It’s easy to wander past Twenty Princes Street (we almost did!) as it’s tucked away inside the Hotel Indigo which itself has quite an unassuming entrance. Climbing the stairs, it feels like you shouldn’t be there but following the signs to Twenty Princes street you soon hear the reassuring noise of a restaurant in full swing. The vast dining room with bay windows and booths makes the most of Edinburgh’s spectacular skyline. The walls are jam-packed with quirky Edinburgh and Scottish memorabilia and are a feast for the eyes. For such a big room it’s elegant, warm and welcoming.
The menu at Twenty Princes Street has lots to choose from but without being an exhausting read. It’s also great to see so many dishes using a who’s who of the best in Scottish produce. Most of the menu also revolves around the Josper Grill for which Twenty has an excellent reputation for making sing. We couldn’t wait to order and tuck in!
Starters
We sat admiring the castle views while tucking into our homemade bread and waiting for our starters to arrive. We dined mid-week, and the restaurant was busy with lots of diners choosing to have pre-dinner drinks in Juniper, the cocktail bar connected to the restaurant.
Raymond’s braised Ayrshire pigs cheek was succulent, tender and drizzled with a glistening star anise jus. Its partner in crime had shredded savoury pork wrapped up in a delicious crispy seeded croquette. The added crunch of pak choi made this dish a perfect combination of textures and taste.
As you know, I love black pudding and haggis, so the Buccleuch black pudding and haggis French toast was the only option for me. The spicy haggis and black pudding provided the perfect moist centre to the golden toast. Add some creamy Scottish crowdie, a sticky spiced port glaze and a mini poached pear and the dish was perfect. A standard black pudding roll will never cut the mustard again!
Main Courses
Raymond’s main of herb and salt baked sea bream arrived incognito. The fish is covered in lemon, baked in egg white, salt and rosemary then emerges beautifully moist when served at the table. Thankfully it’s not left to the diner to perform this delicate operation. Both fillets of the fresh tasting sea bream are served along with a rich stew of tomatoes, Scottish chorizo and white beans. It’s a hearty taste of the Mediterranean for a chilly winter’s evening in Edinburgh.
Chef recommended that my 10 oz Venison Barnsley should be cooked rare so who was I to argue? This tender piece of meat is cut across the saddle of the deer and arrives on the bone. Along with the Josper grilling, this makes the dish deliciously smoky and incredibly flavoursome. A simple rocket salad, rich red wine jus and triple cooked skin on chips filled the plate – not that there was much room left with all that meat!
Room for dessert?
Just! We decided to share the flaming pina colada Alaska which tasted as good as it looked. Arriving perched in a bowl of dry ice, our waiter caramelised the meringue with a quick spray of something flammable then lit it with a match. I hung on to my eyebrows as it went up in flames. All of the elements of the pina colada are there including a chilli flecked warm pineapple jam with coconut sponge, coconut and lemongrass sorbet topped with a soft cloud of meringue. It’s a spectacular end to a fabulous meal.
Twenty Princes Street is a great place to take visitors who want to taste the best that Scotland has to offer. The atmosphere is warm, friendly and relaxed with staff that want to share their knowledge and have a genuine enthusiasm for the food being prepared and served. Start off your evening with a cocktail at Juniper and make a night of it at Twenty Princes Street – we hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
How to book a table at Twenty Princes Street.
Twenty Princes Street
Edinburgh
EH2 2AN
Tel: 0131 652 7370
Thanks to everyone at Twenty Princes Street for inviting us along to check out the restaurant and menus.