Ramsay's Rip Off
The Mail reporst that:
"Gordon Ramsay is serving customers ready-meals which are prepared in a London 'food factory' and sold with a mark-up of 586 per cent, it emerged today.
Dishes such as pork belly, coq au vin, braised pig cheeks and orange and bitter chocolate tart are prepared in bulk and then transported in plastic bags by unmarked vans to several of his restaurants across London.
The celebrity chef - who runs London’s only three Michelin-starred restaurant - uses the central kitchen, near railway arches and a council estate in Clapham, to provide food for his three gastropubs and Foxtrot Oscar, his bistro in Chelsea.
The Narrow in Limehouse, the Warrington in Maida Vale and the Devonshire in Chiswick are also supplied by the food factory."
The article goes on to note that:
Fishcakes are sold by the central supplier for £1.92 are then priced at as much as £11.25 in the gastropubs - a mark-up of 586 per cent. Diners pay £3.50 for sausage rolls that cost 75p.
Somewhat ironic for the chef who was once quoted as saying:
"My food hell is any ready meal. It’s so easy to prepare a quick meal using fresh produce but people still resort to ready meals that all taste exactly the same."
Whilst the food may be perfectly decent and tasty, the rip off mark up is disgraceful. Diners should vote with their feet and boycott these places.
Showing posts with label prices. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prices. Show all posts
Friday, April 17, 2009
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Cashing in on Rising Prices
Cashing in on Rising Prices
Despite the pretence of offering "discounts", supermarkets have been exposed as nothing more than spivs as they take advantage of rising food prices by adding a little extra increase for themselves.
The Producer Price Indices show that the larger chains have seen a 11.4% increase in the cost of food from the manufacturers in a year. However, families have seen their grocery bills increase by 12.3% (as per the Consumer Price Index); ie the supermarkets have added another 0.9% for themselves.
Mervyn King, the Governor of the Bank of England, has warned that he is concerned about companies that use the jump in inflation to "camouflage" an increase in prices.
Canny shoppers should beat the supermarkets at their own game, and only buy those products that offer real value for money.
Despite the pretence of offering "discounts", supermarkets have been exposed as nothing more than spivs as they take advantage of rising food prices by adding a little extra increase for themselves.
The Producer Price Indices show that the larger chains have seen a 11.4% increase in the cost of food from the manufacturers in a year. However, families have seen their grocery bills increase by 12.3% (as per the Consumer Price Index); ie the supermarkets have added another 0.9% for themselves.
Mervyn King, the Governor of the Bank of England, has warned that he is concerned about companies that use the jump in inflation to "camouflage" an increase in prices.
Canny shoppers should beat the supermarkets at their own game, and only buy those products that offer real value for money.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Greed
Greed
Not content with marking food up by hefty percentages, and adding in service charges of 10% or more, some of the country's top restaurants are accused of being excessively greedy with their mark ups on wine as well.
The Fat Duck, in Bray, Berkshire, charges £58 for a bottle of 2005 Bourgogne Aligote. However, the Telegraph contacted the restaurant's supplier, Berkmann Wine Cellars, and discovered that the purchase price was £12.12 per bottle; giving the Fat Duck a fat profit of five times the cost.
The Telegraph conducted a similar exercise at Le Manoir Aux Quat' Saisons, in Great Milton, Oxon, owned by Raymond Blanc. A 2006 bottle of Corbière La Tour Château Grand Moulin costs £26. The wine can be bought from their supplier, the General Wine Company, for £5.37 – a profit of £16.08 after VAT.
At Fifteen Cornwall, near Newquay, which was founded by Jamie Oliver, a 2006 bottle of Belisario Verdicchio di Matelica sells for £27. The same bottle can be bought for just £6.08 from the restaurant's supplier, Liberty Wines, which means a £16.20 profit per bottle after VAT.
The solution to this excessive greed is simple, use other restaurants that are more reasonably priced.
Greed will simply price these places out of the market.
Not content with marking food up by hefty percentages, and adding in service charges of 10% or more, some of the country's top restaurants are accused of being excessively greedy with their mark ups on wine as well.
