Fancy a walk up Calton Hill?
We committed to the hike up there last week to eat at The Lookout, the new restaurant from the team behind the renowned Gardener’s Cottage and Quay Commons. Built on a cantilever, so partially suspended over Calton Hilll’s North West slope, the views of the east side of the city are amazing.
After the walk, slices of their sourdough and whipped butter were a welcome start to the meal. To start, my ‘Mackerel, Apple, Yoghurt’ was a complex multi-layered dish, the rich oily flavours of the hot mackerel offset by the tart freshness of crunchy pickled apple and a dollop of apple sauce. Charred pickles and spring onions added a wonderful smokey element to this delicious starter. On the meat side, my partner’s ‘Pigeon, Cocoa, Bramble’ combined slices of perfectly pink pigeon with bittersweet brambles, hints of rich chocolate and a healthy addition of kale for an impeccably well balanced dish.
For mains, sustainable halibut from the Isle of Gigha was served on a layer of braised and pickled kohlrabi that proved just how delicious eating your greens could be. This was served with a creamy celeriac sauce scattered with plump cockles and mussels.
The venison was also exemplary, beautifully tender and served on a flavoursome bed of barley with sweet carrots and kale.
I am still dreaming of the chocolate mousse with tangy sea buckthorn and crunchy hazelnuts. However, that’s not to say I’d say no to another taste of the blood orange soufflé, which was delightfully sweet with fresh flavours of clementine.
Now open seven days a week, we will be definitely be back and not just for the view.
Calton Hill, Edinburgh
Sue Hitchen
