… dismisseth us. Apart from the tongue-twister, the port town of Leith on the northern outskirts of Edinburgh is famous for The Royal Yacht Britannia, the Queen’s former home-from-home, and a restaurant that I’d love to be my home-from-home, The Kitchin. Named after it’s owners Tom and Michaela Kitchin, this waterfront restaurant encapsulates all that is good about seasonal Scottish produce.
The youngest ever winner of a Michelin star, Tom Kitchin has an eye for detail that you notice as soon as you enter the restaurant. There’s nothing daunting or pompous about the experience – just a relaxed atmosphere in which to enjoy wonderful local food.
Where? The Kitchin. 78 Commercial Quay, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6LX
Why? Because nowhere else will you be offered a whisky that “has a bouquet like a newly painted children’s bedroom after 3 days” (see below).
We had a signature tasting menu, a seasonal tasting menu and an accompanying wine menu with a couple of extras. The fact the we paid a total of 275 pounds (the most that we’ve ever spent on dinner for 2) and that we left the restaurant feeling that we’d had a value-for-money experience sums-up our evening. It wasn’t decadence – you can choose to spend the same amount on three or four average but forgettable meals or you can pay for a single unforgettable gastronomic experience and eat pasta for a couple of days – do the latter!
The highlights were the various wafers with cream cheese and toasted buckwheat dip served with the cocktails, the tiny vegetable consomme introduction, the signature scallops, the seasonal grouse, the gooseberry dessert and the salty caramel petit fours.
The sommelier expertly described the accompanying wines – which added an extra dimension to the meal. Even the newest recruit (with only 3 weeks experience) was well-versed in the menu components – impressive!
Another highlight of the evening was the barman’s description of the 30 year-old Miltonduff whisky as having a bouquet like a “newly painted children’s bedroom after 3 days”. Maybe he didn’t say “children’s” – but you get the picture. Fortunately, we wallpapered our childrens’ bedrooms.
There were so many other examples of Attention To Detail (especially the maps showing where ingredients are sourced, the individual take-home menus, the little tweedy bread baskets, the fleecy stools which can be used for handbags and the saucerless espresso cups). Details make perfection as Mr Kitchin clearly understands.
All-in-all a most enjoyable experience that we hope to repeat the next time that we come to Edinburgh.