Stockbridge is one of my favourite areas of Edinburgh. I love the market on a Sunday, the independent shops and of course the bars and restaurants. It is distinct from the rest of Edinburgh, you feel like you’ve been transported to a small town far away. The waters running under the bridge flowing between the trees lining the banks, remind me more of a shire market town than a suburb of the capital. Sure there are people here wandering along the pavement, gazing into shop windows and aimlessly browsing the shelves, but in Stockbridge the people are equipped with walking stick and satchel, rather than selfie stick and rucksack. There’s none of the tourist trap merchandise, buskers and people statues you get further up the hill, Stockbridge is just that bit classier, more polished, more exclusive.
Just the place then to open a quality restaurant, which is exactly what Jane Walker and Jason Gallagher did back in 2004. Having been a chef for many years Jason had always dreamed of opening his own place and with Jane looking after things front of house they went for it, as if this wasn’t enough pressure they managed to open a new business whilst their son was only six months old, no mean feat. They opened with one simple aim: to create a relaxed fine-dining experience as a showcase for Jason’s creative flair in the kitchen. What did they decide to name this restaurant, in an area synonymous with quality and excellence? Well they named it The Stockbridge Restaurant, perfect!
The Stockbridge Restaurant is downstairs, just off the main street and as we passed through the doors out of the cold dreich night we were enveloped in warmth, both from the friendly greeting from the staff and the comfortable flickering of candles. The light carpets and furniture and dark walls punctuated with bright pictures and mirrors help make the restaurant even more inviting and after our coats were taken we were seated at a lovely table for two nestled in the corner.
We were offered drinks and menus straight away and were poured water. The menu selection was impressive, the hubby decided he preferred dishes from the set menu, whilst I went for the A la Carte offerings, but then we rarely agree on anything!
After we had ordered we were brought over slices of handmade bread. The white and granary were excellently baked examples of classic loaves, the third was an interesting Pesto bread, with hints of basil and garlic flavour coming through in every bite. The usual accompaniment of butter was present as well as a jug of vivid green liquid, containing a Chive & Chervil dip. This was first tasted with a little trepidation, but it was immediately discovered how smooth and refreshing the combination was, perfect for dipping the bread in. The first of many tiny touches and little surprises that popped up during dinner.
Like for example the Amuse-Bouche. I was expected fantastic cooking, you don’t get two rosettes for anything less, but I expected just the three courses I ordered, there was the sudden realisation that this wasn’t going to simply be a meal, this was going to be a culinary experience. The saltiness of the serrano ham was balanced by the creaminess of the mozzarella cubes and the sweetness of the tomato. A perfect little dish to get the taste buds working and also to introduce us to the chef’s creativity.
This led to heightened expectation for the arrival of our starters and they certainly didn’t disappoint. I had the spiced Pigeon breast and duck liver pate. The smooth creamy and delicately flavoured pate sat atop a wedge of brioche that was amazingly light. These served to counter-point the rich bombastic flavour of the pigeon and mellow what could easily be an overpowering flavour. The use of pickled onions and wild mushrooms had the same effect, to quieten down the flavour of the pigeon, but not detract from the taste. A fabulously balanced starter pulling out the best of all the ingredients.
The extravaganza that was the other starter was a veritable homage to all that is great about Pork. A trio of cuts took centre stage whilst a liberal sprinkling of black pudding outlined them, the smear of sweet potato puree beneath was the perfect foundation. A round of loin, wrapped in pancetta was simple and effective, the quality of the meat allowed to shine through, the same was true of the pork belly. Well sourced ingredients are the key to this dish, the quality of the meat allowed the simplest of presentation. The cheeks, an underused cut in my mind, were chopped, shaped and seasoned before being cooked and smothered in a fruity apple sauce and placed right in the middle. The rich peppery black pudding was also a high quality ingredient, which simply cubed was almost a garnish to the other three cuts. That much meat, especially with the flavours of the cheeks and black pudding could be overwhelming, but again a skilful addition of apple sauce and sweet potato puree neatly balanced the flavours.
