Edinburgh Alternatives

[Bonefish Blues]

Any thoughts on where I may be able to get a reservation on Sat 26th March for a nice meal with Mrs BFB?

The Kitchin, Ondine, Martin Wishart are all booked, so I'd welcome other ideas.

[alfa pint]

Get yourself down to Leith.

Try The Shore, Kings Wark or the old Waterfront, now called Teuchters. There's another quality place down there too, but I've entirely forgotten what it is after too much Friday wine, but search the Scotland forum and it'll come up.

[Pete Franklin]

That's a shame- the kitchen gave me one of the best meals that I have had. If you haven't eaten there before, id keep on at them to see if they have a cancellation. That's how I got a reservation. Sorry I can't be any more help.

[Bonefish Blues]

Thanks both - really wanted to go to Kitchin, but hey ho. Done a bit of due diligence this evening and I've just booked here:

http://www.wedgwoodtherestaurant.co.uk/default/23/...

High hopes, based on reviews!

[Pete Franklin]

Looks really nice let us know how you get on

[sherman]

Recently I have been to
Wildfire on Rose Street
http://www.wildfirerestaurant.co.uk/
and
The Grain Store on Victoria Street
http://www.grainstore-restaurant.co.uk/about/

The steak I had at Wildfire rivalled steaks I have had at the Champaney just outside Linlithgow
http://www.champany.com/

[Bonefish Blues]

I looked at Wildfire which is also very well reviewed but decided against it as there wasn't much about the seafood part of the menu on the site.

[sherman]

The seafood that I saw when I was there did look fresh but I dont think it is the main focus of the restaurant even though they say they are a seafood restaurant.

[Jobbo]

sherman said:

Recently I have been to
Wildfire on Rose Street
http://www.wildfirerestaurant.co.uk/
and
The Grain Store on Victoria Street
http://www.grainstore-restaurant.co.uk/about/

The steak I had at Wildfire rivalled steaks I have had at the Champaney just outside Linlithgow
http://www.champany.com/

I was disappointed last time I went to the Wildfire, and prices are now rather ridiculous. The steak I had in the Kings Wark in Leith at the end of January was half the price and much nicer.

[cjm]

I went to 21212 last year and it was pretty nice though the menu is a bit out there. Castle Terrace opened a few months ago by the team that runs The Kitchin and looks like its worth a visit.

I also really liked The Saint and First Coast, they are just small nice restaurants rather than starred nights out.

[5678]

We ate here last time we were there and it was very nice, http://www.thedomeedinburgh.com/introduction.html

Edit: The Witchery was nice too. http://www.thewitchery.com/home.html

[Bonefish Blues]

So, The Wedgwood. We went last night and overall pretty good, but with some inconsistency, I'd say.

Our table was fine in terms of location, but they have a fibre optic panel overhead so we had the slightly disconcerting experience of light levels rising and falling as it twinkled. Nothing to be done about it other than switch it off - but then we'd have needed head torches!

We had a champagne each with amuse(s?) bouche. Wine fine, ABs not, sadly. Small spoon of ratatouille with goats cheese was good, some sort of yellow paste roll thing most definitely not, and how about an opaque fennel, prawn and tomato consomme? Plain nasty.

Starters were the high spot, for sure. I had scallops which were excellent, beautifully handled. Mrs BFB raved about her shredded stir fried beef - really excellent flavours from two contrasting dishes.

Mains more mixed. Mrs BFB had fennel-crusted lamb which she described as and did appear rather an unrefined "lump" of meat. I tasted it and the flavour was fine, but the unrefined look wasn't to her liking. I had fillet of beef which was a nicely cooked piece of meat with a lovely truffle jus. Served with a few tint carrots & beans plus a small tower of rather soggy chips.

Finished with a shared cheeseboard which was a generous portion, and good quality with a delicious fig accompaniment, and what were clearly home made oatcakes.

Other thoughts; this was one of those oddly-shaped plate outfits! Bread (4 thinnish slices) & oil came on a plate fully 12" long by c 4" wide. Cheese came on a large double-decked glass plate. ABs came on a curved (think BMX half pipe) platter. I may be old-fashioned, but a nice white round plate always works for me!

We had their "own brand" Rioja which they describe in a good deal of detail on the wine list. It wasn't what I had expected, TBH - very grown up, and I'm not sure I would have recognised it as a Rioja in a blind tasting - I was expecting a slug of vanilla from being in barrel for 18 months, but if it was there, I didn't get it.

Service was pleasant and attentive, and deserves praise.

Overall pretty good, as I said - say a 6-7/10 or so. One or two things to refine further, but overall decent value for £155 incl tip.