The Fat Duck, in Bray, Berkshire, charges £58 for a bottle of 2005 Bourgogne Aligote. However, the Telegraph contacted the restaurant's supplier, Berkmann Wine Cellars, and discovered that the purchase price was £12.12 per bottle; giving the Fat Duck a fat profit of five times the cost.
The Telegraph conducted a similar exercise at Le Manoir Aux Quat' Saisons, in Great Milton, Oxon, owned by Raymond Blanc. A 2006 bottle of Corbière La Tour Château Grand Moulin costs £26. The wine can be bought from their supplier, the General Wine Company, for £5.37 – a profit of £16.08 after VAT.
At Fifteen Cornwall, near Newquay, which was founded by Jamie Oliver, a 2006 bottle of Belisario Verdicchio di Matelica sells for £27. The same bottle can be bought for just £6.08 from the restaurant's supplier, Liberty Wines, which means a £16.20 profit per bottle after VAT.
The solution to this excessive greed is simple, use other restaurants that are more reasonably priced.
Greed will simply price these places out of the market.
Friday, September 14, 2007
London Dining
London Dining
In news that will not surprise anyone who has eaten recently in London, Britain's capital city now rates as the world's most expensive city (even above Tokyo) for dining out.
An average meal, including a drink, tax and service for London diners runs to £39.09 pounds, up 2.9% from last year.
This is the conclusion of Zagat Survey, which published its 2008 London Restaurants guide on Wednesday.
I am a firm believer in "what goes around, comes around". Whilst London restaurant owners in the short term may be milking their customers, in the medium term once City bonuses have been slashed by the effects of the ongoing credit crunch we will see more realistic prices as the restaurants battle to find custom.
In news that will not surprise anyone who has eaten recently in London, Britain's capital city now rates as the world's most expensive city (even above Tokyo) for dining out.
An average meal, including a drink, tax and service for London diners runs to £39.09 pounds, up 2.9% from last year.
This is the conclusion of Zagat Survey, which published its 2008 London Restaurants guide on Wednesday.
I am a firm believer in "what goes around, comes around". Whilst London restaurant owners in the short term may be milking their customers, in the medium term once City bonuses have been slashed by the effects of the ongoing credit crunch we will see more realistic prices as the restaurants battle to find custom.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
The Price of Meat
The Price of Meat
Those of you who enjoy flesh, as indeed I do, will be concerned to know that the price of meat in the UK is going to rise.
Meat prices will rise as farmers pass on the rise in costs of wheat and animal feed. Deloittes report that the costs of these items have almost doubled for farmers.
Deloittes warn that the price rises are vital, as the industry is at "breaking point" after the recent foot-and-mouth scare and floods.
The bad weather has not just been confined to the UK, but to key grain growing areas such as Canada and parts of Europe. There are now fears of a grain shortfall, exacerbated by the rising demand from the biofuel industry which uses the grain to produce ethanol for cars.
The Labour government's "Islington centred" neglect of the countryside for the last 10 years will come home back to haunt them.
Those of you who enjoy flesh, as indeed I do, will be concerned to know that the price of meat in the UK is going to rise.
Meat prices will rise as farmers pass on the rise in costs of wheat and animal feed. Deloittes report that the costs of these items have almost doubled for farmers.
Deloittes warn that the price rises are vital, as the industry is at "breaking point" after the recent foot-and-mouth scare and floods.
The bad weather has not just been confined to the UK, but to key grain growing areas such as Canada and parts of Europe. There are now fears of a grain shortfall, exacerbated by the rising demand from the biofuel industry which uses the grain to produce ethanol for cars.
The Labour government's "Islington centred" neglect of the countryside for the last 10 years will come home back to haunt them.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Truffles
Truffles
Those of you who have a fondness for truffles may have been able to pick up a "bargain" the other day at a charity auction.
Five Italian white winter truffles, which weighed in total 1kg and included one which weighed 350g, were bought for a mere £11500. The original price estimate had been much in excess of that.
The money raised will go to the Seven Springs Foundation, a charity that supports children with special needs and their families.
Those of you who have a fondness for truffles may have been able to pick up a "bargain" the other day at a charity auction.
