deer me

We were talking about venison, and suddenly that was the only thing that would suit for dinner. In the hotel dining guide I read about a place with Scottish fare, great atmosphere and a “laid back” approach that encouraged patrons to enjoy the meal at their leisure.

Not exactly a unique approach in these parts – I can’t think of any UK meal where I ever felt I was getting the bum’s rush; actually, there were times I was begging for the check. Anyway, this combination of factors, along with the fact that it was in walking distance, cemented it.

What a great meal –  you can just skip the link if you don’t care to read about it. But definitely go to Wedgewood if you’re ever in Edinburgh.

For the appetizer starter I had what in the U.S. we might call a fritter. It was risotto with Lanarkshire blue cheese, in a small fried ball with a tasty beetroot garnish. Crunchy and extremely tasty.

As a palate cleanser they brought a small shot glass of ginger beer and raspberry coulis. Delicious.

Oh, how I wish I had photographed this meal. Why didn’t I? I was the only patron in the place at this point. I guess I didn’t want them to think I was a restaurant critic (who else writes in a notebook all through dinner?) but I wish I could convey how beautifully this food was presented. People here always refer to a tasty meal as “gorgeous,” but this truly looked gorgeous.

As I said I ordered venison as the main. It arrived as two tenderloins, gorgeous and medium rare, along with a few cubed potatoes and a row of venison haggis buttons. There was a small fig and fig sauce on one potion of the plate as well – a sweet element for the venison. Honestly, the meat was so tasty that it didn’t need anything additional. I did like the fig au jus, although the server warned me it might not be to my liking if I preferred things savoury rather than sweet.

We also discussed how he, I and the chef all liked beetroot. And that I don’t care for wine. So he made me a special dessert drink: strawberry infused champagne. All in all, impeccable service. Delicious, unusual food. A great end to a great day!