When someone trumpets the oft-used phrase ‘good things come in small packages’, there’s usually a skeptical groan in response from the listener. When our waiter says it to us at Yauatcha, however, the only audible sound comes from our bellies, rumbling in anticipation.
Created in 2004, Yauatcha is a modern Chinese teahouse that offers diners ‘an all-day grazing experience’. While Yauatcha has a full a la carte menu, its specialty is dim sum and it is these tasty morsels that earned the restaurant its Michelin star in 2005.
With over 50 types of dim sum on offer, we linger over the menu, relishing the evocative ingredients--duck egg, cloud ear and black fungus, just to name a few—on display. After soliciting a few recommendations from our waiter, we choose taro lotus wraps, winter melon dumplings, jasmine tea smoked ribs, roasted duck pumpkin puffs, and Chinese pear and taro croquettes.
While previous experiences of dim sum have always been a bit same same, Yauatcha doesn’t disappoint. The serves are generous and beautifully presented, and each dish has a unique combination of flavours and textures. The pear and taro croquettes end with a light touch of cloves, and the tea smoked ribs fall apart perfectly.
Handmade chocolates and macaroons tempt us from the dessert menu (and elaborate cocktails tempt us from the drinks menu) but we are too full to eat any more, so we opt to finish with a tea instead. While we sip our green and blue Taiwanese tea, we agree that it encapsulates our Yauatcha dining experience – sophisticated, delicate and delicious.
Showing posts with label Reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reviews. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Bay of Bengal Restaurant
Located on Edinburgh’s most famous street, the Bay of Bengal restaurant certainly has some magnificent neighbours. With Edinburgh Castle to the left and the Palace of Holyroodhouse to the right, one could even quip that the restaurant is ‘stuck between a Castle Rock and a Holyrood Place’. But there are definitely no sticking points about the Bay of Bengal, it’s a true gem deserving of its place on the Royal Mile.
While not quite as old as the castle, the family-run Bay of Bengal has been serving authentic Indian and Bangladeshi cuisine for 32 years. Despite its longevity, the owners continue to keep the place feeling fresh – recent renovations give the décor a sleek, contemporary feel, while new dishes and specials (like the early bird 3-courses from £7.95) spice up the menu.
For starters, try the Lamb Tikka with vibrant notes of cumin and coriander. The Mango Chicken Malay Curry is a winner for the more mild-mouthed, while the Bay of Bengal Special Rezala is a sure-fire choice for those who like it hot (ask for extra chilli!). Vegies will love the Matar Panir, a curry of peas and home-made cheese, but best of all are the breads. Cooked in their new Tandoor oven, the Paratha and Naan – crisp on the outside, fluffy and soft on the inside – are the crowning glory of a most treasurable meal.
While not quite as old as the castle, the family-run Bay of Bengal has been serving authentic Indian and Bangladeshi cuisine for 32 years. Despite its longevity, the owners continue to keep the place feeling fresh – recent renovations give the décor a sleek, contemporary feel, while new dishes and specials (like the early bird 3-courses from £7.95) spice up the menu.
For starters, try the Lamb Tikka with vibrant notes of cumin and coriander. The Mango Chicken Malay Curry is a winner for the more mild-mouthed, while the Bay of Bengal Special Rezala is a sure-fire choice for those who like it hot (ask for extra chilli!). Vegies will love the Matar Panir, a curry of peas and home-made cheese, but best of all are the breads. Cooked in their new Tandoor oven, the Paratha and Naan – crisp on the outside, fluffy and soft on the inside – are the crowning glory of a most treasurable meal.
Rainbow Restaurant & Takeaway
Eating fish and chips is synonymous with being British. More than just a national dish, it’s a comfort food, a love affair, a dish that promises to warm the cockles of your heart after a hard day. To be truly patriotic, it’s not about knowing the lyrics to God Save the Queen but about finding the perfect fish and chip shop.
Luckily for the people of Edinburgh, Rainbow Restaurant is one such place. Located on the high street of Musselburgh, a coastal area just a short drive from the city centre, this place has been a chippy for over 80 years. The current owners, the Cerasuolo family, have been there for 30 years and have got their fish and chips down to a fine art.
The fish is fresh and tasty, their chips creamy and bursting with flavour. They also make incredible home-made pizza (crisp pizza crust on the outside, with just a hint of doughy texture on the inside – perfect!) and their menu boasts of burgers, kebabs and other chippy favourites, all made from locally-sourced produce.
With such great food and friendly, efficient service, it’s no surprise that the place is often abuzz with customers vying for a table at the back of the shop. And if you’re patriotic about being British, and about your fish and chips, it’s definitely a table worth fighting for.
Luckily for the people of Edinburgh, Rainbow Restaurant is one such place. Located on the high street of Musselburgh, a coastal area just a short drive from the city centre, this place has been a chippy for over 80 years. The current owners, the Cerasuolo family, have been there for 30 years and have got their fish and chips down to a fine art.
