The Caledonian Edinburgh, or The Caley as it’s known to you and I, has been undergoing something of a transformation.
And as part of a metamorphosis that sees it join the Curio Collection by Hilton, the space formerly known as Peacock Alley has just emerged as The Court.
The Court is a vast dining space at the heart of the hotel with a mid-century, vintage luxury feel that’s perfectly in-keeping with this grande dame of Edinburgh hospitality. Think curvaceous velvet seating in a deep dusky pink and gold accented light fittings.
We’re instantly charmed by the sweet Quail Ceramics salt and pepper shakers, our table has Westies, but we spy puffins, seals and even owls. There’s a fabulous live musician strumming and crooning a variety of hits as we take our seats and peruse the menu.
But there’s a grand piano here too and I’ve also heard rumours of a harpist.
Another new addition at The Caley is a cocktail bar, so the cocktail menu seems as good a place to start as any. As in all of the best hotels, the cocktails are not cheap, but they are very, very good.
My Mango Highball was a totally tropical mix of tequila, Mango, citrus, Mezcal, chilli and a touch of fizz. Billed as perfect for fans of a Spicy Marg, this really hit the spot.
Our server explained to Rosie that his favourite cocktail was All The Berries (£15.50) which includes Edinburgh Elderflowers & Gooseberry Gin, Sipello Infused Cloud Catcher, Aelder Elderberry Elixir and Cranberry. It tasted much like a bag of Tooty Frooties – both sweet and sour – and was cheek-pinchingly good.
But what of the food? The menu, as you might expect, features lots of the stars of Scotland’s larder and there’s a nod to nostalgia with dishes like prawn cocktail, kedgeree, chicken Kiev and black forest gateau, sitting alongside more modern Scottish offerings.
We kick off with some warm sourdough, generously slathered with a fabulously smoky whipped brown butter. It’s a great start.
My starter Scottish White Crab starter (£12) was a generous portion of fresh and sweet shellfish with a rectangle of French toast and a deeply-flavoured, rich crab butter. It’s just what the doctor ordered.
Rosie started out with the Fried Duck Egg with Braised Oxtail (£12) which to her delight was served with ‘soldiers’ that had been cooked in oil.
Reminiscing about her favourite childhood breakfast (runny egg and toast cut into soldiers, of course), she tucked into this hearty portion of beef which was succulent, juicy and decadently rich. It was a bold choice to have gone for such a heavy starter, but she said that it was one she would happily repeat.
In an unusual turn of events, I ordered a fillet steak (£39) with a smoked mushroom sauce (£3). All of the beef at The Court is Scottish, 35-day dry-aged and sourced from butcher John Gilmour. It was cooked perfectly to order and the sauce was earthy and moreish. #
Sides of crisp, chunky hand-cut chips and a mini-Caesar salad with generous amounts of cheese, anchovies and a tart, creamy dressing were demolished with great gusto.
On the other side of the table, Rosie had cheated and looked at the pictures online before coming along to The Court, and had already spotted the Chicken Kiev with Smoked Garlic and Parsley Butter, Spinach and Wild Mushrooms (£25).
For that kind of money, you’d better hope it’s the best chicken Kiev you’ve ever had. And thankfully, it was pretty impressive.
The butter oozed out in a river of deliciousness, the chicken had a crunchy, breaded exterior, and the wild mushrooms added an earthy note to what was a humble staple.
It was, without doubt, a far more sophisticated version of what most of us produce at home. Rosie only wished that there were some crunchy greens served alongside it (the wilted spinach wasn’t quite enough to convince her that she’d had one of her five-a-day!)
Rosie had, thus far, chosen to enjoy a trip down memory lane with some childhood favourites, so felt she had to continue the theme. As such, the Ice Cream Sundae (£9) called her name.
The ginger stem ice cream she opted for was certainly more elevated than the trio of strawberry, chocolate and vanilla she might have once enjoyed in her youth. She got stuck two-thirds of the way in but had no regrets.
And I’m too curious about the Invisible Sticky Toffee Pudding (£9) not to give it a go. I don’t regret it when a bowl topped by a cloud of cotton candy arrives with a sweet and sticky sauce on the side. The pud is decadently rich and moist with a crisp, toffee covering and crowned with a creamy whisky ice cream.
The Court is open for all-day dining, decadent afternoon teas or just cocktails at the elegant bar.
The Court, The Caledonian Edinburgh, Princes Street, Edinburgh.
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