Haute Hillhead
Jan Zeschky uncovers a serious fine-dining player arriving in an unexpected location
hen l.tlltlll;tIl\lllj_' huxrnexx speak
hegan to creep into the ua} lIllllj.'\
\xere run at etarn restaurant lll I’rtnces Square a couple ol _\ear\ hack. chel \erl ('Iark kneu it \\a\ lrrne to pack up Ill\ ]‘.lll\ \ol one to Ullllpltllllht‘ on his creatiuty he lelt the .martl \tmnmg I‘t'ench Scottish restaurant to ll\ late ol corporate rehr'antlmg. \oxx. almost [no lie Il;t\ lt‘\tllI.lct'tI together \xrth most ol Ill\ original learn in the \\e\t Ixutl. III a little hrtck huiltlmg at the top ol Hues Road that'\ hetter knoun lor Iltltl\lllj_‘ the local hranch ol I'opp.
\\ith line l‘rench cuixme a scarce commotlit} he_\ontl the cit_\ centre. ('Iark \I‘UIIUKI an opportunit} in Ilillheatl antl. it l.a \allee Blanche'x ear|_\ lorm ix an_\thing to go h}. his iutlgement is spot on. l'ormerh a collection ol lustt antique stalls. the room has heen tranxlormetl irtto something tltat suggests tlte i\|pine lotlge hintetl at in llte name. its calm interior |te;r\§ with dark \\ootl panelling and red l'urnixhingx. and lo\\ lit h} a cltttch ol’ stag antler lamps and llickering cautllex lining the long \xintlou. \Vhat'x more immetliatel} noticeahle. IlU\\L‘\L‘l'. l\ [Ilc‘ IltlllL‘\l ‘.\L‘IL'tllllL‘ tllltI llllt‘c'llttlh warmth ol the stall: elil'ortlesxl) prolexxional. al\\a_\\ concernetl. elahorate tantl passionatel in
their descriptions ol~ the loca||_\ sourced protluce
_\ear\ alter lI\ cloxttre.
antl assemhletl dishes; _\et at the same tirrte almost imisihle. \\ith glasses magicth lilling themsehes. empt_\ plates disappearing. (‘learh a keen understanding ol' the \xhole operation runs throughout the entire team. and this eontrihutex a gl't‘dl tIL‘;lI [U [Ilc‘ I'L‘I;I\L‘tI ;tlllltl\|‘Ilc‘l‘L‘ \\ lIIllll. Menus range l‘rom a lunch list ol'l'ering }c';tt‘ round classics such as onion soup and steak l‘rites. to a conci\e. seasonal a la carte that hoaxtx more in\enti\e (iallic dishes and hareh puts a loot \\rong. rl‘he all—Hench \\ine list is also short and ttntlouhtetll} \\ ell chosen. hut. starting tll a I‘UIIIL‘. 4| IlllIL‘ Ull IIlC tIc‘;ll' \ltIL‘l. Starters ntight include a tartlet \\ith a light. almost mousse—like morel filling. the \tthtle earth} lla\our\ ol~ \\hich \Io\\|_\ irttettsil} ;tct‘o\\ the palate. Searetl scallops ma_\ he hecorning something oli a tthitputous \eal'ootl option in
‘SUPERLATIVE SERVICE
AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL MARK IT OUT AS ONE TO WATCH'
middle to upper market l‘c\lattlattl\_ hut teaming these lirexh. tlehcate morsels \\rth astringent apple and hlack putlthng puree f_'t\e\ them llc“.‘. \ iht'anc_\c
Ihe mains \ce ('larlxK kitchen hit lull \trrtle ~Stantloutx include an e\tpu\ite ;t\\lctlc ol porlx \otrrcetl lrom Ix’amxat'x ol ('arhtke: lu’m loin. tetttler. \hr‘etlthng hell_\ and liaix}. llllll\l cheek. \er\etl \\ ith \\ rltetl \aMt} cahhage and the \lllll‘h' \nother
attracti\el_\ presentetl plate is \ctlIICICkI with
meal_\ l'la\our\ ol the pan prices.
roastetl chestnuts. garhc clo\e\ antl hah_\ tllllt‘ll\.
EATING SPOTS WITH A CURIOUS FORMER LIFE
360 Byres Road. Glasgow. 0141 334 3333
marmatetl oh\e\ .lIItI cll\[‘_\ lrretl ha_\ |c.t\c\. all hrought together h_\ a \lacL ol tentler. ruh_\ retl \hcex ol game} world pigeon hreasl a leaxt ol lla\our\ [he pastr} chel lll.tllll.t|ll\ thrx \cttxc ol p|a_\lulue\\ \xrlh a llltll\l httt lirrn poachetl pear teametl v. ith tlelrcate panacotta .IIIKI all e\tt.rortl1rtar_\ ice creatu lla‘aruretl ‘.‘.llil grourul tonl.a heart. ‘.‘.illcil tc‘.cai\ Mood} ctllIII‘it"\lIlt'\ that ‘motrltl ila‘. e \ornmeherx L'lhIllllL'
It's thc\e \uhtle. rnno‘.atr\e tIk'I.llI\ .IIItI the \trperlatn e \ct‘. ice that marl» |.a \allee lilaut he
a\ one to thatch II] the litre thmng \l.ti_c\
A Room in Leith
1c Dock Place. Leith. Edinburgh 0131 554 7427, www.aroomin.co.uk c ' Vet-u '\" '
12 THE LIST , ‘~
Bella Mbriana 7-11 East London Street, Broughton. Edinburgh 0131 558 9581
Mother India's Cellar 28 Westminster Terrace, Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, 0141 221 1663, www.motherindia.co.uk