The Apartment opened ten years ago in Bruntsfield and brought with it a new way of eating – sharing plates too big for one and just enough for two. But owner, Malcolm Innes, has recently been making some changes:-“After ten enjoyable years, it was time for a change … the food scene had moved on and the restaurant was all worn out … so we (Ruori Stewart and I) have quite literally raised the roof beams, tumbled walls and created a bistro styled interior and for good measure we also shot the chefs!
When in Paris, Madrid or Barcelona I’ve always enjoyed the vibrant ‘bistro’ scene which I feel Edinburgh is lacking and the re-worked classic food of such places, this is what I hope I have recreated with the Apartment bistro.
We have taken on young talented chefs … Malcolm Harper (head chef) and Jordan Sinclair (sous chef) and these guys just love to cook, their heroes being Jane Grigson, Elizabeth David and contemporaries Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Clarissa Dickson Wright et al … my aim is to serve up re-worked regional and the rural classics rather than the fussier food of the gourmands, in a colourful vibrant dramatic restaurant.
The food will be at ‘bistro’ prices, lunch at ‘formula’ price, ‘inclusive offerings, the food will be damn well flavoursome.
We are open for lunch for the first time in ten years, the new facade of glass, heightened ceilings, tumbled walls make for a more attractive lunch environment … it’s a joy; light and fast at lunch, calm in the afternoon, madness and colourful in the evening.
I have often wondered what makes for a satisfying place to dine in and as Gillian Glover once said to me: “It’s the entire dramatic potential of dining out that matters, it’s theatre”, but as Egon Ronay once said: “one can forgive the service etc if the food is good,” I think this time we have it right on all fronts.”
Their sample lunch menu includes the following:-
Mutton broth with crusty bread (£4.20)
Confit duck and black pudding salad (£6.70)
Smoked salmon rillette with hot buttered toast and salad (£5.70)
Venison burger with blueberry pickle salad and chips (£7.40)
Chicken, balsamic and olive casserole (£6.90)
Butternut squash and blue cheese risotto (£6.70)
Spiced seabass, chickpea and chorizo broth (£7.60)
Flash fried, marinated salt and pepper squid with chilli, lime, ginger and chips (£6.20)
Spiced marinated steak sandwich with chips (£7.40)
Mussels with pine nuts, bacon, basil, white wine cream and chips (£6.80)
Baked coriander and ginger polenta with chargrilled vegetables and tomato pesto (£6.10)
Well readers what do you think? Have you been to The Apartment recently? Have you noticed the changes? Are they a change for the better? Let us know!
The Apartment 7-13 Barclay Place, Edinburgh EH10 4HW (0131 228 6456)
