March 2012

Although A Room in the Town and its sister restaurants are well established names on the Edinburgh food scene, I'd somehow never managed to make my way into one. But on an early Spring evening, I found myself in the Howe Street location for dinner.

All seven starters were tempting, but my partner in food began with baked sole Florentine with hollandaise (￡5.95). The fish was perfectly cooked, the sauce lovely, and he promptly polished it off. I chose aubergine stuffed portobello mushroom gratin with creamy leeks (￡5.50): a lovely, inventive dish, very different from the usual vegetarian fare, and very good especially with a touch of seasoning added.

The vegetarian choices here do deserve a special mention. I'm a bit fussy about my meat, and welcomed the choice of interesting sounding veggie options. That said, I chose for my main,  the coriander marinated chicken breast with rice, coconut, ginger and spring onion broth (￡13.95): delicious, with a fresh, light taste. Our waitress recommended the halibut with Shetland scallops, Parma ham, Stornoway black pudding and vermouth cream (￡18.95), and again my companion enthused that the fish was perfectly cooked, and the dish faultless.

I saved room for ‘afters’, in the form of a massive slice of delicious  banoffee pie (￡5). My companion ordered the chocolate and beetroot brownie with beet syrup and ice cream (￡5)  and having assured him he wouldn't notice the beetroot, I had to eat my words (and most of his pudding) when it proved to be quite an overpowering flavour. I've had chocolate beetroot combos before and never noticed the flavour, but in this it was quite distinct and not altogether pleasant. Always one to see the bright side, though, my companion noted that the ice cream was good.

This is an accomplished, above par eatery where special attention is paid to details that are often forgotten. Service was friendly and attentive, and baskets of delicious bread, a wide range of original vegetarian options, a variety of reasonably priced dessert wines available by the glass, and the option of bringing your own bottle (￡3 corkage) are extra touches that make this place stand out, and guarantee a hearty recommendation from yours truly. (R. Edwards)

Review written Autumn, 2008

WRITING A RESTAURANT REVIEW IS NOT ALWAYS STRAIGHTFORWARD. OPINION IS TEMPERED BY A SENSE OF FAIR PLAY AND DIPLOMACY IS OFTEN EMPLOYED. ON THE FLIP SIDE, SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO CONTROL YOUR URGE TO GUSH. RESTAURANTS LIKE ‘A ROOM’ HOWEVER, MAKE THE JOB EASY. I CAN SIMPLY RELAY THE FACTS WITH THE CONFIDENT KNOWLEDGE THAT IF YOU VISIT YOU ARE HIGHLY LIKELY TO ENJOY THIS RESTAURANT AS MUCH AS I DID.

Stepping in from the cold we settle down to drinks and starters. My partner has potted crab with mace and Arran oatcakes (£5.95) and I have the confit rabbit and taleggio spring roll with a honey and chilli dipping sauce (£6.95), a mix of ingredients which worked really well. The shredded rabbit was rich and there was just a hint of the strong, tangy cheese inside the crisp filo pastry. Good reports about the crab came from across the table. We were happy.

For mains I had puff pasty filled with a rich mutton and rosemary casserole and fresh mint sauce (£14.95) and my partner had halibut fillet with a Stornoway black pudding crust, seared prawns and roast garlic cream (£18.95). My pie was heavenly. Chunks of meat had been slow cooked for maximum tenderness and the gravy was thick and full of flavour. It was served with blanched spinach and an ‘untarted up’ mint sauce just like your mother used to make. The accompanying braised red cabbage was noteworthy for its spot on combination of sweetness and tanginess. My partner’s dish was beautifully presented; black pudding topped white fish and pink prawns were dotted about. All the ingredients in both dishes had been treated with the utmost respect and both were very, very moreish.

This clever little restaurant also operates an optional BYOB which means you can spend your wine budget at the off license. So, not only to you get a spanking good meal but you can wash it down with a decent bottle of plonk (£2 corkage).

Scottish hospitality at its best!