Five Italian white winter truffles, which weighed in total 1kg and included one which weighed 350g, were bought for a mere £11500. The original price estimate had been much in excess of that.
The money raised will go to the Seven Springs Foundation, a charity that supports children with special needs and their families.
Friday, September 15, 2006
A Tasty Takeaway
A Tasty Takeaway
Those of you who enjoy an Indian takeaway may balk at the price being paid by Steve Francis, a New York dance music producer for Stush Music.
He is paying over £8K for a takeaway meal consisting of; 1 fish bhuna (using 2 extra large Bangladeshi tiger fish), 12 vegetable birianis and various other side dishes.
The reason that this meal is so expensive, is that it is being flown from the Indie Spice restaurant in Belfast to New York.
Seemingly Mr Francis once sampled the food of the Indie Spice, when he was at a music festival in England.
Well, they do say that curries are addictive!
Those of you who enjoy an Indian takeaway may balk at the price being paid by Steve Francis, a New York dance music producer for Stush Music.
He is paying over £8K for a takeaway meal consisting of; 1 fish bhuna (using 2 extra large Bangladeshi tiger fish), 12 vegetable birianis and various other side dishes.
The reason that this meal is so expensive, is that it is being flown from the Indie Spice restaurant in Belfast to New York.
Seemingly Mr Francis once sampled the food of the Indie Spice, when he was at a music festival in England.
Well, they do say that curries are addictive!
Monday, December 19, 2005
How Much?
How Much?
We have all felt, at one time or another, that we have paid too much for a pint and that the breweries were "having a laugh" at the drinker's expense.
However, the prices that we pay in pubs for even the most "designer and trendy" of beers pale into insignificance when compared to the beer that costs you £32 per pint.
Yes, you did read that correctly, £32 a pint!
Deus, brewed in the Belgian village of Buggenhout, will set you back £32 a bottle in certai restaurants.
Aubergine, a Michelin starred restaurant in Chelsea London, has a beer list which includes pint bottles of Deus for £32.
The Bosteels brewery that brews Deus, which comes in at 11.5%, claims that they treat it like champagne.
Whilst they may treat it like champagne there is no way that it tastes like champagne, nor is there any justification for charging a champagne mark up.
The fact that restaurants are able to get away with charging ridiculous prices like this show that, regrettably, some customers have more money than sense.
We have all felt, at one time or another, that we have paid too much for a pint and that the breweries were "having a laugh" at the drinker's expense.
However, the prices that we pay in pubs for even the most "designer and trendy" of beers pale into insignificance when compared to the beer that costs you £32 per pint.
Yes, you did read that correctly, £32 a pint!
Deus, brewed in the Belgian village of Buggenhout, will set you back £32 a bottle in certai restaurants.
Aubergine, a Michelin starred restaurant in Chelsea London, has a beer list which includes pint bottles of Deus for £32.
The Bosteels brewery that brews Deus, which comes in at 11.5%, claims that they treat it like champagne.
Whilst they may treat it like champagne there is no way that it tastes like champagne, nor is there any justification for charging a champagne mark up.
The fact that restaurants are able to get away with charging ridiculous prices like this show that, regrettably, some customers have more money than sense.
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Britain's Curry Crisis
Britain's Curry Crisis
Britain now has nearly 10,000 Indian restaurants, serving two million curry meals a week; having a "curry" is now a weekly tradition for many British families.
However, the growth of the "curry" industry in Britain now faces a threat from a shortage of labour.
The 10,000 curry restaurants in Britain require 20,000 chefs and 40,000 helpers, as a minimum. Unfortunately, these requirements are proving to be too much for restaurants which are struggling to recruit trained/experienced chefs and assistants.
Immigration policies have been toughened up in the last few decades, and the recent terrorist bombings have made immigration authorities reluctant to give out new work permits or renew existing ones.
Such is the crisis that the Guild of Bangladeshi Restaurateurs, which represents 2000 South Asian restaurants, has appealed to Home Secretary to relax immigration rules.
