Review: The Little Chartroom

It is a family affair at The Little Chartroom, with head chef Roberta Hall in the kitchen and husband Shaun McCarron running front of house.

The couple opened the restaurant 10 days before they were married earlier this year, postponing their honeymoon until next January.

Formerly head chef at Castle Terrace, Hall also worked at The Kitchin and recently won the Young British Foodies 2018 Award, so we were very excited to dine at her new establishment.

The restaurant is small, seating only 18 diners, and the couple run a very tight ship. The menu offers a trio of choices for starters, mains and desserts. New dishes are developed by Hall every few days, inspired by local ingredients. Shaun greeted us with an elderberry fizz with foraged elderberries.

Sat at the bar, we overlooked the pass where we were delighted to watch Hall plate up dishes. Armed with tweezers, she constructed my starter, expertly placing strips of raw mackerel on a bed of crunchy apples, sweet and peppery kohlrabi, juicy elderberries and a garnish of grand fir.

The braised hare with homemade tagliatelle was simple with a delicious strong kick of garlic flavours. My main course of venison was succulent and tender, paired with chestnut, savoy cabbage and carrots and a wonderfully gamey surprise of liver parfait. The sauce was simply bursting with flavour.

My partner’s veggie option of herb crusted mooli, blue cauliflower and purple sprouting broccoli was tasty and full of colour, while the crispy capers added a delightfully salty finish. And now to desserts, where tiny candied crab apples circled a slither of apple and ginger cake, deliciously moist with flavours enhanced by homemade ginger ice cream.

30-31 Albert Place, Edinburgh www.thelittlechartroom.com

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