21212

Can't fault the food for flavour - interesting, balanced, lively dishes. The problem is that there is a lot else that is letting the food down. To begin with, the whole operation perspires an overall lack of generosity: no amuse bouche, you are treated to the excitement of a single slice of substandard bread (note - no butter, no oil) , and no variety. Portions are ridiculously small - a scallop starter is composed of a single scallop sliced in two; a guinea fowl main is made up of possibly not even a whole breast sliced horizontally in thin slices, with the potatoes making up the bulk of the dish; the soup in between starter and main is what in any similar establishment would be a (complimentary) amuse bouche, rather than a full dish that, for the lunch set menu, when you can choose how many dishes to have, would set you back £10.

This is lack of interest for your guests, so it hardly came as a surprise that to my comment regarding the very awkward plates (try and slice a piece of deer fillet in a bowl the size of a large capuccino cup, and you'll see that even the doll size cutlery does a poor job), the answer that came back immeditely was "well, of course we are not going to change them". I guess a non commital "oh, we take your point" would have done the same job, but come across as at least faking some kind of interest for customer care. Our table did not come with the benefit of a tablecloth, and nobody cared to clear the table from crumbs at the end of the meal - and plenty more details of this kind.

In Edinburgh you have better alternatives, from the exciting cuisine of The Kitchin, in Leith, to the more formal competence of Martin Wishart, a stone's throw away.
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Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 7
Saturday, September 18, 2010