6 days ago
A new take on Scottish produce at Michelin Guide Edinburgh restaurant
Cosy, it is not. But the sparse, Japandi-style décor is certainly very effective in setting the tone for food that marries creative Scottish cooking with influences from Scandinavia and East Asia.
Opened in January this year, Moss is the work of Ex-Noma chef Henry Dobson, who seeks to create a true farm-to-table experience in the heart of the city.
(Read more: Inside Moss, the city-centre restaurant that operates like a farm shop)
Pictured: Moss is located on St Stephen Street in Edinburgh (Image: Newsquest)
A large proportion of the ingredients on the menu tonight have been sourced from his family farm in Angus, as well as the wind fallen lime tree wood used for the dining tables and the soil for clay that has been deftly crafted into ceramic pieces by Dobson's wife, Akiko.
Even the paint used for the walls contains ash sourced from the farm.
Because of this dedication to sustainability and seasonality, the menus at Moss are ephemeral, with the chances of ordering the exact same meal on any return visit slim to none.
Read more:
Peeling back a translucent outer leaf denoting where specific ingredients hail from, we're presented with an a4 sheet of paper listing the small selection of dishes being served this evening.
There's disappointment early on with the news that there's no wood pigeon starter left. It's scrapped from our must-order list, leaving instead a veggie-friendly beetroot cremeaux (£12) to accompany our other first choice of gooseberry mackerel ceviche (£14).
Pictured: A dup of Cumbrae oysters to start (Image: Newsquest)
Before the revised choice of starters arrives, we'll knock back a pair of wonderfully salty Cumbrae oysters (£7 each) topped with pickled shallots that have retained a pleasing amount of crunch and order a glass of Davenport pinot noir (£13) alongside a Jump Ship non-alcoholic beer (£5) for the designated driver.
Admirably, all of the drinks at Moss have been sourced from across the British Isles in keeping with the ethos of the restaurant, meaning that unless you're a real buff, you might not have encountered these producers previously.
Pictured: Mackerel ceviche with bright blue spirulina (Image: Newsquest)
As anticipated, the ceviche is the winner of our first courses with its small mackerel fillets laid out in uniform lines and decorated in bursts of vivid blue spirulina. Going by social media, this colourful algae product is a calling card of Dobson's, used time and again on his ever-changing seafood dishes.
The fish pairs well with tart slivers of gooseberry, with hints of sweetness from spruce honey and silkiness from dainty dots of smoked crème fraiche.
Pictured: The beetroot starter is a worthy alternative for sold out wood pigeon (Image: Newsquest)
There are further bright hues to be found in the magenta sweep of beetroot cremeaux against Strathdon blue mousse. The best bit of this dish is undoubtedly the flavours of Christmas cake miso that are spicy, warming and umami-rich all at once.
Though the veggie starter is a pleasant surprise, it was always going to be hard for the alternative to impress with our hearts set on wood pigeon. With a menu this airtight, you would hope that the kitchen could fulfil its end of the bargain in delivering every option.
No matter, though, as there's a beautiful piece of game to be found in the smoked venison main (£34). Described by our server as a take on a steak and chips, this plate bears no resemblance to any pub dinner sirloin I've had before and is instead served with confit potato, girolles, Black Mount cheese and strawberries.
Pictured: Smoked venison with strawberry, confit potato and Blackmount cheese (Image: Newsquest)
A little more adventurous is the Barra monkfish (£29) and baby squid stained black with ink in a pool of creamy cauliflower and garlic. Delicate though this looks, there's a comfort food factor ramped up with the addition of a homemade crumpet for dipping.
There are elements of each dish that I can't quite put my finger on at first, which means more than once I'll return to the menu to identify something like hay, sea herbs or mint. It's an interesting way of eating, as though we're being challenged to attune our taste buds to different levels of flavour.
Pictured: Barra monkfish with baby squid (Image: Newsquest)
On that note, however, no matter how hard I search, I struggle to get much of the sunflower miso, fermented rhubarb, smoked hazelnut oil and bramble that's promised in the leafy local greens. Hand-foraged or not, the £10 price tag here seems steep for a side that does little to complement two such complex main dishes.
Finally, we're on to the solo dessert on the menu at Moss, the toasted chiffon (£12). This thick wedge of spongy cake, drizzled in whey caramel, is reminiscent of Hong Kong French toast or creamy Basque cheesecake at first glance, but even in the sacred realm of pudding, Dobson opts for a stripped-back approach.
There's little thrill of indulgence in such a subtle sweetness from spruce honey and berries, too tart for crumbled meringue to take the edge off. A strong charred taste bullies the light texture of this stylish pudding into submission, and will ultimately be the lasting memory of the final course.
A final tip is to avoid attempting to order an espresso unless you want to feel very silly indeed when a server has to remind you that it's strictly drinks produced in the British Isles available here at Moss.
Though many restaurants claim to celebrate Scotland's larder, Dobson and his team go one further here, creating menus that will challenge your perceptions of the wealth of produce even one farm can offer.
Surrender to the concept fully for an evening, and it's likely to be one of the most interesting dining experiences you'll have this year.
Menu: The compact menu is a testament to the restaurant's strong vision, but at times feels limiting, especially with one dish unavailable. 3/5
Service: A team of two front-of-house staff do a sterling job of looking after a full restaurant. 4/5
Atmosphere: Minimalist interiors are chic but a little cold, and the atmosphere here is one of hushed calm rather than conviviality. 3/5
Price: Sourcing is a vital part of the story at Moss and paying for produce of this calibre feels justified. That being said, £10 for dressed salad leaves smarts a little. 3/5
Food: I appreciate the strong sense of identity here and the dishes are executed flawlessly, though I do wonder if the appeal would extend to anyone who wouldn't class themselves as the 'foodie' sort. 7/10
Total: 23/30
Moss is located at 112 St Stephen Street.