Namita Punjabi, owner of the Chelsea-based Chutney Mary Anglo-Indian restaurant, is reported to have said:
"It is very difficult to get good cooks. We normally just can't find them in this country. And remember that India is the size of Europe. Each area has its own specific types of food. As a company, we can't look for talent in Britain it just doesn't exist."
It may be that the traditional "curry" house will have to start increasing prices, in order to stem demand.
Britain now has nearly 10,000 Indian restaurants, serving two million curry meals a week; having a "curry" is now a weekly tradition for many British families.
However, the growth of the "curry" industry in Britain now faces a threat from a shortage of labour.
The 10,000 curry restaurants in Britain require 20,000 chefs and 40,000 helpers, as a minimum. Unfortunately, these requirements are proving to be too much for restaurants which are struggling to recruit trained/experienced chefs and assistants.
Immigration policies have been toughened up in the last few decades, and the recent terrorist bombings have made immigration authorities reluctant to give out new work permits or renew existing ones.
Such is the crisis that the Guild of Bangladeshi Restaurateurs, which represents 2000 South Asian restaurants, has appealed to Home Secretary to relax immigration rules.
Namita Punjabi, owner of the Chelsea-based Chutney Mary Anglo-Indian restaurant, is reported to have said:
"It is very difficult to get good cooks. We normally just can't find them in this country. And remember that India is the size of Europe. Each area has its own specific types of food. As a company, we can't look for talent in Britain it just doesn't exist."
It may be that the traditional "curry" house will have to start increasing prices, in order to stem demand.
Monday, July 04, 2005
Guts Squeezed
Guts Squeezed
Despite the fact that US waistlines may be expanding, the size of the seating in restaurants is being reduced.
This is due to the fact that real estate prices are rising, forcing restaurants to increase capacity per square foot.
This is affecting the chain restaurants most of all.
O'Charley's and Captain D's, both Nashville-based restaurant companies, are building smaller versions of their restaurants and help franchisees get into new buildings for a little less money.
Burger King, which has 70 percent drive-through sales, is also looking at smaller prototypes.
Despite the fact that US waistlines may be expanding, the size of the seating in restaurants is being reduced.
This is due to the fact that real estate prices are rising, forcing restaurants to increase capacity per square foot.
This is affecting the chain restaurants most of all.
O'Charley's and Captain D's, both Nashville-based restaurant companies, are building smaller versions of their restaurants and help franchisees get into new buildings for a little less money.
Burger King, which has 70 percent drive-through sales, is also looking at smaller prototypes.
Thursday, March 24, 2005
New Zealand Restaurant Boycott
New Zealand Restaurant Boycott
It is reported that New Zealand's Service and Food Workers Union Northland delegate, Katrina Bazey, is calling for a boycott of restaurants which increase menu prices on Easter Friday.
Seemingly some restaurants and cafes put up menu prices about 15%, to cover increased staff wages incurred under the Holidays Act.
Bazey said that she "did not believe in surcharges", and asked people not to go to places with the surcharges.
She argues, quite reasonably in my view, that increased visitor numbers to restaurants at Easter should also help offset increased staff wages.
Restaurants, dairies, service stations and takeaway bars are the only eateries allowed to open on Good Friday. Under the Holidays Act, employees must be paid time-and-a-half and receive time off in lieu.
Needless to say, restaurant owners disagree.
Well, it's now down to the customers, they have the final say.
It is reported that New Zealand's Service and Food Workers Union Northland delegate, Katrina Bazey, is calling for a boycott of restaurants which increase menu prices on Easter Friday.
Seemingly some restaurants and cafes put up menu prices about 15%, to cover increased staff wages incurred under the Holidays Act.
Bazey said that she "did not believe in surcharges", and asked people not to go to places with the surcharges.
She argues, quite reasonably in my view, that increased visitor numbers to restaurants at Easter should also help offset increased staff wages.
Restaurants, dairies, service stations and takeaway bars are the only eateries allowed to open on Good Friday. Under the Holidays Act, employees must be paid time-and-a-half and receive time off in lieu.
Needless to say, restaurant owners disagree.
Well, it's now down to the customers, they have the final say.
