I visited Duck & Waffle when it first opened on a very wet Wednesday night in March with a group of foodie girlfriends aka the ‘Scone Divas’.
While we admired the stylish open-plan interior, we all felt the restaurant was more suited to Glasgow, it was a tad soulless, the service was over-attentive (I just wanted to chat with my girlfriends and not be asked every five minutes how my dish was) and the final bill came with a heavy price tag. And we couldn’t even attribute it to the wine, as only a few of us were drinking.
My second visit was a completely different affair.
It was a beautiful, crisp dry, and sunny autumn afternoon, the restaurant was buzzing with clientele of all ages, the service was more relaxed allowing for a leisurely chat with my fellow diner, and Duck & Waffle had spread their wings and are now offering a Sunday roast with not a duck in sight that’s not going to break the bank.
Their menu is normally built around its iconic namesake dish and is divided into sections: snacks, breads, raw, small plates, large plates and designed in line with current trends, for sharing – something I’m not a fan of – I just want to feel like I’ve had a proper meal.
Their new offering is a Sunday Roast and for two courses for £30 per person, is a complete steal. The options are Sirloin, Corn Fed Chicken, or a Mushroom & Camembert Wellington. Each comes served with spiced carrot puree, maple mustard glazed parsnips, tender stem broccoli, Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, and a generous side-pouring jug of gravy.
For an extra cost, there are some sides, which aren’t strictly necessary but for me, a Sunday Roast is never complete without cauliflower cheese and their four-cheese cauliflower gratin with toasted breadcrumbs was too tempting not to order.
My fellow diner, C, loves Hispi Cabbage. Forget bad memories of overboiled school dinner cabbage, Duck & Waffle’s version is sublime. A quartered portion of this sweet, pointy-shaped green cabbage is beautifully char-grilled and is served with miso brown butter, caperberries, and crispy shallots.
Pure heaven.
Spying other diners, it seemed the Sirloin was the most popular choice, with no other people in sight having ordered the chicken or the mushroom. A few people had chosen from the signature menu though.
The Sirloin roast was a winner, with every mouthful a discovery. Portion sizes were generous, no small plates here, thank God and the whole plate was beautifully curated, texture and taste-wise.
I loved the enormous Yorkshire Puddings that adorned the plate, filled with slow-cooked braised ox cheek – something you don’t see on a menu often but which will win me over anytime. It is served alongside two generous slices of perfectly cooked, pink roast beef. And oh those potatoes – crispy on the outside and fluffy inside, just as a perfect roast should be. How the chef achieved cooking that amount of potatoes as perfect as those is a mystery but we both scored them a perfect 10.
Somehow we still managed to find room for deserts… There was a choice of a Baked Cheesecake, a Torrejas, or Wee Comrie Custard.
The cheesecake didn’t need much explaining and if you’re a fan of baked cheesecake, you’ll love this. With a McVitie’s biscuit crumb, a tart fruit coulis, with grated white chocolate, offset the sweetness of the cheesecake.
Meanwhile, the menu’s description of Torrejas, maple caramelised apples, and cinnamon ice cream didn’t really give too many clues as to what might be served and our waitress didn’t shed any light either. It turns out Duck & Waffle’s Torrejas seems to be their take on a sticky toffee pudding.
Apparently, according to a Google search, Torrejas is traditionally a Mexican dish that features bolillo bread, dipped in a light and airy egg mix, then lightly fried. Duck & Waffle seemed to have substituted the bread for a waffle and while there was a generous portion of caramelised sauce, I would have liked a few more slices of apple, rather than the two small slices hiding underneath the waffle. The cinnamon ice cream meanwhile melted into the sauce complementing the flavours.
If you have a sweet tooth, you’ll love this. And if you’re a fan of sharing dishes, this is definitely enough for two, without you feeling like you’ve been cheated.
Also on offer was a Wee Comrie Custard, with pickled walnut, fresh apple, homemade chutney, and biscuits. While we didn’t choose this the table next door described the cheese, served in a ramekin as akin to Primula! I’m glad I gave this one a miss.
All in all, Duck & Waffle’s Sunday Roast is a quacking great deal at an affordable price so take flight up to St James Quarter and book yourselves in.
Duck & Waffle, St James Quarter, 400-402 St James Square, Edinburgh EH1 3AE
0131 202 2700
www.duckandwaffle.com
