Khushi's in Victoria Street at the top of the Grassmarket in Edinburgh is a long established, above standard Indian restaurant on the Edinburgh scene. The difference this time is its location.
Claiming to be Edinburgh's first Indian restaurant, opening in 1947 (and I have no reason to doubt this), Khushi's has moved about five times since then and now resides in glorious Bollywood Technicolor at 9 Victoria Street. I should 'fess up now, this is the only incarnation of Khushi's I have experienced; once for lunch and latterly for a Saturday night family celebration. This last occasion forms the basis for this review.
Ten past seven on a very wet Saturday night and the place is heaving, jumping, buzzing with hundreds of dinners already well into their meals. Which is something of a shock after negotiating the deserted grandeur of the entrance staircase (passing the slightly sheepish looking bouncer on the door, which should have been a clue, dear reader). The staircase theme continues inside the restaurant, with a spectacular curve leading up to a second floor of tables and a magnificent chandelier suspended above it. I don't know what else is up there as we were seated in the main room on the first floor.
The menu carries many of the curry house standards but is much shorter than the average take away menu and much clearer in its layout and descriptions. This makes it a pleasure to peruse rather than being the usual ordeal-by-indecision. Important to note that Khushi's is a BYO restaurant with no corkage charge, so you can sip on the beverage of your choice (no spirits allowed, beer and wine only) while making up your mind. Prices might seem a bit steep compared to the local take-away (£13.95 for the dearest main dishes), but the food is almost certainly of a higher standard and there are no inflated booze prices.
Once you attract the attention of the waiting staff, service is quick and efficient, including the speed with which the food is brought to the table. We skipped starters and went straight for the mains and pudding. I speak from first hand experience when I say the Lamb Dhansak was delicious, clearly made from scratch with no sign of any formulaic curry sauce, unbelievably tender lamb and just about the right amount of "hot" heat. I was allowed to try a bit of the sauce from the King Prawn Khari (spelling?) which was gorgeous, garlicky, tomatoey and a bit spicy, but no one else would let me near their food and there were no leftovers to pick at. Speaks volumes that does.
That's the good news. Back to that bouncer…. Saturday night…. Grassmarket…. I know, I know. The restaurant was stuffed to the ceiling (and they are very high ceilings) with tables filling up on good grub before hitting the bars and nightclubs. Khushi's does refuse entry to hens and stags, but it can't deny entry on the basis of "are you here to have a good time?" and I am not suggesting they should; I am developing Victor Meldrew tendencies, but I'm not that far gone. However, those high ceilings, hard floors and no flock wallpaper lead to truly dreadful acoustics. Add to that mix people literally screaming with joy and a slightly deaf mother and …. I think you see where I'm going with this. We went, we ate, we paid then drove home for a chat. Holding a normal conversation in the restaurant was not an option.
So if you want to eat good Indian food in high-octane surroundings Khushi's on a Saturday night is the venue for you. A previous midwinter lunch there felt like dining in an empty museum; the food was good but there was nothing to look at. I will go back to try and find the happy medium, a gentle background buzz for our chatting and dining. But it won't be on a Saturday night.
More details
Cleanliness
Excellent
Family Friendly
Average
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