Sunday, April 18, 2004
Restaurant
The Harbour Room
Pomme d’Or Hotel
Liberation Square
St Helier
Jersey
The Channel Islands
Phone:- 01534 880110
Website www.pommedorhotel.com
Overview
Whilst we were on holiday in Jersey we tried the Harbour Room, the restaurant of our hotel the Pomme d’Or, for breakfast and dinner. The Harbour Room serves traditional English food. The breakfast is the full English buffet, and the dinner is a buffet carvery.
Ambience
The Harbour Room was spacious and comfortable. As the name implies it overlooks St Helier harbour.
The restaurant was pleasantly decorated; tables laid with linen cloths and napkins, the cutlery good quality silverware.
In the centre of the Harbour Room were two large buffet serving stations, where diners serve themselves their breakfast and dinner.
Despite this being a buffet style restaurant, there were a good number of staff on hand at both breakfast and dinner to serve wine, coffee and indeed to help serve you the buffet.
Menu
The breakfast menu was very substantial, and included; sausages, eggs (fried, boiled and scrambled), bacon, beans, fried bread, mushrooms, kippers, porridge, hams, hash browns, black pudding and tomatoes.
The carvery dinner menu also offered a good selection including; roast joints of beef and lamb, chicken, fish, vegetables and a fair selection of cold cuts and salads for starters.
Service
There was a good number of friendly efficient staff, who were on hand to serve wine, coffee and generally help make the breakfast/dinner as enjoyable and relaxed as possible.
Food
At breakfast we tried a little of everything. I am happy to pronounce the food as first class, hot, properly cooked but neither greasy nor dry.
An excellent way to start to the day!
At the carvery for dinner we tried many of the starters. They were reasonably good, as far as they went. However, we were a little disappointed that there was not such a good selection of seafood (eg lobster or crab) on offer as one might have expected in Jersey. That being said I understand that every Friday evening they serve a special seafood buffet in the Harbour Room.
We tried both the beef and lamb for our main course, which were craved by the chef. The joints were cooked medium rare, and were succulent, tender and of good quality.
The potato and vegetable selection were decently cooked, and complimented the meal.
The cost of the breakfast was included in the price of our room. Our dinner, which included a good bottle of Medoc, came to £55.
Overall Opinion
Good food, and good value for money, served in very pleasant surroundings. Even if you are not staying in the hotel; the Harbour Room is worth popping in to one evening, or indeed one morning.
The Harbour Room
Pomme d’Or Hotel
Liberation Square
St Helier
Jersey
The Channel Islands
Phone:- 01534 880110
Website www.pommedorhotel.com
Overview
Whilst we were on holiday in Jersey we tried the Harbour Room, the restaurant of our hotel the Pomme d’Or, for breakfast and dinner. The Harbour Room serves traditional English food. The breakfast is the full English buffet, and the dinner is a buffet carvery.
Ambience
The Harbour Room was spacious and comfortable. As the name implies it overlooks St Helier harbour.
The restaurant was pleasantly decorated; tables laid with linen cloths and napkins, the cutlery good quality silverware.
In the centre of the Harbour Room were two large buffet serving stations, where diners serve themselves their breakfast and dinner.
Despite this being a buffet style restaurant, there were a good number of staff on hand at both breakfast and dinner to serve wine, coffee and indeed to help serve you the buffet.
Menu
The breakfast menu was very substantial, and included; sausages, eggs (fried, boiled and scrambled), bacon, beans, fried bread, mushrooms, kippers, porridge, hams, hash browns, black pudding and tomatoes.
The carvery dinner menu also offered a good selection including; roast joints of beef and lamb, chicken, fish, vegetables and a fair selection of cold cuts and salads for starters.
Service
There was a good number of friendly efficient staff, who were on hand to serve wine, coffee and generally help make the breakfast/dinner as enjoyable and relaxed as possible.
Food
At breakfast we tried a little of everything. I am happy to pronounce the food as first class, hot, properly cooked but neither greasy nor dry.
An excellent way to start to the day!
At the carvery for dinner we tried many of the starters. They were reasonably good, as far as they went. However, we were a little disappointed that there was not such a good selection of seafood (eg lobster or crab) on offer as one might have expected in Jersey. That being said I understand that every Friday evening they serve a special seafood buffet in the Harbour Room.
