SETTING Amid the hustle and bustle of the Royal Mile, Thai Orchid sits like an oasis of calm just a stone’s throw from Edinburgh Castle. Inside the red walls, dark wood, mirrors and serene atmosphere take you a million miles away from the crowds outside. For added elegance, each table is dressed with an orchid.

FOOD Thai Orchid is an authentic affair, and owner Simon Rouse and his family have been running the restaurant in its current location since 2005 (previously it sat in Grindlay St). The menu is ample without overwhelming, and keen to try as many different dishes as possible, we opt for the mixed starters, which include Thai chicken samosas, prawns wrapped in rice paper, chicken satay and marinated pork ribs. Each dish was delicious, and the platter came with a choice of four dipping sauces – the cooling cucumber dip and a moreish peanut sauce being our favourites.

The main courses are just as delightful. My monkfish poached in coconut milk is delicately spiced and topped with sweet crispy onions, while the tender pork with Thai long beans is fragrant and fiery but not overpowering.

To finish we share Kanom Thai, a selection of sticky Thai desserts that prove to be a fitting end to this delicious and genuine Thai feast.