La Concha

This restaurant, managed by chef Richard and his wife Angela as Front of House, is delightful. Given recent experiences in expensive signature restaurants in Leith and the city centre (Abstract, Wishart), I would recommend this far more readily. It's small and intimate enough for a quiet dinner for two, but equally able to manage a large table for ten, which I booked a couple of weeks ago for an important business dinner.

The table was beautiful with crisp fresh linen and comfortable seats. We were greeted with a complimentary prosecco aperitif ( a January special) and given olives and fresh hot bread while ordering. The menu is carefully planned, confidently executed and extremely well-presented; concentrating in detail on a select representation of the best of Italian staples - starter examples include hand-made ravioli; flash-fried king prawns with chilli; a smooth, tart goat's cheese with portabella mushrooms. The entrees were generally superb- a very, very good steak, a fantastic lamb shank prettily presented with little foil hats and a dollop of some of the best creamed potatoes I have eaten (and which I would have paid double for at Abstract) and a first-rate risotto di mare generously strewn with calms, mussels, crab and octopus all from the local fishmongers. I can do a good risotto myself at home, but this was far more worth the visit.

The desserts are equally special and so is the coffee- my second best espresso in Edinburgh. The wine list is - like everything else - well thought-out and designed not to intimidate.

Our table lingered over our grappa and seemed unwilling to leave. I count this one of the very best restaurants in the city.

Above all, this restaurant is amazingly good value given the quality.
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Nicholas Ashton - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, February 24, 2010