Madras Metro Cafe — Restaurant in City of Edinburgh

My friend and I were sat opposite the person who wrote the review below, and we were both so appalled by his treatment of the staff that I felt compelled to provide a more balanced perspective. While it is true that the food took awhile today, and I can’t comment on the toilets, this restaurant is brand new and has been operating for a couple of weeks! It was understandable to us that they still had a few kinks to work through. Our food was delicious FYI and prices were very reasonable.

This man was not given a “mystery curry” - he ordered what we did, a “Madras metro” curry named after the restaurant, with a description that referred to “spices from Madurai and Madras”. He insisted to the waiter that his second (free) curry was a korma (???). Sorry but any brown person would have told you that was not a korma. It was also NOT a madras curry. Please don’t comment on how to cook a curry when you don’t know what you’re talking about. If you want a standard madras, go to a standard British curry house. Also telling a Punjabi person how to make chana masala is very, very bold behaviour, and I’m impressed that the waiter Gurpreet kept his cool. This person also insisted he wouldn’t pay for anything but his beer, and told a very polite waiter trying to diffuse the situation, “your service is absolutely abysmal.” Unbelievably rude. They walked out of the restaurant while their table (consisting of 6 other people) stayed on to settle up. This whole episode gave us extreme secondhand embarrassment, and their friends were clearly embarrassed too....

I reserved a table for 4 and went to Madras Metro Cafe on 19-July at 7 PM. The place was extremely dirty with food on the floor, dirt on the window sill, and we had to clean our table ourselves. For starters, we ordered one small idli sambar, a prawn starter, papad with chutney and a kadak chai. For main course, we got three dosas, one malabar parotta and one chicken chettinad. The good - prawn, parotta and chicken were all very tasty. The bad - the dosas were not crispy - also we were served two dosas together and one much later, the sambar had no taste, and the papad and chutneys were not served together even though we asked for them together. It is rude to serve 3 people and not serve one. The very bad - the kadak chai was made with spoiled. When I called the server to inform her of the same, she told me that it was probably spoiled because they make the chai 2-3 hours in advance. What?!? Who serves 3 hour old chai!! She mentioned they don't have more milk left so she will remove the chai from the bill. No offer of a replacement or a compensation or an apology. The fun part - she did not remove it from the bill. I had to then ask her why she included it when she said she will remove, and only then she removed it. The restaurant was severely understaffed, with no attention to service or hygiene. This was a disastrous end to our first day in Edinburgh. I absolutely don't understand the...

As you walk in the door, you are immersed in the aroma of curry leaves and the cardamoms of a chai infusion.

You are greeted by staff who balance attentiveness and kindness with not being overly imposing.

Street food for starters arrived within 10 minutes of ordering. Presented on silver dishes and platters with generous dipping sauce.

Paneer is satisfying, mild and creamy with a light flavoursome batter.

Chicken is succulent. Vegetable pakoras are the size of a fist, gently toasted on the outside to provide texture and compliment to the curry leaves and other spices that medley the vegetables within.

In conversation, mains were explained to us with a touch of history and how they are incorporated into South Indian routine. Resident staff have excellent knowledge of the cuisine and are happy to make recommendations based on your palate.

We opted for crispy Dosa - a rice and lentil crepe - and were not disappointed. This dish is tactile, to be shared and torn and eaten using the hands. The crepe is crispy and has subtle notes of ghee and toastiness. The filling is your choice. The lamb is tender and marinated and goes beautifully with the crepe. You are provided a selection of aromatic hot and cold chutneys. The crepes are generous portions, about the size of a baguette!

A sterling experience from service to plate. Bravo

Dr...