The fish is fresh and tasty, their chips creamy and bursting with flavour. They also make incredible home-made pizza (crisp pizza crust on the outside, with just a hint of doughy texture on the inside – perfect!) and their menu boasts of burgers, kebabs and other chippy favourites, all made from locally-sourced produce.
With such great food and friendly, efficient service, it’s no surprise that the place is often abuzz with customers vying for a table at the back of the shop. And if you’re patriotic about being British, and about your fish and chips, it’s definitely a table worth fighting for.
Tonic
After a hectic working week, I couldn’t wait to shake off my 9-to-5 cubicle blues and what better place to kickstart my weekend than at Tonic, for that perfect pick-me-up.
A favourite with the cocktail crowd, Tonic is nestled in a cosy basement space just off George Street. The bartenders here are serious mixologists, experimenting like mad scientists behind the bar, mixing premium spirits, homemade syrups and exotic liqueurs in an unyielding desire to create the ultimate drink.
The result is an ever changing menu of Frankenstein proportions. Classic cocktails are deconstructed and merged, and new ingredients shaken and stirred to create over 30 unique cocktails to suit all tastes.
We sampled the Dark & Stormy Daiquiri, a tasty combination of the two classic rum cocktails. Another rum favourite was the aptly-titled Rhumadan, a four-rum mix topped with a silky chocolate orange foam. Party at Roses, a rosemary-smoked Margarita, tickled my savoury tastebuds while my drinking buddy was partial to Monkey’s Got a Gun, a patriotic concoction of fudge-infused whisky, chocolate bitters and Innis & Gunn oak-aged beer.
The drinks on the menu, however, are just suggestions and the boys behind the bar also created delicious new cocktails for us on the spot. When I left Tonic that night, I felt indulged, rejuvenated and ready to shout from the rooftop, ‘I’m alive! I’m alive!’
A favourite with the cocktail crowd, Tonic is nestled in a cosy basement space just off George Street. The bartenders here are serious mixologists, experimenting like mad scientists behind the bar, mixing premium spirits, homemade syrups and exotic liqueurs in an unyielding desire to create the ultimate drink.
The result is an ever changing menu of Frankenstein proportions. Classic cocktails are deconstructed and merged, and new ingredients shaken and stirred to create over 30 unique cocktails to suit all tastes.
We sampled the Dark & Stormy Daiquiri, a tasty combination of the two classic rum cocktails. Another rum favourite was the aptly-titled Rhumadan, a four-rum mix topped with a silky chocolate orange foam. Party at Roses, a rosemary-smoked Margarita, tickled my savoury tastebuds while my drinking buddy was partial to Monkey’s Got a Gun, a patriotic concoction of fudge-infused whisky, chocolate bitters and Innis & Gunn oak-aged beer.
The drinks on the menu, however, are just suggestions and the boys behind the bar also created delicious new cocktails for us on the spot. When I left Tonic that night, I felt indulged, rejuvenated and ready to shout from the rooftop, ‘I’m alive! I’m alive!’
Hotel Novotel: Elements Restaurant & Bar
Situated in a 4-star hotel in central Edinburgh, Elements Restaurant & Bar focuses on using high-quality, locally-sourced produce to provide a diverse range of lunch and dinner options. An everyday menu offers a large selection of light bites and traditional favourites while head chef Craig Whitwar also creates an intriguing fortnightly menu of contemporary Scottish cuisine.
From this menu, the starter of blue cheese and walnut soufflé catches my eye although I struggle picking my main course – how to choose between medallions of Highland venison served with a chilli chocolate fondue or North Sea scallops on a celeriac and vanilla mash? They both sound divine. I opt for the venison (to match our wine – a New Zealand pinot noir) while my dining companion selects the spinach & Dolcelate risotto and Scottish cheese plate for dessert.
Along with a complimentary assortment of fresh bread, our meal is delicious and immaculately presented. And at £16.95 for two courses (or £19.95 for 3), it is sensational value.
The service is also excellent and the ambience is very inviting – we are so cosy at our table that when we finish our meal, we’re reluctant to leave.
The perfect dining experience is all about the right combination of ingredients – food, service, atmosphere – and at Elements, they certainly live up to their name.
From this menu, the starter of blue cheese and walnut soufflé catches my eye although I struggle picking my main course – how to choose between medallions of Highland venison served with a chilli chocolate fondue or North Sea scallops on a celeriac and vanilla mash? They both sound divine. I opt for the venison (to match our wine – a New Zealand pinot noir) while my dining companion selects the spinach & Dolcelate risotto and Scottish cheese plate for dessert.
Along with a complimentary assortment of fresh bread, our meal is delicious and immaculately presented. And at £16.95 for two courses (or £19.95 for 3), it is sensational value.
The service is also excellent and the ambience is very inviting – we are so cosy at our table that when we finish our meal, we’re reluctant to leave.
The perfect dining experience is all about the right combination of ingredients – food, service, atmosphere – and at Elements, they certainly live up to their name.
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