Castle Terrace, Edinburgh

As part of our foodie trip to Edinburgh we decided it would be rude to not book ourselves into one Michelin starred restaurant before we left, and after much deliberating, and quite a bit of researching on my part, we decided Castle Terrace would be the perfect end to our city break primarily due to its focus on Scottish produce...something we had grown to fall in love with during our few days in Edinburgh.

Bar at Reception

Castle Terrace itself is dead easy to find, which is nice considering we found ourselves wandering around some of the narrow cobbled streets in search of the tourist destinations at times. It is pretty much right underneath the castle itself, and the interior as shown in the picture above is simple, but also very unique with purple and orange tartan...just to remind you where you are of course!

For those of you unfamiliar with the restaurant and its background, it is actually the sister restaurant of the two Michelin starred 'Kitchin' restaurant, owned by Tom Kitchin just down the road. Tom (Kitchin) and the head chef of Castle Terrace, Dominic, trained together many years ago in Gleneagles and since then have remained close friends, and extremely supportive to each others hard work...

After looking through the wonderful menu, we both struggled to make a decision (although was definitely tempted by the superbly valued set lunch menu, which looked and sounded delicious), so we decided to let the chef decide for us and went for the 'Chefs Surprise Tasting Menu'. Now as the name suggests we had no idea what we would get...but knowing that neither of us were fussy we thought this would be perfect! Easily tempted we also opted to have the matched wines - and we definitely were not disappointed (but more on that later!)

Nibbles with Cocktails

We ordered cocktails first whilst in the reception area, and I think I ordered a rose water one, which was delicious - really sweet! Then came out our first tiny dish, beautifully presented, mini classics consisting of a mini margarita (my least favourite of the three, yet still bursting with Mediterranean flavours), a 'caesar salad' (which was very unusual, Caesar dressing encased in a sort of jelly like bubble tasting of lettuce, sat on top of a crouton) and a salt cod barbajuan (my favourite, which was packed full of flavour and great texture from the crispy coating).


Bread Basket
 

Firstly a bread basket consisting of rye, sun dried tomato and mini french stick arrived at the table as well as a glass of rose champagne for the two of us. The breads were fresh and just warmed through which really wet our appetite for the arrival of our amuse bouche - 'A taste of carrot and coriander, finished with a toasted cumin crumble.

Unfortunately my heart sank as coriander was a herb neither of us, especially my partner was particularly keen on (and by that I mean he absolutely detests it)...needless to say we tried it, and it was delicious. Extremely subtle, I could hardly taste the herb, other than just enough to enhance the carrot flavour, and the foam on top with the spicy cumin flavour really added to the vibrant soup underneath.

 

Flavour of Carrot and Coriander



Following on from this our next course swiftly arrived which was the first of two fish courses. This one in particular was sushi themed, consisting of a tartare of Loch Duart salmon. The accompaniments to this dish really made it though with soy sauce jelly, cucumber discs and gingers, as well as wasabe ice cream, and puffed rice, with a texture just like rice crispies. I really enjoyed this dish, especially the flavour combinations and (as a Californian roll kind of girl) the interesting take on this classic.

 

Salmon, sushi style.

The second fish course came out almost immediately after (which was fine as we were starving) and this was predominantly a king scallop dish - and quite possibly my favourite of the whole afternoon. The dish came with a lemon and tarragon cannelloni, which was fresh, and so beautifully coloured, it really did make the dish pop and would not have looked out of place in a sweet shop. This also allowed for the most important ingredient - the scallop, to shine. The scallop itself was potentially the biggest I had ever seen, but it was cooked to perfection and nicely browned and caramel on the outside...

Scallop and Cannelloni

Prior to being seated inside the dining room the maitre'd actually approached us asking if we would like to try a 'Perigord truffle' with our risotto dish. To make this even more tempting he said it would be the last of this years season, and was absolutely the best time to try this highly prized and valuable ingredient. I had never actually tried truffle shaved before, only in oils as a flavouring so I jumped at the chance, and I have to say it was very unique. Quite syrupy sweet, and served alongside the rich risotto of organic spelt it made and extremely rich dish. I am incredibly happy I tried it though (as you can see we got a heck of a lot to sample), and I can definitely understand why people crave this delicacy so much!

Black truffle risotto

After five courses, and bread we were starting to fill up, and were completely confused about how many other dishes we had to come when our first main course arrived as another fish dish. This was a 'fillet of hake served on salt cod brandade with crisp potato'. Again this was a stunning dish, the brandade, which I had never tried before, was like super creamy mashed potato, made even more flavoursome with the addition of the salt cod, and the crispy potato on the side added some texture alongside the crisp fish skin. It was also lovely to see samphire on the dish - being a Norfolk girl, I love samphire as a vegetable, and it worked perfectly with the sweet hake and creamy brandade.

 

Hake with Salt cod brandade

Starting to feel fuller by the second (and increasingly drunk...remember we had already had a cocktail, a flute of champagne and 4 decent sized glasses of matched wine) our 'herb' course arrived. This was a 'ravioli of fresh herbs and highland crowdie cheese, served with a light tomato sauce'. This was delicious, and the fresh herbs inside the beautiful green ravioli was so fresh it acted almost like a palette cleanser. The tomato sauce itself was superbly tangy and clear, almost like consume. Overall this was a wow dish, and something really unexpected which I love!

