I arrived late for lunch at The Birchwood, but could not have been made to feel more welcome. The decor is bright and clean and the service friendly without being obtrusive. Access is easy for those with mobility issues.
I am vegetarian but found there was choice on the menu for me, meat eaters and vegans, had that been necessary. I chose a brie and chili jam roll. This was served with a delicious, fresh salad tossed in a tasty dressing. 
From my seat, I could see the meals being made. I always like that. It gives me confidence that the restaurant is clean. The Birchwood was certainly spotlessly clean.
Whenever I am back in the Marchmont area of Edinburgh, I would choose to eat at The Birchwood again.
Val Penny
On a recent visit to SanFrancisco I booked to stay in the Bei Hotel at 50 8th Street, San Francisco, California, at the time of my visit there was a lot of work going on to the b uilding and I would not have booked it had I known, however, the work did not detract greatly from the enjoyment of my stay as it was carried out during the day when I was not there. The hotel will be immensely smart when the work is finished.
special menu. It is as good as its word. You get a choice of various drinks, a salad, bruscetta and a choice of a variety of pizza and pasta main courses. We sat in the veranda area to the street side of the restaurant. It was busy, and we quickly found out why. The staff were polite, friendly and efficient. The diners are also somewhat protected by the weather by clear plastic sheets. Access for those with mobility problems is easy. On top of all that the food, for omnivores and vegetarians, was delicious.
I chose a maghuerita pizza and my husband swithered between the lasagne and a ham pizza, but eventually plumped for the pizza too. The pizza are made to order, so there was a few minutes to wait between courses. However, during that time, the cabaret came on: a diner arrived with his bodyguards. He entered by a side door and one of his bodyguards was stationed at each of the three entrances with one keeping watch outside on the street. Another minder joined the important person at his table. I was quite excited that it might be somebody really interesting, but it was a politician.
Val Penny's Hotel and Restaurant Reviews 