Thistle Hotel, Edinburgh
A meal of strong contrasts. Standard chilean red was very impressive but with the usual hotel mark up. First course of Pheasant paté, Ayrshire bacon and scottish cheese was just plain awful. It was cold, had clearly been sliced from a greater lump of paté but tasted of absolutely nothing. Couldn't make out any of the flavours suggested.
The Roast loin of venison with port wine jus, rosti and roast vegetables was however divine. Cooked rare, solid meat - no waste, lovely rosti (3cm rings again) and 9 square cut carrots and parsnips served in a mini jenga formation. Waiter told me that most people want their venison better cooked but for me it was perfect. The port wine jus was hedonistic in the extreme. Well done chef. Now do something to give the pheasant paté some taste.
£37 for 2 courses and a bottle of red was high but the alternative was to walk the streets looking for good cooking while risking dying from exposure. I took the gout inducing option.
The Roast loin of venison with port wine jus, rosti and roast vegetables was however divine. Cooked rare, solid meat - no waste, lovely rosti (3cm rings again) and 9 square cut carrots and parsnips served in a mini jenga formation. Waiter told me that most people want their venison better cooked but for me it was perfect. The port wine jus was hedonistic in the extreme. Well done chef. Now do something to give the pheasant paté some taste.
£37 for 2 courses and a bottle of red was high but the alternative was to walk the streets looking for good cooking while risking dying from exposure. I took the gout inducing option.
posted by Julius Caesar at
8:11 pm
