Juliet’s February Food Diary

All aboard the ‘royal yacht’ Fingal
Not quite Royal but certainly fit enough for this duchess. There’s been much excitement down my neck of the woods regarding Edinburgh’s first floating hotel. From the moment you step aboard it really is extremely special.

As the owners also manage the Royal Yacht Britannia, you’d expect nothing less than perfection. Here’s the good news! If you fancy just hopping on board for a cocktail or afternoon tea then you’re able to visit the Lighthouse Bar and Restaurant without having to stay the night.

A warning though: you must pre-book, even for drinks only, as the former lighthouse service boat is sometimes full for exclusive use. If you want to impress someone on 14 February this year, this is the place to book a cabin! The Fingal doesn’t go anywhere so should your ardour wane by the 15th you won’t be stuck with them in the middle of the Atlantic. Booking details here.

I once tried reading Game of Thrones but it seemed a bit too ‘hey nonnie nonnie’ for me. However I may have to be late to the game and start watching, as Diageo have launched a limited edition GoT inspired Single Malt Whisky collection available at Diageo Distilleries and on Amazon. Each whisky is named after a GoT house so obviously I had to complete a ‘which GoT character are you?’ quiz.

Turns out I’m the saucy dragon wifey and my House of Targaryen would most enjoy a Cardhu Gold Reserve which ‘celebrates legendary women and their unwavering perseverance’. Gosh, so very accurate! Visit malts.com and follow #GOTSingleMalts to find your geek friendly dram.

One thing Game of Thrones characters don’t seem to require is any form of aphrodisiac. So they need not pop into Le Di-Vin on Randolph Place on 22 February. Starting at 6.30pm Oysterman Events will be shucking their wares for free! How generous when you even have to pay for Viagra these days. So enjoy some Loch Fyne oysters with your favourite wine or champagne. Recently voted one of the Sunday Times top 25 wine bars there are plenty of great drinks choices here. Champers and oysters is my favourite kind of date. Almost worth rejoining Tinder for…

I’ve never met a woman in Edinburgh who doesn’t adore Chaophraya on Castle St. The views are stunning and the food great value. It’s also the sort of place a gal might wear something fancy to. The Valentine’s Menu comes in at £39.95 for three courses and a glass of Prosecco. The smooch in the lift is, of course, free. At least one hopes it is.