A legendary place in Edinburgh is the Balmoral hotel which was earlier known as the Railway Hotel as people used to look at the clock on its tower and plan their trips via Edinburgh railway station. It stands majestically on the Princes Street just parallel to the Royal Mile and is easily recognizable if you just pass it from anywhere in the city. But there is a new place which has come up just opposite to it which is becoming as popular as it’s esteemed neighbour!
Twenty Princes Street Smokehouse and Grill which opened in 2013 not only uses local produce, but specifically from Edinburgh. It encapsulates Edinburgh and all that the historic capital city has to offer. They are passionate about showcasing Edinburgh produce like Edinburgh gin, Lothian beef, Leith landed mussels and hand dived scallops caught right off the coast. All are enjoyed with postcard perfect views of the Edinburgh skyline and the castle!
Chef Tony Sarton demonstrates his culinary flair with an inventive and eclectic menu that keeps pace with the seasons and uses only the finest locally sourced ingredients. There’s an exciting choice of fish and seafood dishes while the selection of steaks are a signature of the restaurant. I tried out Birch Wine-cured wild pigeon with pickled pear, pumpkin seed and pistachio granola. This was a bit chewy as I’m not very used to Game meat. So I was not able to enjoy it but my counterparts liked this dish.
Some really unique dishes were there like the one Kazumi tried – Braised ox cheek and onion pie with baked beans. Many people thought we would not be able to enjoy this dish as its ox cheek. But it was very tasty and many of us dug into this dish by sharing. The baked beans were a perfect accompaniment to this dish.
Another dish one of us tried was the Classic Caesar Salad with Chicken. Just talking about the ambiance, the main dining room had a lovely feel to it. There were other diners there and they looked as if they were all having a relaxing meal too. The atmosphere didn’t feel ‘rushed’ and the room felt very spacious. The girls who were serving were lovely, friendly and chatty – but also very natural. They were very knowledgeable about the food and wine and this was very impressive.
Steaks at Twenty Princes Street Smokehouse and Grill in Edinburgh are supposed to be really good so we tried out the same. The steak was cooked to perfection and was very juicy. Their prime cuts of Castle Mey selection beef are naturally produced from family farms in the Scottish Highlands and are dry aged between 28 and 36 days, depending on the cut. All are grilled at 500 degrees centigrade on their Josper charcoal grill for a genuine chargrilled, smoked flavor and are served with triple-cooked chips.
It was amazing to have a relaxed meal with some of the world’s best food and travel bloggers thanks to Visit Britain and Visit Scotland. I loved the food at Edinburgh and would surely visit it again soon to try out more local produce.
