Have a drink in the Living Room

By David Pollock

Details Living Room  113-115 George Street  Edinburgh  Midlothian  EH2 4JN      0870 4422 718 Restoring the name Living Room to the Edinburgh pubbing vocabulary, this new George Street bar is about as far removed from the city's previous holder of that name (which was reduced to cinders in the Cowgate fire last year) as it's possible to imagine. They're not related in any way bar the title, of course, but the old Living Room was a pretty unflashy spit 'n' sawdust cavern that was solely notable for its cheap pints. The new George Street establishment we're talking about here is the Mercedes of Edinburgh bar-cum-restaurants. And boy, do they know it. Having tracked the place down it's essentially a pretty bare building, with just a discreet brass plaque and a couple of bouncers to give its location away I had to do a bit of haggling to get in. It's worth pointing out that the doorstaff were perfectly friendly and professional (let's be honest, it's the least the customer can expect unless they've swung a chair at someone proprietors take note), but their mentioning that I might be a bit casually dressed for the Living Room on a Saturday was all the reminder needed that `Yes', we were on George Street. A quick admission I was on the job, so to speak, and we were off. And that's an important lesson for visitors. Even if you're wearing what most would assume to be perfectly reasonable Saturday night gear, you're still going to feel a bit underdressed next to the monied city types that make this their weekend haunt. They're all wearing the cash on their backs, and the place is positively blinging. Fortunately, the atmosphere is just as flash. The bar area at the front is rather snug, but it's atmospheric especially with DJs playing house and R`n'B on Fridays and Saturdays. White walls, wood panelling and an old-fashioned looking iron chandelier all give the place that classic hint, even though the lighting is dropped to a club-like level. Through the back, the restaurant is positively gorgeous. A much larger room, it's lined with elegant leathereffect seating and booths while one wall is covered in cream drapes which seem to be lit from behind in amber. It probably looks like Concorde's (former) departure lounge at twilight, and it's certainly the closest most of us will get to that now. Live piano music from Tuesday to Sunday only adds to the air of opulence. Not only is the selection of drinks so staggering the menu needs an index (cocktails, pitchers, shooters, champagne, alcoholic coffee, chocolate and ice-cream, and spirits available by the bottle), but the way it's served up also deserves the highest praise. The ultra-professional bar staff truly are a breath of fresh air compared to some of the half-baked, show-off chancers that lurk out there. Bottles and cocktail shakers fly behind the bar. The girl who served me deserves a medal she was getting two rounds for other customers at the time for sorting us all out speedily and accurately with a smile. Unfortunately, some of the customers weren't so great. One bloke elbowed me in the ribs while reaching for a lighter to spark up his Montecristo without a word of apology. While most of the drinkers were just ordinary folks having a flash night out, it's the guys like cigar jerk who prove the old adage `more money equals less manners'. Open: Mon-Sat, noon-1 am; Sun, 12.30 pm-1 am Food: Mon-Wed, noon-11 pm; Thur, noon-11.30 pm; Fri-Sat, noon-midnight; Sunday brunch, noon-6 pm; Sunday dinner, 6 pm-10.30 pm Drinks: Pint of Carlsberg, £2.60; vodka and coke, £2.75; Rating: Four out of five

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