Val Penny's Hotel and Restaurant Reviews The Traveller's Guide to Hotels and Restaurants around the World

My husband and I always take my mother out for lunch close to Christmas.  She chooses the restaurant and we pay.  It works well for her!  This year she chose The Living Room in George Street in Edinburgh.  She spoke highly of the menu, but more importantly access is easy for her.  Mum is physically disabled and that is vital to her.

We booked a table in advance.  This proved necessary as the restaurant was busy.  The clientele was wide.  It included families with young children, groups of young adults and older groups like ourselves.

The restaurant has a piano bar area too.

The menu is wide and varied.  Unfortunately, the choice for vegetarians is limited and unimaginative.  Neither my husband nor I enjoyed our starters.  I had the polenta, he chose the fish cakes.  My mother also had the fish cakes and enjoyed them very much.   I disliked my polenta so much that the waiter took the item off our bill.  He did not have to do that as there was nothing wrong with the food, it was a matter of taste.  Still, I did appreciate him doing that.

For our main courses, my Mother had chicken and really enjoyed it.  She found her meat to be really moist and tasty.  My husband also very much enjoyed the steak pie he had.  However, he was horrified by how little mashed potatoes came with the  meal.  Luckily I had ordered a side order of French Fries, so he filled up on those.  I also enjoyed my main course, mind you, I cannot think what could go wrong with grilled Halloumi and a green leaves salad!

The service at The Livingroom is faultless.

Would I go there again?  Not by choice.  However, if Mum chooses it again next Christmas, I will go along and eat what I can with a good grace.

Valerie Penny