Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(located just a short stroll south of Royal Mile) is internationally eclectic: From
Mexico to Thailand, India to the Med. The dining room is as stylish as the cooking,
and to top it off, the prices are very reasonable.
56-58 St. Mary's St.
&
0131/556-5888.
www.davidbann.com. Reservations recommended. Main
courses £7.50-£12. AE, MC, V. Daily noon-10pm. Bus: 36.
Howies
SCOTTISH/MODERN BRITISH David Howie Scott started his epony-
mous restaurant with modest ambitions (for example, guests brought their own
wine). He went on to create a minor empire in Edinburgh, where there are now four
branches, some 20 years after the business was founded. The one on Victoria Street,
in Old Town, is probably the most convenient for tourists. The company's motto is
“fine food without the faff”—and I might add “sold at reasonable prices,” as well.
Typical dishes include pan-seared supreme of chicken, honey-cured Scottish
salmon, or gnocchi with fresh basil pesto.
10-14 Victoria St.
&
0131/225-1721.
www.howies.uk.com. Reservations recommended. Fixed-price
lunch £10; main courses £10-£15. AE, MC, V. Daily noon-2:30pm and 6-10pm. Bus: 2, 41, or 42.
La Garrigue
FRENCH The chef and proprietor of La Garrigue, Jean
Michel Gauffre, hails from the southern French region of Languedoc and he effec-
tively re-creates the fresh and rustic cooking of his birthplace. The feeling of the
dining room is informal but still smart, with some stylish hand-crafted timber furni-
ture. The menu can feature a hearty roast or cassoulet (stew) with beans, confit
duck, Toulouse sausage, pork, or lamb. In addition to such hearty dishes, expect
something more delicate, such as pan-fried filet of bream. The wines are from south-
ern France, too. Often, chef Gauffre will come in the dining room to see how it is
going and have a friendly chat—he knows that small touches go a long way. La Gar-
rigue is well worth a detour off the Royal Mile.
31 Jeffrey St.
&
0131/557-3032.
www.lagarrigue.co.uk. Reservations recommended. Fixed-price lunch
£14; fixed-price dinner £25.50. AE, MC, V. Mon-Sat noon-2:30pm and 6:30-10:30pm. Bus: 36.
Tower Restaurant
SCOTTISH/MODERN BRITISH Because the Tower is set
at the top of the Museum of Scotland, it's worth requesting a window seat when
making a reservation here. A sister operation to The Witchery by the Castle (p. 80)
and Rhubarb (see below), the kitchen here employs local ingredients to create some
tasty fare: Hearty portions of steak, roast venison, and excellent seafood are typically
featured on the menu. In addition to a daytime tea menu and evening a la carte,
there is the proprietor's fixed-price (£30) three-course James Thomson Celebration
menu.
In the Museum of Scotland, Chambers St.
&
0131/225-3003.
www.tower-restaurant.com. Reserva-
tions required. Fixed-price lunch £13; main courses £14-£22. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily noon-11pm. Bus: 2, 41,
or 42.
Wedgwood the Restaurant
SCOTTISH/MODERN BRITISH Perhaps the
next place to earn an internationally recognized accolade will be this small restaurant
run by chef Paul Wedgwood (no connections with the famous bone china produc-
ers). The menus change with the seasons, and recipes combine Scottish ingredients
with some Asian influences here and there. A popular signature dish has been
salmon done three ways: poached, smoked, and cured, each with different accom-
paniments. Expect a glass of sparkling wine and an appetizing
amuse-bouche
to start
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