This is fine dining that remembers to be fun. Borough’s menu consists of a selection of small plates and diners are encouraged to share. There’s no formal order of service; instead, dishes come to suit the palate, with our strongest tasting dish being served last.
Head Chef Darren Murray, formerly of Norn, advances the menu regularly, reacting to diners comments, and moving things forward with new seasonal ingredients.
The wholewheat bread with homemade butter that arrived as soon as we sat down ensured the evening was off to a great start. Our first dish, sweetcorn veloute and smoked cheddar, was heartwarming and creamy with delightful pops of corn. Next up, mackerel, pumpkin and bittercress was a delightfully layered dish, the sweet pumpkin offset by the bitterness of the cress while crunchy pumpkin seeds added excellent texture to the fish.
Sika deer, sausage and elderberry was the star of the show. Slices of venison were cooked to perfection and the homemade venison sausages were packed full of flavour, while the tasty elderberries, foraged in Dunbar and pickled in the restaurant’s wine store, were true to Borough’s ethos of local, seasonal cooking.
We could not resist dessert, and the chocolate, bramble and stout didn’t disappoint. Creative stout ice cream was wonderfully creamy and balanced, perfectly paired with a luscious salted caramel cake.
There’s a great selection of well priced fine wines, with plenty available by the glass, and special mention must go to restaurant manager Richard Kyle and assistant manager Marta, whose friendly, welcoming attitude makes everyone feel like a regular at Borough.
50-54 Henderson Street, Edinburgh
