BISTROS & BRASSERIES
list.co.uk
EDINBURGH
BISTROS & BRASSERIES Restaurants in this category occupy a substantial niche in the Eating & Drinking Guide. Choices range from establishments producing top-notch cooking verging on fine dining that showcases the talents of ambitious chefs to solid comfort food that fits neatly into the traditional interpretation of bistro and brasserie offerings – moderately priced, hearty and somewhat rustic. The venues themselves are equally diverse. At one end sit cosy places that are a focal point for the neighbourhood while the other extreme features multi-cover restaurants attached to some of the city’s finest hotels. Whatever place they occupy in that spectrum, bistros and brasseries compete for the diner’s cash with good service, excellent food and wine and, in many cases, a reliance on good local produce. Reviewers: Katie Conaglen, Sian Hickson, Theresa Munoz, Colin Renton, James Teideman
A Room in Leith 1a Dock Place, Leith See Scottish
A Room in the West End 26 William Street, West End See Scottish
Aizle 107–109 St Leonard’s Street, Southside See Scottish
Anfora 87a Giles Street, Leith See Bars & Pubs
The Apartment Bistro 7–13 Barclay Place, Southside (Map 3A: B2, 21) 0131 228 6456, apartmentrestaurant.com | £15 (set lunch) / £22 (dinner)
Just up the rise from the hodgepodge
Gothic of Barclay Church, the Apartment’s style might best be described as abbatoir chic, with solid pale chairs, polished copper fixtures and blood-red walls through which telegenic young staff glide smoothly between spotlit tables. The only thing missing is a Rothko print. Mercifully, they’ve revised the slightly manic ‘personality’ wine list of yore, which clears the way for a smart cellar selection to shine through. Alongside a rich palette of New World reds, a crisp house fizz is well worth a punt. The food menu, for its part, foregrounds a range of skewers including a lovely veggie sweet potato and citrus halloumi option. Ovenwarmed bread and soft, salty olives on a dark wood block make for a strong opener, and the sweet venison haunch (part of the reasonable set menu deal) is satisfyingly flavoursome. It’s a solid venue for a midweek dinner with your thirtysomething friends. + Despite the aesthetic, vegetarians will find much to delight them - The squid salsa is more of an apologetic shuffle
Apiary 33 Newington Road, Southside (Map 3C: D3, 20) 0131 668 4999, apiaryrestaurant.co.uk | £9.50 (set lunch) / £18 (dinner)
The slightly high windows of this Southside bistro might be doing the restaurant a disservice, as it’s difficult to see inside. As the twin sister to Three Birds in Bruntsfield, Apiary follows the winged theme, but this time with bees. These striped creatures can be seen on the wallpaper, under the lights and hiding in the corners. In keeping with the theme, staff buzz cheerfully and efficiently from table to table. The menu is diverse, with frequent nods to American styles and Asian flavours. It focuses on individual plates, but there is also a long list of side dishes and sharing platters which are ideal for large groups. A brilliantly green avocado and feta dip with bread crisps provides a fresh start and a meaty lobster cocktail hits the right acidic notes. Seared venison haunch with shredded sprouts and redcurrant glaze is a highlight, complete with a confit duck, cranberry and chestnut hash. Ice-cream is a special interest here, with curious flavours such as peanut butter and jelly, or chipotle ketchup. Apiary is a vibrant eatery whose quirkiness shines in the dishes. + Inventive menu cheerfully served
- Discreet building exterior gives nothing away
The Apprentice Edinburgh College, Granton Campus, 350 West Granton Road, Leith See Scottish
The Atelier 159–161 Morrison Street, West End See Scottish
Bia Bistrot 19 Colinton Road, Southside (Map 3B: A1, 1) 0131 452 8453, biabistrot.co.uk | Closed Sun/Mon | £9.50 (set lunch) / £16 (dinner)
