Christmas came early for us recently as we were invited to try out Kyloe’s festive menu. We were last here in May for a birthday celebration and are always impressed by the organised service and quality of food that emerges from the compact kitchen that also caters for the Huxley below. We arrived on a Saturday lunchtime and the restaurant was busy with a nice mixture of families catching up, friends swapping gossip and couples enjoying each others company. It’s a comfortable space with lots of room between tables and an open view over the West End.
I like the fact that Kyloe has a strong sense of its own bovine identity and it’s carried through to their Chrismas menu where refreshingly, there’s not a bird to be found. Instead, they have come up with a menu that feels festive and unique but without giving you that Vicar of Dibley feeling.
There are four choices available for each course and if you are having lunch, three courses will cost £28 per person while dinner is £38 per person. Vegetarians aren’t short-changed either although I’m not sure that a gourmet steak restaurant would be their first choice for dinner. Good news for the gluten-free too as the chef has worked some magic to make every dish suitable allowing everyone to relax and enjoy.
The starters were an easy pick – I went for the toasted goats cheese which was just beginning to melt pleasingly on top of a lentil salsa that still had a bit of nutty bite. The apple vinegar reduction gave it a fresh flavour which went well with the glass of Domaine La Baume “Elisabeth” Viognier.
Donnie decided to go for the full Kyloe with tender braised beef and bacon served on the lightest Yorkshire pudding topped with a wholegrain mustard sauce and crispy parsley. It’s an unbelievably tasty dish with an intensely rich flavour and we’re hoping it’s not just for Christmas.
For mains I had a delicious pan-fried pork tenderloin served with a rich, glossy, mushroom cafe au lait. It was proper Festive comfort food served with bacon and parsley mash to soak up all the lovely sauce.
Donnie had the not so mini beef Wellington which was a generous cut of Aberdeen Angus fillet of beef served on the rare side with finely chopped mushrooms hidden under a golden pastry cage. As you would expect from Kyloe, the meat is very tender and along with the crispy potatoes, artichoke puree and red wine sauce, you will leave feeling very ding-dong merrily on high.
Desserts include a cheese board if you’re still craving savoury, but I opted for the Kyloe Eton Mess. The dish has chunks of light meringue folded through tangy lemon curd along with tart brambles and toasted oatmeal for a bit of added crunch. It was a sharp, refreshing end to the meal.
Donnie couldn’t resist the Christmas pudding (his first of the year!) which was rich and fruity and served with the most delicious mince pie ice cream and brandy custard for a final festive flourish.
Kyloe’s Festive menu is the perfect excuse to get together with friends and family to enjoy some fabulous food in an unhurried and relaxing setting. The restaurant also won the best Sunday Lunch in Scotland 2016 so if you’re looking for someone to cook on New Year’s Day why not book in for lunch?
To find out more about Kyloe Edinburgh or to book a table:
Kyloe Restaurant and Grill
1-3 Rutland Square
Edinburgh
EH1 2AE
Tel: 0131 229 3402
[/su_gmap]