FOOD & DRINK NEWS & REVIEWS
SEASONS GREETINGS Bravely armed with seasonal, local produce, a brigade of young, enthusiastic restaurateurs and chefs are rising against the outdated constraints of a menu. Nick Dunne reports from Edinburgh’s latest frontline
I n the premises of the old Blue Moon Café, halfway down Broughton Street, new restaurant Seasons is one place you won’t find haggis, neeps and tatties. Or, at least, it’s unlikely you’ll find them sharing the same plate. You may well, however, find the constituent parts of this quintessentially Scottish dish amongst the 50 or so ingredients from which Swedish chef Alex Dusak delivers a revolving five, seven or ten-course tasting experience.
Created by owner and executive chef Matt Urry, the indisputable Scandinavian influence of the restaurant – in the kitchen, on the constantly rotating inventory of ingredients and in many of the plates served up – is also evident in the decor. By design the spacious main dining area, accessed via an unassuming café-like entrance, is a lumberjack’s fantasy of floor to ceiling pine, evoking a cosy cabin on the edge of the Arctic. Provenance is a fundamental element of Seasons’ food ethos. Only ingredients readily available from small Scottish and Scandinavian suppliers are considered, with a forager employed to pluck previously neglected local herbs and sea vegetables from their natural environment, adding further vibrancy to many of the dishes. Crispy channel wrack seaweed, sea herbs, spiced lentils and squash
SEASONS
are perfect foils for seared hand-dived scallops, while salty smoked shrimp with pickled red onion, garlic aioli, sourdough crisps and an inventive dill meringue is a harmonious combination; a big fishy wallop across the tastebuds guaranteed by the herring roe. The shimeji mushrooms, wild leek, punchy radish leaves and garlic purée that accompany a hare ravioli prove that vegetables can be the star. Meanwhile, a duo of white chocolate ganache and delicate red wine-poached pear nestle within a bed of almost- savoury pomegranate and seed granola to produce another in a procession of inventive, enticing dishes. Drinks pairings are so often limited to wine, but here there are no such restrictions, with beer and cocktail matches just as likely. Owner Urry’s previous forays into the scene were pop-up restaurants, but with ongoing expansions planned for 2016, both to the kitchen and the staff, it’s clear that Seasons is no temporary venture. For the sake of the revolution, that can only be a good thing.
+ A genuinely exciting culinary experience - You’ll likely be too full to enjoy a nightcapin
36 Broughton Street, Edinburgh, EH1 3SB, 0131 466 9851, seasonstasting.co.uk
Wed–Fri noon–2.30pm, 5.30–9.30pm; Sat / Sun noon–2.30pm, 5.30–10pm. Closed Mon / Tue [Bar open Wed–Sun noon–1am]. Dinner: £30 for five plates; £45 for seven plates; £55 for ten plates. Lunch (three-course set price): £18.50.
52 THE LIST 7 Apr–2 Jun 2016
DRINKS NEWS
The first entirely gluten-free craft brewery to brew in the UK, Edinburgh’s new Bellfield Brewery has launched their first two beers, a pilsner and an IPA, both certified by Coeliac UK and carrying the crossed grain symbol. Further styles will follow, as will a move to their own brewery in Abbeyhill. Through in Glasgow, the folk behind the various Butterfly & Pig outlets have opened up MacGregors Pie & Ale Howf on Blackfriars Street in the Merchant City, while Ryan Barrie, owner of Citation, is behind The Spiritualist Bar & Restaurant, which has a decent range of the stronger stuff as well as upmarket bistro food.
RECOMMENDS . . . RECOMMENDS . . .
GIGI’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT BONNYRIGG
A small slice of Italy in the heart of Bonnyrigg. Mother and Son team, Marisa & Luigi Pia have created a quality dining environment. Try a Birra Moretti to compliment your dish.
gigisrestaurant.co.uk