The attentive service continued with plates cleared, water refilled and extra drinks offered, the seating of a large group of sixteen at the other end of the restaurant appeared to have no impact on the quality of service at all, these guys know exactly what they are doing and also know their menus. Any questions I had about the dishes were answered knowledgeably and with an apparent enthusiasm for the food.
My main course a Venison Loin with Venison Pie had intrigued me on the menu, which is why I ordered it. Wow! What a dish. The Venison was again a quality cut of meat, beautifully seared and pink in the centre. The pie, followed the Cottage Pie technique of using a mash potato top rather than pastry, was crowned by towering spires of parsnip crisp. The chopped venison in the pie was seasoned and the carrot and onion added to create a stunning filling and a very different flavour to the Loin. Along with all the dishes, the meat was only half the story, it was the parsnip puree and the red cabbage that brought the best out in the dish. The combination of sweetness, crunch and then the smoothness of the puree were a great compliment to the taste and texture of the venison. I foolishly ( and probably to the great upset of the chef) asked for a portion of sautéed potatoes with my venison, I didn’t need to, it was a mistake, I never should have done it and should have known that the chef would have created a perfect dish, without me running it with extras. I am so very, very sorry, but they were great potatoes..!
The wild mushroom risotto was equally brilliant, hubby managed to count at least four different types of mushroom before giving up and just eating them! The rice was creamy and each individual grain of rice stood alone, there was no stickiness, no stodginess or clumping and no chewy undercooked grains, it was simply a perfect, perfect risotto. Then it was garnished with a breast of corn fed chicken breast! The time spend working with suppliers, forming good relationships and emphasising quality is so apparent when a simply cooked breast of chicken tastes so immense. A simple Madeira sauce keeps everything moist and provides a boost of flavour to the dish, perfectly rounding off the main courses.
When I asked Jane what her favourite dishes were on the menu she mentioned that last year, for The Stockbridge Restaurants tenth birthday they compiled a menu of their favourite dishes over the previous ten years, I am devastated that I missed the Braised ox cheeks dish with horse radish creamed potatoes, crispy onion rings and a Bourguignonne sauce and the Grilled halibut dish with fried quail egg, crispy pancetta, Heritage potatoes, Spinach, mushrooms and an Arran mustard sauce. They sound sublime! I was pleased to hear that she would round this off with Jason’s indulgent vanilla rice pudding with apple compote and shortbread crumble, as this is exactly what I ordered for dessert!
Whilst we were waiting for dessert, out came some zingy passion fruit sorbet. Incredibly smooth and with a full well-rounded flavour, it was exactly what was needed to prepare us for our puddings.
The first was the Plum and nut crumble, the smooth tart plums contrasted well with the big chunky layer of sweet crumble, again a fantastic balancing of flavours. The praline ice-cream was a marvellous contrast to the hot crumble and added a whole new dimension to the dish by adding that hot/cold contrast.
I can understand why the rice pudding was recommended, it was just as good as the risotto. Clearly the kitchen are masters with rice! Serving the rice in a glass is a great idea as it shows of the layers and the creamy rice, flecked with Vanilla. This is another dessert full of contrasts, the sweet shortbread crumble and the creamy rice and then just lurking at the bottom is the fruity apple compote. Just amazing! The cinnamon ice cream again gives that hot/cold contrast and the cinnamon is a natural partner for the apple and the rice. Both desserts were fantastic and a great way to finish off an exceptional meal.
I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner experience at The Stockbridge restaurant, the use of quality local ingredients and the talent of the chef combine to create truly exquisite dishes. The service front of house and the comfortable surroundings are just as outstanding, this combined with the food results in an impressive dining venue. When I asked Jane to describe The Stockbridge Restaurant in four words she replied with Honest, Reliable, Local and Creative. I can’t argue with that, the Local produce from named suppliers were skilfully prepared with great flair by the kitchen brigade. All this culinary genius is also very reasonably priced, the set menu, available Tuesday – Friday was £24.95 for three courses, whilst the three courses off the A La Carte menu comes in a whisker under £40. I think for an Edinburgh restaurant of this quality this represents exceptional value for money.
I’ll let Jane have the last word, because I think it perfectly sums up The Stockbridge Restaurant. I asked what Jason and she had planned for the future and she replied “To keep doing what we’re doing – as long as our customers are happy we are happy!”
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