Edinburgh Restaurant Review - June 2010

A party for the palate

I WAS EXCITED WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT MY FIRST REVIEW FOR BITE WAS TO BE OF A VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT. SISTER TO ACCLAIMED FRENCH RESTAURANT LA GARRIGUE, L'ARTICHAUT OPENED LAST SEPTEMBER WITH A QUIETLY CONFIDENT FANFARE, AND FEATURES A CLASSY, IMAGINATIVE VEGETARIAN AND VEGAN MENU.

With my own bonne maman as dining companion, we entered L'Artichaut and were welcomed by Catriona, the restaurant's enthusiastic manager. A bowl of root vegetable crisps was brought whilst we looked through the wine list, which features an impressive collection of all-vegetarian wines, many also organically produced. We chose the Jurançon Sec (£27.50), an unusually opulent zesty white which complemented the starters particularly well.

Mum had the warm spinach and feta filo parcels, served on a cool salad of courgette and cucumber ribbons. Sweet onion chutney cut through the feta’s saltiness, and some fat pine nuts added great texture. Intrigued by the description, I ordered the confit tomato and roasted pepper terrine. Layered in a deep glass, this was like a vegetable sundae, with cherry tomato, sweet peppers, celeriac and apple remoulade, and topped with julienne of courgette. The dish was as delightful to look at as it was to eat.

My main course was a Yorkshire pudding with vegetable Bourguignon, sitting atop emerald green curly kale. The puffy pud was brimming with a rich slow-cooked stew of mushrooms, sweet shallots and carrots, which provided a hearty mouthful. Mum chose the healthy-sounding cauliflower, date and sultana tagine. This was served with nutty-flavoured quinoa, a 'superfood' grain which is a popular gluten-free alternative to couscous. The cauliflower was perfect in its tender bite, the tagine sauce warm with hints of spices, and sweet from the cooked fruit.

From a tempting list of desserts, we chose two lighter-sounding options. A salt-baked baby pineapple came with coconut sorbet, giving lovely Caribbean-style piña colada flavours. We also tried the white pepper and lime zest meringues, which were accompanied by a silky dark chocolate sauce, and lemon curd. The dainty meringues, with soft chewy centres and peppercorn bursts contrasted brilliantly with the chocolate. The bright tastes of both desserts were the perfect end to what had been an impressive gourmet vegetarian dining experience.

L’Artichaut’s Ripe Time dinner menu is priced at £15 for two, or £19.50 for three courses.

Review written September 2009

I heart L'Artichaut

AS A MEAT-EATER WHO LOVES VEGETABLES, I WAS UN-INSPIRED BY MY LAST VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT MEAL. THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE INGREDIENTS BUT SOME SEASONING AND IMAGINATION WOULDN’T HAVE GONE AMISS. SO WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THIS SHINY, NEW VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT FROM JEAN-MICHEL OF LA GARRIGUE FAME, I MET MY VEGETARIAN FRIEND AND WE PUT THE MENU TO THE TEST.

There are actually three menus at L’Artichaut; the ‘market’ menu which changes daily, the ‘ripe-time’ menu which, when we visited, had four dishes using Scottish chanterelles and the 'seasonal' menu which featured five starters and four mains as well as sides and desserts. My pal was delighted with the range; even the beers, wines, ciders, spirits and cheeses are vegetarian.

To start, I chose cucumber salad, baked balsamic beetroot and warmed goat’s cheese (£4.00) and my friend went for bell courgette filled with hazelnut and chanterelle duxelle, and char-grilled saffron potato (£8.50). Signature canapés were a guacamole of artichoke hearts on a salad of sour sobs; exciting and exquisitely presented. My beet wedges were cooked to the perfect temperature and consistency, a fresh tagliatelle-style salad of lemony cucumber was refreshing and vibrant. My pal’s courgette was stuffed with a mix of chopped hazelnuts, shallots and chanterelles. The texture was mealy and the stuffing tasty.

For mains, I chose a cassoulet of chanterelles, potato gnocchi and broccoli (£8.50) and my friend had the char-grilled celeriac pave served with pistachio polenta, samphire grass and olive jus (£9.50). Sides were baked kohlrabi and sautéed vegetables (£2.00 each). My mushrooms were slippery, pungent and earthy; the gnocchi soft and succulent, the broccoli bright green al dente and it was all bound together in a comforting, creamy sauce. My friend's pave resembled a thick tuna steak in a moat of polenta. The samphire was garden green, vibrant and fresh. The kohlrabi and root vegetables were lightly cooked, the latter simple seasoned and tossed in a good quality olive oil. I love the fact that L'Artichaut has the guts to let the vegetable take centre-stage and the chef Belinda doesn't feel the need to 'compensate' for a lack of flesh.

Desserts were autumnal slow-roasted plums with vanilla olive oil, ginger and saffron sorbet and rose-dusted shortbreads (£4.50) plus one of the most interesting and tasty cheese plates (£5.00). I have had in a long time. It included a coolomier goat's cheese, a bleu de Basque, and a bomde de Sologne, all served at perfect temperature and washed down with a refreshing, not too sweet, dessert wine.

L'Artichaut is a very welcome and exciting addition to Edinburgh's gastronomic scene. Seasonal vegetables are admired and cooked with simplicity, understanding and imaginative twists. The chef is able to achieve this because at the heart of L'Artichaut is the understanding that good quality produce is king.