I was quite pleasantly surprised by Bon Vivant. As the venue for the first Edinburgh meet-up, it had a lot riding on it. We were in need of somewhere with charm, atmosphere, and buzz but not so loud that we couldn't hear all the awesome chat. All tastes had to be catered for (beer, wine and spirits) and it had to be central. Et voila, Bon Vivant!\n\nI admit I was biased that anywhere this central, on Thistle Street, was bound to lack any genuine personality or charm, and perhaps cater to the tourist-trade too much. But I was wrong, and I warmed to it immediately. It was all dark wood and candles. I like candles. The type of place you would feel comfortable sipping a malt on the rocks, reading many leather bound books, and quoting Sartre.\n\nThere was a relatively large list of wines that you could have by the glass = big bonus points. I also learnt my \"one new thing of the day\" here. \"Sirrah\" is French for \"shiraz\". So when I ordered a glass of the \"see-rah\" and the barman smirked and said \"oh you mean the shee-raz?\" I kind of deserved it. \n\nIt's fairly big inside, with the dining area up the back. The food looked really quite tasty, and it's nice to know Emily also shared my thoughts of \"oh I must come back here to eat sometime!\" \n\nOverall I really, really liked Bon Vivant (which means \"good living.\" Now that's you're \"one new thing of the day\" learned too!) And I can certainley see it becoming a go-to for a Sunday evening dinner, glass or two of wine, or quiet cup of coffee place. It's just too cosy and inviting, perfect for the approaching winter nights. The only thing it's missing is a big, open fire.