Ten theatre performances, six comedy shows, two art exhibitions, a couple of bars and we still found time for breakfast at Peters Yard, lunch at Kitchin and Mark Greenaway, and lunch at the bar at Ondine. I love Edinburgh.
Contender for the best coffee in Edinburgh, and for cardamom lovers like myself, heaven on a plate. Only problem is the queues; the take away outlet a block back has seating too, and quicker service.
Seven of us met up for lunch at The Kitchin on Leith Docks We booked about two months in advance, and the place was packed. Impeccable staff, polite, knowledgable, without being overbearing, the food came to table with precise timing. Great wine menu, excellent sommelier. I'd given myself the rule of sticking to lunch menus this week. We were presented with both A la Carte and set market menu and as predicted, I wanted to eat almost everything on the A la Carte. The set menu left me feeling a little luke warm.
Seven of us met up for lunch at The Kitchin on Leith Docks We booked about two months in advance, and the place was packed. Impeccable staff, polite, knowledgable, without being overbearing, the food came to table with precise timing. Great wine menu, excellent sommelier. I'd given myself the rule of sticking to lunch menus this week. We were presented with both A la Carte and set market menu and as predicted, I wanted to eat almost everything on the A la Carte. The set menu left me feeling a little luke warm.
Prestarter, gazpacho, Kitchin
Terrine of line-caught Eyemouth mackerel
Below; Ravioli of braised ham hock from Clash Farm served with sauteed Perthshire girolles. Veggie version above; more girolles, with poached hens egg
Roasted duck from Loomswood Farm served with beetroot, carrot and an orange sauce
Rump of Highland lamb served with artichoke barigoule and crispy shoulder
Raspberry vacherin served with vanilla ice cream, poached peaches and Perthshire raspberries
Lemon souffle served with chocolate ice cream
The food at Kitchin was good as expected. There were no surprises, no challenges on the plate, just great ingredients faultlessly presented.
Changing room at White Stuff; behind every wardrobe door is a different room.
They must have spend a fortune on set dressing this shop
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Ondine
Clean flavours, simple shellfish. Ondine is Marine Stewardshop Council approved, one of the reasons I wanted to go. The other reason was the oyster rarebit. However, the waiter swore blind that they'd never had it on the menu. Back home and checking the menu on line, there it is. I can't be the only person to go a restaurant in search of one particular item.
Loved sitting at the bar on a rainy lunchtime and watching the world go by.
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| Lunch at Mark Greenaway, 12 Picardy Place |
Prestarter; potato & hazelnut espuma with truffle oil. In my world, there is no such thing as too much truffle. Hazelnut flavour, the burst of truffle, even the wood the glass sat on, all added to the warmth of the dish.Apologies for soft photo
Hake raviolo, langustine broth, caviare. Two of us thought we could do without the foam. One of us had a little pieceof shell in her dish, other than these tiny caveats, clean, exquisite flavours.
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Jam jar; red gooseberry sorbet,jelly, vanilla, rice pudding.
I've always hated rice pudding but I put my fears aside, that's how much I wanted to try this dessert. A grownup knickerbocker glory, rice pudding and jam, compote and custard and none the worse for it, it was a pleasure to run the spoon to the bottom of the jam pot and pull out warm and ice cold layers.
One of my friends got most of my rice pudding.
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| Cheese plate |
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| Petit fours |
Lunch at Mark Greenaway must be one of the city's best bargains. £20 for three courses of perfect food, with pre starter, pre dessert and petit fours thrown in with our mint teas and coffees. Too much for us, we asked for a box to take away the chocolates in. It's plainly obvious that Mark is an extremely talented chef. We were wowed by our food; presentation, taste, ingredients in the hands of a master. Some smart surprises, but nothing that seemed like a novelty for the sake of the idea. This chef is one to watch. I couldn't understand why the restaurant was half empty. It deserves to be packed out. Probably the best food I've eaten, not just last week but this year.
After leaving Mark Greenaway, we swore we wouldn't be eating again ever. But by 8.30pm that night and on our way to a theatre performance, we had to admit to hunger....a little something on Grassmarket.
I'm sorry I didn't make it to Castle Terrace, but there's only so much one can cram into a week.
Mmmmmm
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