’t think of a single better meal that I’ve been served in Edinburgh.
I’m not one for blithely awarding perfect scores, but as we chatted over coffee, the discussion was “how can we possibly mark them down for anything”? The answer is, for me, we simply can’t, so it’s a 20/20 from me.
If I were you, I’d phone for a reservation, immediately.
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| Our bill |
Scores on the Doors
Out of 20 Blythe gives Mithas:
5/5 for food
5/5 for presentation
5/5 for service
5/5 for setting
giving an overall 20/20
Out of 20 Miriam gives Mithas:
5/5 for food
5/5 for presentation
5/5 for service
5/5 for setting
giving an overall 20/20
Today’s Lunch Questers were: Miriam, Gary, Milo, Blythe
We wore: Lumberjack shirt, matching tie and tights, suede desert boots.
We ate: Vegetarian Light Bite Lunch, Lunch Platter, Lunchtime Tasting Menu
We drank: Sparkly water, coffees.
Total Bill: c.£100
Mithas
7 Dock Place
Leith
Edinburgh, EH6 6LU
http://www.mithas.co.uk
