When asked to review this wonderful restaurant for a second time we wondered if it could live up to the high standard set on our first, visit but the newly redecorated Wedgwood Restaurant delivered yet again. This isn’t surprising as this multi-award winning restaurant was recently awarded Scottish Licensed Trade News “Restaurant of the Year” in the under £35 category, for the third time.
For a Thursday night the restaurant was full and buzzing with plenty of atmosphere. The recently redecorated Wedgwood Restaurant now has a warm colour theme running throughout – from the sumptuous textured wallpaper to the menus and the super smart dresses the helpful waitresses wear. The claret red and truffle coloured fittings and wallpaper combined with the soft lighting gives it all a sophisticated, cosy and inviting feel.
While we looked over the new menu a beautifully presented selection of canapés arrived. This included a delicious velvety shot of butternut squash and coconut velouté. A smoked salmon, beetroot and caper spoon and pork roulette on crisp toast teased the taste buds and successfully whet our appetites.
Once we had ordered we were promptly set on our way by a small but fresh, homemade focaccia with a tasty garlic and rosemary dipping oil. This just reassured us that we were in for a culinary treat!
As a starter Celia selected the interesting leek and cheddar bread and butter pudding, roast tomato, soused fennel and fennel ice cream. All she can say (even now!) is that you have to try it. The balance of hot and cold, savoury and sweet is exceptional in this dish. The acidic sweetness of the vine roasted tomatoes compliments the mature cheddar and the fennel ice cream adds another creamy, flavoursome dimension! This is a rich starter that would be appreciated by any food lover.
I started off with bone marrow popcorn, mushrooms, crouton and roast aioli. I have noticed that bone marrow is becoming increasingly popular and have wanted to try it for a while. I was nervous about my selection but was reassured by the fact that I couldn’t have picked a better place to try it. If you have similar anxieties about bone marrow but are keen to give it a go I would definitely recommend this dish to introduce you to its marvels. The marrow was served in tempura batter so I could just pop the little light morsels into my mouth, and the crunchy exterior lends itself to the softness of the marrow. The mushrooms are delicious and go perfectly with the ‘popcorn’. I am glad I tried it and can appreciate why others love it, though it isn’t something I would necessarily opt for again.
We sat upstairs to enjoy our meal where you can see the chefs at work in the kitchen through the hatch. There is a well-stocked bar up there where you can find wines, spirits and aperitifs to accompany every course. It is worth mentioning that there is also a large downstairs area offering much more space than you would ever think.
We watched the chefs hard at work on our main courses while enjoying a palate cleansing raspberry coulis, lime sorbet and ginger beer – this was a zingy and refreshing shot of delightful flavours.
Wedgwood Restaurant, Royal Mile, 267 Canongate, 0131 558 8737