We tried both the beef and lamb for our main course, which were craved by the chef. The joints were cooked medium rare, and were succulent, tender and of good quality.
The potato and vegetable selection were decently cooked, and complimented the meal.
The cost of the breakfast was included in the price of our room. Our dinner, which included a good bottle of Medoc, came to £55.
Overall Opinion
Good food, and good value for money, served in very pleasant surroundings. Even if you are not staying in the hotel; the Harbour Room is worth popping in to one evening, or indeed one morning.
Friday, January 03, 2003
Restaurant
Tower Restaurant
Museum of Scotland
Chambers Street
Edinburgh
EH1 1JF
Phone:- 0131 225 3003
Website www.tower-restaurant.com
Overview
The Tower sits on top of the Museum of Scotland and offers an exceptional view of the castle and skyline of Edinburgh. It specialises in Scottish produce, including steaks and shellfish. The restaurant comprises an indoor rooftop (seating around 100) and outdoor terrace (seating around 70); the restaurant is very popular and you are advised to book (we were told that some people had booked their New Year tables one year ago).
Eva and I, spending Hogmanay in Edinburgh, went there on New Year’s eve. Our booking was for 10:30PM, so we were able to watch the spectacular New Year firework display.
Ambience
The restaurant is elegant and sleek, it eschews the traditional tartan and stuffed animal trophy decorative style favoured by some other Scottish restaurants. Instead the décor is bright, airy and tasteful; polished wooden floors complimenting the lightly stained wooden table tops. A floor to ceiling window runs the full length of one side of the restaurant, so if you are fortunate enough to have a window seat you have an unparalleled view of the castle. However, should you have one of the other tables you will still be able to view the skyline. We were fortunate enough to have a window seat, I am pleased to say the that the double glazing and heating was efficient enough to ensure that we did not feel cold.
When we arrived at the Museum of Scotland we were greeted by a uniformed commissionaire, who ticked our name on a list and showed us to an elevator. This took us to the fifth floor where we were greeted by the Head Waiter, who had been telephoned by the commissionaire; to let him know we were on our way up.
Rather impressively, despite being New Year’s Eve (with all the potential for people delaying their departure); our table was ready, and we were seated immediately.
The restaurant was full, but close to midnight all the diners and staff put their coats on and stood out on the terrace to watch the fireworks, we were lazy and decided to stay in the warm; but we still had a splendid view. I am rather relieved that unlike other restaurants, at New Year, there was no enforced communal singing or hugging; save for handshakes and “happy New Year” from the staff.
Menu
The restaurant offers a variety of traditional Scottish food (prepared with imagination) including; steaks, lamb shank, oysters, crab, liver, roast roots and fish. Even the bread was a special mustard based recipe!
The wine list is extensive and rather sensibly, in my view, is divided into sub sections offering diners a choice of price brackets.
Service
The service was attentive, very friendly and efficient. Our Kir Royales and menus arrived within a matter of minutes of us being seated.
There were a good number of staff on duty who, even though they were working on New Year’s eve, ensured that orders were promptly and efficiently despatched. Half an hour before midnight we were asked if we would like to order a drink to toast in the New Year; that afforded them a well deserved break, so that they could watch the fireworks with everyone else.
Food
I started with the lentil and ham soup, warm rich yellow (evocative of the season) complimented by thin slices of ham placed in the centre; full marks.
As a main course I had a 12oz fillet steak, rare. This was succulent and tender; seared on the outside, to seal in the flavour, red and juicy on the inside. The steak was served with onion rings, hand cut potato wedges and roasted root vegetables; an excellent choice.
I finished with an orange sorbet, smooth and creamy, which was a little more than I could handle.
Eva started with duck parfait, a very generous rich and succulent portion served with toast. She was very pleased with it.
As a main course Eva had the lamb shank which, in keeping with the imaginative style of cuisine, was served with a portion of lam cutlet and loin of lamb. The shank had been braised to perfection so that the meat literally fell of the bone. The dish came with creamy mashed potatoes. Eva thoroughly enjoyed it.
