It’s Scottish summertime at its best as Morag Bootland heads for the city centre, to be one of the first to sample the new menu at Monteiths on the High Street.
I admit there was part of me that was reluctant to leave behind those rare rays to descend into the belly of the Old Town and the dimly lit, atmospheric restaurant and cocktail bar. But as my bus chuntered down Liberton Brae it soon became evident that the capital was shrouded in a thick blanket of haar and all of a sudden Monteiths brand of cosy, cellar-style dining seemed to fit the bill perfectly.
Monteiths is a bit of a hidden gem, if it’s possible to be such a thing on a street as busy as the Royal Mile. We follow the fairy lights down a charming wee close and continue to descend the winding stone staircase to the womb-like restaurant and bar within.
There’s a distinctly Scottish slant to the menu here, which is understandable considering Monteiths location. The restaurant prides itself on great Scottish produce of the surf and turf varieties. So, we’re delighted to kick off with Islay Oysters served au naturel and with a horseradish cream and caviar. Both were perfectly fresh, and for me the classic shallots, red wine vinegar, lemon and Tabasco combo is always going to be hard to beat.
A generous helping of haggis with smooth swede, crispy fried potatoes and a rich jus went down a treat with my hungry friend after a tough day at the office. While my ‘as-pretty-as-it-was-delicious’ whipped goat’s cheese with a variety of tender, salt-baked beetroot, sweet pear and smoked almonds felt a tad more summery and satisfyingly ticked a lot of flavour profile boxes.
Mains came in the form of a pearl barley barlotto, a hearty portion of tender pearl barley generously studded with forestière mushrooms and a hint of tarragon. And for me, two perfectly pink, thick cut discs of lean venison loin, with classic bedfellows of wild mushrooms, blackberries, kale and fruity blackberry jus.
We decide to share and share alike when it came to dessert. The raspberry butter cake with honey ice cream was a superb summer pud, marvellously moist and packed with sweet and tart berry flavours. However, it was the sticky decadence of the chocolate and miso caramel tart paired with a silky vanilla bean ice cream that saw our spoons do battle for every morsel.
A visit to Monteiths wouldn’t be complete without sampling the drinks menu and this subterranean hostelry is the perfect place for a whisky tasting. There are plenty of drams on the menu, and friendly bar staff to guide you. We were blessed with a special tasting courtesy of the lovely Charlie from Gleann Mor spirits. He brought along two single malts from this local independent bottler’s collection of Rare Find cask releases. A toffee-rich dram from Dalmunach Distillery in Speyside, which is owned by Chivas Brothers and the other a lighter, fruitier Blair Athol.
Finishing the evening at the bar sampling the impressive cocktail menu with a clarified mezcal margarita, we reflected on a new menu that is perfectly suited to anyone looking to enjoy the best of Scotland’s larder. There’s nothing experimental here, very few boundaries are being pushed, but its great food done really well. And with produce like this, in a setting like this, that’s more than enough.
Monteiths, 61 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1SR. Tel:
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