 

Herb and Cheese ravioli

After this I believe we actually asked for a few minutes to let the food which we had already eaten, settle! And the waiters were more than happy to oblige...I think I was also a little behind on our wine too, so this came as a highly welcome relief. After 10 minutes or so, we were asked if we were ready to resume, and when we agreed our meaty main was delivered to use: 'Filet mignon of Ayrshire pork, served with braised fennel, smoked aubergine puree and a basil and olive jus'.

 

Pork and smoked aubergine puree

As an accompaniment to the pork and smoked aubergine, there was also a breaded sweetbread and three little herb gnocchi. The dish was so scrummy! The smokiness was perfect with the pork, and worked brilliantly with the fresh and sweet basil sauce. Although absolutely stuffed by this point I also very much enjoyed the gnocchi - something which can so often be chewy and dense became light and full of flavour.

 

At this point we were offered a cheese course, and unfortunately I have to say, we turned it down. We were both so incredibly full. But this was a real shame as the trolley looked like it was full to the brim of every type of cheese you can imagine, and the waiters really knew what was on offer - something which resonated throughout the afternoon as each course arrived to our table also.

 

Rhubarb panna cotta

After what felt like a marathon eating session, sampling some of the most seasonal and superbly flavoured food, our dessert finally arrived...and it was a showstopper. 'Rhubarb and highland crowdie cheese panna cotta, served with a warm rhubarb soup and beetroot sorbet' was an explosion of pinks and purples within the bowl and absolutely delivered everything you would want a dessert to, tartness and sweetness, creaminess and crispness! I didn't know where to start! Without a doubt though the absolute star of the dish was the beetroot sorbet - I could have polished off a whole bowl, and I suggest if anyone has the opportunity to try it, do so without hesitation.

 

Petit fours

 

Finally the time came to retreat back into the bar/reception area and enjoy our coffee and selection of petit fours. A lime green pistachio macaroon was my favourite - I think they are just perfection, but the rick chocolate truffle and the moist sponge were also very tasty (not a surprise considering the calibre of the food offered at Castle Terrace). As a final treat my partner also opted for an 18 year old single malt from their extensive whisky trolley which ended the meal, and our trip to the beautiful city of Edinburgh perfectly. 

So...to conclude. Would I recommend Castle Terrace? The answer would be a resounding 'yes'...in a heartbeat. We thought maybe opting for the surprise tasting, and also the matched wines (priced at £70 and £50pp respectively) was pushing the boat out somewhat, but I think that was extremely good value in hindsight. The service, as I mentioned briefly earlier, was excellent, no pretences felt at all. And both the waiters with their knowledge of the components to each of the very complex dishes, and the sommelier were absolutely fabulous. 

We walked out, having sampled some of the tastiest dishes I have ever eaten, and feeling rather merry ready for our train home too!!


Borough Market, London

Each time I visit London at the weekend I simply cannot leave without going for a wander around the infamous food market just down the road from the London bridge tube station...for food lovers out there, it seems to just have the most incredible vibe which is hard to explain until you visit. Despite the flocks of crowds which accumulate through the day (which, undoubtedly, can be somewhat off putting), I can assure you it is worth a special trip; the produce is varied and second to none in its quality, I challenge you to leave without buying anything!

One of many entrances to Borough Market

It is thought that a reputable food market has been in Borough since the 13th century, however due to its close location to the river, it is thought traders have been attracted to this very spot to sell their fish, grains and livestock from as early as 1014. From humble beginnings this market has now grown to 'house' over 100 stalls selling all manner of fresh, local produce, as well as internationally inspired treats consisting of cured meats and chutneys to name but a few.

Some of the stalls

 The market itself is HUGE! I have been three times already and I'm still convinced I haven't seen it all as each time I go I spot something new and exciting. I suggest if you have a few hours to kill, look at the map and really enjoy exploring all of the nooks and crannies. The stall owners are all extremely passionate about their produce and are more than happy to give you a taste of what they offer if you ask!

Beautiful Conservatory area

What always strikes me about the market is the huge variety and quality of the produce on offer. Grocers, Butchers and Fishmongers provide you will all the fresh produce you could ever dream of, but as well as that, there are countless deli style charcuterie stalls, cheese mongers, artisan bakers, chutney and spice sellers and bakeries selling sweet treats to tempt you to part with your hard earned cash!

Street Food

If there is one solid piece of advice you take from this review it should be this: go to Borough Market hungry! In fact, turn up absolutely starving because the choice of street food is incredible. I spotted Greek wraps, paella, gourmet game burgers, raclette, pieminster pies, and posh bangers, and I was only there for a short while. As well as this there are stalls selling fruit smoothies, and desserts, and also even bars dotted around so that you can enjoy a beverage at the same time.

One of the bars inside the market.

To finish off I have put a few more pictures I snapped last time I visited the market, as you can clearly see it is a feast for all of your senses, and a really good, free (unless, like me, you are tempted to buy everything you see) and authentic foodie experience. I highly recommend heading to Borough market if you are in London on a Friday or Saturday and see for yourself what I'm making such a fuss about!


Charcuterie

Cheese

Fruit Stall




Fishmonger

Sweet Treats