No wonder celebs and chefs rave about this Edinburgh restaurant

The Herald Scotland

5 days ago

He's going to grow up with some very high standards indeed.
Pictured: The Palmerston is located in a former bank building in Edinburgh's West End (Image: Newsquest)
Though it's my first time dining in this former bank building on Palmerston Place, I feel as though I've been here before. That's perhaps because of how often their day-to-night baking and cooking have come up in conversation over the past year.
Dean Banks is a big fan of their pies, for example, and Richard E Grant is said to have awarded co-founder and chef Lloyd Morse a congratulatory high five upon sampling his fish stew.
Even with zero star power between us, Gaz and I have snagged a table for two at the day's final sitting, just hours before the first pop-up kitchen takeover kicks off a new guest-chef series for Fringe season.
Ah, The Fringe.
While there's no escaping streets plastered with handmade posters for five-star reviewed shows you've never heard of, the West End location of this restaurant otherwise feels like a little pocket of calm in the storm that is the annual festival.
Read more of Sarah Campbell's reviews:
From the get-go, I'm liking the look of The Palmerston's menu. The team here buy their animals whole and makes use of in-house butchery skills to ensure minimal waste, which means they're not afraid to serve the likes of rabbit or quail on the bone.
And even though we're fully aware there's a three-course meal ahead of us, a pre-starter snack of radish and anchoïade (£5) has to be done. For a salty-over-sweet-eater, it's a dream nibble with pungent, salty anchovies blitzed into a runny paste with garlic, olive oil, and vinegar served with half-moons of peppery pink-skinned veggies for dipping.
Pictured: A snack of anchoiade with fresh radish (Image: Newsquest)
It's accompanied by a wedge of sourdough bread (baked in-house) and an artery-clogging smear of salted butter. A simple snack that's indicative of all that's to come. There's no faffing with presentation, but man, does it taste good.
Pictured: Grilled squid salad wih marinated tomatoes and harissa (Image: Newsquest)
Next up is a grilled squid salad (£14), with assorted lettuce leaves and marinated tomatoes. With a touch of harissa staining the creamy dressing a soft shade of pink, it's not unlike a levelled-up version of a classic prawn cocktail. So far, so retro.
It's a world away from our second choice of fried rabbit shoulder (£13), where a perfectly crisped outer layer gives way to rich, gamey meat alongside padron peppers and herb-heavy green goddess dressing. 'No judgment if you use your hands with this one,' one of the servers dressed in a matching T-shirt had assured us upon the dish's arrival. Sound advice.
The smaller plates are of a deliciously high calibre, and I'd happily order either again with a glass of Cremant de Loire rosé (£10) for a more casual lunch date at the bar seats.
Pictured: Rabbit shoulder with Padron peppers and Green Goddess dressing (Image: Newsquest)Moving on, I'm thrilled to find the slow-roast Shetland lamb (£30) is topped with another dollop of that silky anchoïade. It's like running into an old friend on the street, and I already know the intense flavours will enhance a generous serving of tender dark meat and the chickpeas softened in its juices below.
Pictured: Slow roast Shetland lamb, chickpeas, green beans, oregano and anchoiade (Image: Newsquest)
The green beans are served untrimmed, as though they've just been plucked from a neighbourhood allotment. This is not the type of food that should be fiddled about with, and once more, I find myself appreciating the no-nonsense approach to presentation.
Elsewhere, a bed of smoky, spiced, sweetcorn is a terrific match for grilled quail (£27). And there are those same sort of charred green peppers from the starters again, their blistered skin giving the dish an extra bite of earthy bitterness.
Pictured: Grilled quail. spiced sweetcorn, frigatelli peppers and sage (Image: Newsquest)
From the side dishes of new potatoes or salad (both £5), our server had suggested the former. Given the portion sizes of the mains, we could have easily gone without the extra greenery, but for a lighter order of snack-y plates, these roughly torn leaves in a punchy dressing would likely be better appreciated.
Allowing ourselves just a moment to lament the final forkfuls of lamb and quail, all too soon we're on to desserts.
Pictured: Roast apricots, meringue, cream and pistachio (Image: Newsquest)
Neither of us has a particularly sweet tooth, so I'm surprised that my dinner date is reluctant to share his choice of roast apricots with meringue, pistachio and cream (£8). When he eventually relents, I quickly understand the reason for this fleeting moment of selfishness.
If ever there was a dessert that screamed summer, this is it, with tangy cooked stone fruit and sugary homemade meringue and a dusting of delicate nutiness.
Pictured: Greenage and almond tart with creme fraiche (Image: Newsquest)
My bargaining tool in this trade? The greenage and almond tart with creme fraiche (£8). This is a real showcase for the talent of the restaurant's bakery team, and there's no faulting the balance of sour, plum-like fruit with crumbly pastry and sponge-like filling.
It's unpretentious, thoughtful cooking at its best, and after a triumphant duo of desserts to end our Sunday lunch, The Palmerston effortlessly sails up the rankings of my favourite Edinburgh spots.
Menu: They're not afraid to serve meat on the bone at The Palmerston, and dishes are thoughtful yet unpretentious. An extensive wine list and whisky selection are also worth a look. 5/5
Service: The team are confident and chatty, filling us in on the special events to come and happy to make menu recommendations. 5/5
Atmosphere: A mix of families and small groups makes for a nice buzz in this chilled-out space. Next time, I'll make a booking for the bar seats.4/5
Price: Starters range from £9 - £14, and main courses sit around the £30 mark. 4/5
Food: With big bold flavours and no-nonsense presentation, The Palmerston effortlessly sails up the rankings of my favourite Edinburgh spots. 9/10
Total: 27/30
The Palmerston is located at 1 Palmerston Place in Edinburgh