I awoke feeling refreshed having had such a good nights sleep and surprisingly clear headed considering how much I had drank the previous evening!
I headed for the drowning awaiting me under that great shower in the magnificent bathroom to completely revitalise me and remove the last remaining embers sleep from my eyes!
Dressing I made my way down to breakfast served in the Orangery restaurant. Polite, enthusiastic staff awaited me there and brought me good fresh coffee and hot taste in no time at all. My companions joining me we all opted for the full works. I almost said “full English” but quickly remembered I had crossed the border and was now in Scotland! Such a request I am sure would have brought with it insult!
What a breakfast it was! I have to say it was by far the best white pudding I have ever tasted. Yes, that right, white pudding. I know, I haven’t seen it for ages either. It was fantastic! I could have eaten it again and again. Well done chef!!!
Breakfast consumed it was time to bid farewell to Mark and Nigel for another year, and being the nominated driver, it was my pleasure to return them to the airport for their awaiting flights home. Returning to the hotel, Darren, Alan and myself decided on a touch of sightseeing to pass the hours until our flight departed at six pm. off we drove to Edinburgh city centre.
We walked around for a while, a little lost and sat down for a coffee in a little café off the high street to discuss where we should spend the day. After much discussion we came to the conclusion that such an important decision could not be made over coffee and seeing how it was already 12pm we should carry on the debate in much more appropriate surroundings. Yes you guessed it…..off to the pub!
Now with a pint of Guinness in hand suggestions were flooding out and I am pleased to report that finally it was my suggestion that the group decided to go with. NO, I’m not that bad, we didn’t get another round in and spend the rest of the day on the pub!
I had noticed a sign directing you to Roselyn Chapel whilst making my way back from the airport. Now for those of you who are not movie or book buffs, Roselyn Chapel plays a huge part at the end of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code. So off we went.
We arrived at Roselyn at around 3.30pm on a now cold and wet Wednesday afternoon, early November and made our way into the gift shop and to the chapel itself.
I have to say Roselyn Chapel is breathtaking! The stone carvings are magnificent and the history and legends that surround the chapel fascinating to say the least. There are tombs galore, and even a couple of tombs where Nights Templar rest! We must have spent at least an hour and a half in there! I would advise anyone planning a trip within 50 miles of Edinburgh to take the time to visit this amazing piece of Scottish history.
We left the chapel feeling fulfilled having taking time out to fill up with culture and history and made our way through Scottish rush hour and to the airport. Being the good, kind-hearted friend that I am I dropped Daren and Alan off at the terminal building due to the heavy rain and returned the trusty Mondeo back to the kind people at Budget car hire, then took the courtesy buss back to the terminal, cold and wet!
We checked in to our flight with more time to spare this time round and bought sandwiches waiting for our flight to be called; the end of another Chefs Eat Out for a year and talk of what will be on the cards next year.
Thank you for reading this blog over the past few days, but keep checking us out as we are about to start writing about Midsummer House, last years Chef’s Eat Out which was an amazing experience with some of the most daring, modern, cutting edge food we had yet experience…..
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MARTIN WISHARTS by Daren
I got the vibe we were in for a good evening when we were greeted at the restaurant front door by three members of the restaurant team. Very focused, the way I’ve always imagined an experience should be. Taking our jackets and showing us to our table, a nice table, center of the restaurant, half with normal chairs and half banquet seating in a semi circle. Mark ordering the start of what’s to come with a nice bottle Champaign. N.V. Louis Roederer brut premiere, Reims.
Restaurant decorated in shades of brown. Textured walls, Bang Olufsen Cd player on the wall, great lighting and the heaviest crystal vases on the table, Clean Cut and unfussy
Menus read well and hard to choose from, could have had the tasting menu to save the hassle but finally got there. I chose the Partridge and foie gras Red Cabbage and Apple Sauce to start. Well presented, colorfully presented. Partridge wrapping the foie gras into a paupiette shape and sliced three times, Red cabbage braised into a sweet and sour chutney and ate well, as usual very hungry and the starter always gets devoured a bit too hastily! One of my down falls really. All of mostly choosing something different so sneaking a fork full here and there. You can tell by the table cloth’s new pattern!
For the mains Roast Monkfish, Braised Squid, Pea risotto and white onion sauce. Fantastic, Squid melt in the mouth, braised with good red wine and other elements. Monkfish and risotto all perfect and layered in the centre of the plate. With a fine cotton ball shaped potato angel hair, crispy and golden. Dish light and full flavored with a lightness of touch with presentation.
Cheeses were chosen next and we had a great presentation of three plates all with about six cheeses and a little truffle honey to eat with the goat’s cheese. Very good walnut bread, sesame seed biscuits and some digestive type sweeter biscuits.
Tasting of deserts were all fantastic and came separately, all stand alone well presented dishes. Caramel soufflé and caramel sauce, A pannacotta dusted in coconut and with a crème fraiche sorbet and a mousse in a chocolate crispy tube, A little boozed up to remember the titles but ate well and then came our petit fours, five different flavored jellies and about ten different soft centered truffles with the patterned tops, all presented on slate and in perfectly places lines, equally spaced (with a ruler?)
Coffee and several top ups of a great wine list and we head back, well impressed and a tough act to follow for next year.
These are the details that I can remember, we are a group of close friends that have a lot to catch up on from year to year so we will do our best to calculate the evening into words that can make sense.
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