For more food and drink visit www.list.co.uk/food HITLIST: BEST PRE-THEATRE DEALS

blue 10 Cambridge Street, West End, Edinburgh, 0131 221 1222, bluescotland.co.uk Pre-theatre deal: two courses for £15, three for £18 Situated steps from the Traverse, Usher Hall and Lyceum, the pre- theatre menu has starters such as chicken-liver parfait with chutney and oatcakes, while mains include sausage, mash and onion gravy or caramelised red onion, Lanark blue and vegetable tart, with a tempting apple and cinnamon crème brulee on the dessert menu. Sisters Kelvingrove 36 Kelvingrove Street, West End, Glasgow, 0141 564 1157, www.thesisters.co.uk Pre-theatre deal: two courses for £13.95, three for £15.95 The Sisters is home to some very fine cuisine from around Scotland, the menu reading like a roadmap of great native food. Main dishes include roast Arran pumpkin risotto with Dunsyre blue cheese, and Galloway lamb (braised for eight hours). For dessert: puff candy meringue with butterscotch sauce and honeycomb ice cream.

Zucca 15-17 Grindlay Street, West End, Edinburgh, 0131 221 9323, zuccarestaurant.co.uk Pre-theatre deal: two courses for £14.95 Cheek-by-jowl with the Lyceum Theatre, Zucca’s broad-ranging offer is appealing if a little unusual, with a talented Scottish chef at the helm of an Italian-inspired menu. Carpaccio of Scotch beef for starters with mains such as butternut squash risotto and pan- fried sea bream. Try the Zucca tiramisu if you’ve time. Oran Mor Brasserie 731-735 Great Western Road, West End, Glasgow, 0141 357 6226, www.oran-mor.co.uk Pre-theatre deal: two courses for £12.50, three for £15 The brasserie at the heart of the church-housed multi-purpose venue serves international cuisine with Scottish-sourced ingredients. Exciting are the Oriental starters such as peking duck spring roll with hoi sin sauce or prawn, avocado and smoke salmon sushi with wasabi and pickled ginger. Dark chocolate and orange cheesecake for pudding.

Saffrani 11 South College Street, Old Town, Edinburgh, 0131 667 1597. Pre-theatre deal: two courses for £9.95 or £11.95 The plain decorations in Saffrani can be misleading, but in this simple restaurant you’ll find a wide array of excellent north Indian dishes. Close to the Festival Theatre, Saffrani’s pre-theatre menu includes assorted pakoras, vegetable samosas, fish bhuna and chicken with fresh ginger, butter and spices. The traditional desserts are also well worth a look. Berits & Brown 6 Wilson St, Merchant City, Glasgow, 0141 552 6980, beritsandbrown.com Pre-theatre deal: two courses for £13.50 (including glass of wine) Well placed for the Old Fruitmarket and Tron Theatre, the menu at Berits & Brown changes regularly, but expect to find starters along the lines of hot chicken wings with blue cheese and mains such as Spanish frittata with caramelised onion and potatoes, while desserts include the artisan cheeseboard or bread and butter pudding.

19 Nov–3 Dec 2009 THE LIST 11