The secret, it seems, is out. After five years feeding and watering the locals around Colinton Road, chef/proprietors Matthias and Roisin Llorente have seen their reputations spread. They are now attracting a burgeoning group of travelling supporters, lured by a menu that offers an imaginative take on traditional rustic French dishes, served in premises featuring a cosy area at street level and an additional space downstairs. A great value deal ensures a steady flow of lunchtime diners, while evening service is built around a selection of established favourites enhanced by daily specials. Starters could include a rich smoked haddock velouté packed with flavour and enhanced by a sprinkling of chopped apple and dill. Tender confit duck leg in a red wine jus transports the diner to the rural France of Matthias’ roots, while the colcannon cake – which is an ideal accompaniment – offers a nod to Roisin’s Irish background. And, although the dessert selection is somewhat limited, a light almond panacotta with pear, nut and cinnamon chutney contrasts perfectly with the hearty fare that has gone before. + Traditional bistro food delivered with aplomb - Limited selection of desserts
4 Bijou 2 Restalrig Road, Leith (Map 5B: C1, off) 0131 538 0664, bijoubistro.co.uk | £13 (lunch) / £21 (dinner)
No wonder Bijou has a loyal following. Ok, its out-of the-way location will not suit everyone, but owner James Harrison sprinkles good vibes front-of-house, making everyone feel like they’re regulars, even if they’re not, happy to be in on the secret, or lucky to live round the corner. There’s a banging breakfast,
Galvin Brasserie de Luxe (page 43): a stylish bar dominates this impressive West End dining experience 40 The List Eating & Drinking Guide
plus the ‘regular’ menu with a wide spread for those hankering after fish and chips or a burger. There are specials, like barnacle-fresh mussels, and a seasonal menu in place of the more pretentious and less generous dishes you might find uptown. To start, salsify is the star in a gorgeous duck egg gratin, which whets well for spelt kedgeree, as unctuous as can be, with haddock and preserved lemon, while similarly fresh sea bass fillets sit astride cockle and clam chowder. If you’re struggling after that, but still want something sweet, the selection of homemade ice-cream is a no-brainer, and the crumble of the day, served in a wee pot, is a must, as is a visit here. Careful – you may become a regular. + A unique, unmissable wine list - Location not glamourous enough for some
Bisque Bar & Brasserie Bruntsfield Hotel, 69 Bruntsfield Place, Southside (Map 3A: B3, 25) 0131 622 8163, bisquebrasserie.com | £14 (lunch) / £19 (dinner)
Bisque is the bar-brasserie belonging to Best Western’s Bruntsfield Hotel. Through the bar, busy with business guests winding down watching Sky Sports, the brasserie is more peaceful, in neutrals, stone and terracotta, with an outside terrace for sunny afternoons. Bisque’s self-proclaimed philosophy is ‘casual gourmet’ and its house special is, of course, its fine fishy bisque, served with artisan bread. After an on-tap Schiehallion, it’s a good start. However, a venison and pheasant terrine comes doused with a redcurrant dressing that merges with the mustard dressing on the accompanying salad, which is less ideal. The light mains menu is mainly Med-ish: seafood linguine, roast veg and goat’s cheese, mushroom risotto and so on, while the rest of the mains and a grill list tick most boxes with a touristy Scottish flourish – steaks, salmon and Alba chicken. Desserts like the ubiquitous sticky toffee pudding look to please all comers, but the dark chocolate torte is sadly neither dark nor a torte. + The house bisque - Some dishes don’t live up to descriptions
4 Bistro Moderne 15 North West Circus Place, Stockbridge (Map 1A: B2, 26) 0131 225 4431, bistromoderne.co.uk | Closed Mon/Tue | £12.50 (set lunch) / £23 (dinner)
He may only appear in the kitchen one day a week, but Mark Greenaway’s flair is evident in the imaginative preparation of popular bistro dishes served up by chef Scott Catchpole and his team. So, while diners sip a cocktail and enjoy the surroundings of a brightly lit dining area divided into two rooms, the team in the kitchen are working to serve up starters that could include a leek, red onion and goat’s cheese tart. But this version comes with a twist in the form of an oat crust and hazelnut pesto that adds crunch and flavour. Mains are not all they seem, either. Steak and ‘chip’ turns out to be tender beef sliced and served in a rich béarnaise sauce with mashed potatoes reformed into a single block and deep fried. A dessert bearing the title ‘chocolate and peanut’ undersells a dish that combines a balanced mix of flavours with banana and honeycomb parfait bringing sweetness to the bitter chocolate – a hallmark of the Greenaway style. + A modern twist on classic bistro offerings - Just outside the buzzing Stockbridge restaurant hub