The overall meal, which included a bottle of Chablis, a bottle of water and two glasses of champagne, came to £121 before tip; exceptional value.
Overall Opinion
I have absolutely no hesitation at all in recommending this restaurant; definitely a cut above some of the other restaurants who offer “traditional Scottish fayre”. We will be dining there again when we return to Edinburgh.
Tower Restaurant
Museum of Scotland
Chambers Street
Edinburgh
EH1 1JF
Phone:- 0131 225 3003
Website www.tower-restaurant.com
Overview
The Tower sits on top of the Museum of Scotland and offers an exceptional view of the castle and skyline of Edinburgh. It specialises in Scottish produce, including steaks and shellfish. The restaurant comprises an indoor rooftop (seating around 100) and outdoor terrace (seating around 70); the restaurant is very popular and you are advised to book (we were told that some people had booked their New Year tables one year ago).
Eva and I, spending Hogmanay in Edinburgh, went there on New Year’s eve. Our booking was for 10:30PM, so we were able to watch the spectacular New Year firework display.
Ambience
The restaurant is elegant and sleek, it eschews the traditional tartan and stuffed animal trophy decorative style favoured by some other Scottish restaurants. Instead the décor is bright, airy and tasteful; polished wooden floors complimenting the lightly stained wooden table tops. A floor to ceiling window runs the full length of one side of the restaurant, so if you are fortunate enough to have a window seat you have an unparalleled view of the castle. However, should you have one of the other tables you will still be able to view the skyline. We were fortunate enough to have a window seat, I am pleased to say the that the double glazing and heating was efficient enough to ensure that we did not feel cold.
When we arrived at the Museum of Scotland we were greeted by a uniformed commissionaire, who ticked our name on a list and showed us to an elevator. This took us to the fifth floor where we were greeted by the Head Waiter, who had been telephoned by the commissionaire; to let him know we were on our way up.
Rather impressively, despite being New Year’s Eve (with all the potential for people delaying their departure); our table was ready, and we were seated immediately.
The restaurant was full, but close to midnight all the diners and staff put their coats on and stood out on the terrace to watch the fireworks, we were lazy and decided to stay in the warm; but we still had a splendid view. I am rather relieved that unlike other restaurants, at New Year, there was no enforced communal singing or hugging; save for handshakes and “happy New Year” from the staff.
Menu
The restaurant offers a variety of traditional Scottish food (prepared with imagination) including; steaks, lamb shank, oysters, crab, liver, roast roots and fish. Even the bread was a special mustard based recipe!
The wine list is extensive and rather sensibly, in my view, is divided into sub sections offering diners a choice of price brackets.
Service
The service was attentive, very friendly and efficient. Our Kir Royales and menus arrived within a matter of minutes of us being seated.
There were a good number of staff on duty who, even though they were working on New Year’s eve, ensured that orders were promptly and efficiently despatched. Half an hour before midnight we were asked if we would like to order a drink to toast in the New Year; that afforded them a well deserved break, so that they could watch the fireworks with everyone else.
Food
I started with the lentil and ham soup, warm rich yellow (evocative of the season) complimented by thin slices of ham placed in the centre; full marks.
As a main course I had a 12oz fillet steak, rare. This was succulent and tender; seared on the outside, to seal in the flavour, red and juicy on the inside. The steak was served with onion rings, hand cut potato wedges and roasted root vegetables; an excellent choice.
I finished with an orange sorbet, smooth and creamy, which was a little more than I could handle.
Eva started with duck parfait, a very generous rich and succulent portion served with toast. She was very pleased with it.
As a main course Eva had the lamb shank which, in keeping with the imaginative style of cuisine, was served with a portion of lam cutlet and loin of lamb. The shank had been braised to perfection so that the meat literally fell of the bone. The dish came with creamy mashed potatoes. Eva thoroughly enjoyed it.
The overall meal, which included a bottle of Chablis, a bottle of water and two glasses of champagne, came to £121 before tip; exceptional value.
Overall Opinion
I have absolutely no hesitation at all in recommending this restaurant; definitely a cut above some of the other restaurants who offer “traditional Scottish fayre”. We will be dining there again when we return to Edinburgh.
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