Hello Friday! You are the enticing pot of leisure waiting at the end of the week for us working stiffs. And if you need any pointers for an after work snifter, may we suggest the Prohibition Friday bash at Nineteen Hundred bar and lounge in the Hilton Edinburgh Carlton Hotel?

Every Friday evening, the bar hosts live music and DJs from 4.30pm. As well as arrival drinks, complimentary canapés will make the rounds over the course of the evening.

This Friday, Jordan ‘The Guru’ Harvey will be providing the tunes. The 5pm Dining blog was at the debut Prohibition Friday last week and big fun was had by all.

If memory serves, there may even have been a spot of dancing.

Cocktails at Nineteen Hundred bar

Did we mention the cocktails? Nineteen Hundred bar and lounge serves a good selection of them along with a fine range of Scottish gins and beers like Schiehallion.

By 9.30pm, all thoughts of deadlines, inboxes and scheduling had evaporated and the rest of the weekend stretched blissfully before us.

We were sustained by a steady flow of canapés – try the haggis bon bons.

If you find yourself in need of something more substantial, the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse & Grill is right beside the bar.

Steaks from Marco Pierre White

With a menu inspired by the eponymous chef, the kitchen offers rib-eyes, sirloins, fillets and T-bone steaks.

If you really want to go wild, order one of the sharing cuts. The menu has a 16oz Chateaubriand and a 24ox Cote du Boeuf for two diners. You can book in via 5pm Dining.

Or you could simply graze from the Nineteen Hundred bar menu. As well as main courses such as corn-fed chicken breast with chilli and lime-stewed lentils there are generous sharing platters of charcuterie.

As we noted in an earlier blog, the North Bridge hotel has undergone an extensive £17 million refurbishment.

Consequently,both the restaurant and the Nineteen Hundred bar and lounge are looking very chic.

Is it time to knock off yet?