Number One
Edinburgh, Lothians
In a city with a vibrant farm-to-fork and supper club scene, Number One oozes olde-worlde opulence. Descending from the entrance on Princes Street, the restaurant (all red lacquered walls, well-spaced tables and elegant banquettes) is sumptuous without feeling stuffy. Nowadays, being crammed around rustic communal tables is often the tasting-menu norm; seated binocular-scanning distance from other diners feels like a novelty. Choose between a three- and seven-course taster, which naturally showcases Scotland's larder, with producers name-checked on the back – the salmon and langoustines, for example, are from fourth-generation fishmongers George Campbell & Sons, while honey is harvested from an apiary on the hotel's roof. This is faultless fine dining from head chef Matthew Sherry, with more than a dash of old-school, grown-up glamour for good measure, opening with exquisite amuse-bouches ranging from tiny potato scones layered with egg, salmon and salty caviar to subtly seasoned beef tartare in a crisp, crumbly pastry case. Warm, just-baked sourdough comes with a shiny globe of Orkney butter, while a sliver of Shetland salmon with minuscule cucumber balls, soy, sesame, peanut and coriander is sweetly aromatic. Tortellini of veal sweetbread swims in earthy foam on a bed of caramelised Roscoff onion and a green peppercorn sauce, while venison (roe deer from the local Hopetoun Estate) with cauliflower, mustard and kale is a hearty, traditional plateful. Dishes reveal a feather-light touch and intricate detailing, exemplified by a dessert of 'Tomlinson's rhubarb' – a delicate mousse in a sweet glazed case with a sharp compôte and candied almonds. The wine list is a real page-turner that gallops around the globe, taking diners on a whistle-stop tour of the Lebanon and Bulgaria with longer stopovers in French regions such as Burgundy and the Loire; there are plenty of by-the-glass selections too.
Dining Information:
Accommodation, Separate bar, Wheelchair access, Credit card required
The Balmoral, 1 Princes Street, Edinburgh, Lothians EH2 2EQ
0131 557 6727
