- Sarah Ahmad
The LookOut by Gardener's Cottage, Edinburgh
We had the luxury of visiting one of Edinburgh's most attractive restaurants, situated in the heart of the city and at the top of Calton Hill, with a magnificent 360° panoramic view of the city and surrounding landscapes! I'll be honest, my choice to visit this quaintly sized restaurant was primarily for the view, but the quality of food and service clearly didn't disappoint as I'm already planning my next trip back here.
We started off with some wine and snacks, to prepare our stomachs for the feast to come. They have 2 menus, 1 displaying the set and another that's completely a la carte. The food on both menus are completely different so you have tons of variety! Opting for the £70 per person set menu, the first thing served to us was cured meats and olives.
Followed by a squid ink prawn crackers coated in crab tapioca and Scurvy Grass. This is a rather groovy looking dish that is both attractive and strange to look at, but boy, was it delicious! I also liked that it was very much filled with complimentary textures.
For our first main dish, we were served an Egg Yolk Raviolo with bubbly Tunworth cheese and crow garlic. Once you pierce through the raviolo, the yolk oozes out, creating a perfect combination with the cheese. It was odd, but wonderful!
Our second main came after -- the Beef with Smoked Bone Marrow and Wild Garlic served with caramelised carrot, mash and gravy. The beef was more on the medium side but was as succulent and juicy as the photo displays. And I simply HAVE to highlight the carrot! I'm not sure what they did but the flavours introduced to the carrot amazed me!
We finished off the courses with a plate of deconstructed apple crumble consisting of Alexander, Juniper, Apple and Caramel. A sweet marriage of flavours, colours and textures on a plate, perfect for concluding a savoury lunch!
They also serve coffee at The LookOut, with options of alternative milk! I had an Oatmilk Latte which was made perfectly. No bitterness or over extraction of coffee grounds!
Over all, this experience was awesome. It's a small space so I'd recommend booking well I'm advance (I booked a table for two 3 weeks in advanced to secure a table by the window).
Including the delicious Portuguese wine and coffee, the total bill came to £164 for two people. Clearly we splurged, but a luxurious lunch with lovely service, unforgettable views of Edinburgh and food prepared so beautifully was well worth the price point! Definitely head over to The LookOut by Gardeners Cottage, especially for special occasions!
The LookOut by Gardener's Cottage
Address: Calton Hill, Edinburgh EH7 5AA
Website: https://www.thelookoutedinburgh.co
Opening Times:
MONDAY -5PM TO 9.30PM
TUESDAY - 10AM TO 9.30PM
WEDNESDAY - 10AM TO 9.30PM
THURSDAY - 10AM TO 9.30PM
FRIDAY - 10AM TO 9.30PM
SATURDAY - 10AM TO 9.30PM
SUNDAY - 10AM TO 9.30PM
Phone: 0131 322 1246