The Apartment Edinburgh Review
Beauty and the Bistro
The Apartment Bistro in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh is only a minutes walk from the Kings Theatre, making it a null trek for pre-theatre entrées. Boasting classy ambience and a lip-licking menu at extremely competitive prices, it is no wonder that this bistro has its feet firm in Edinburghs ancient soil. As we wandered through Autumn in Edinburgh, we noted the crunchy leaves underfoot and the chilly note in the Scottish air. Scotland was kissing goodbye to Summer and flirting with winter and we were loving every minute.
I had revised the menu in great depth before arriving at The Apartment and in turn, spent the wander from our hotel toying with my opulent options. If it was filling and comforting, it had my name on it. Scott likes it when I take him out for dinner. Someone seriously needs to modify the dynamic in our relationship.
Classy Cosmos and Pure Peroni
The cosy vibes spilling out of The Apartment were very welcome and enough for me to remove several layers. We were met by a friendly waitress (with drinks menu in hand) who was more than happy to show us to our candlelit table. Being a classy little broad, I ordered myself a fruity cosmopolitan whilst Scott bypassed cocktails for a classic Peroni.
We arrived just in time for the restaurants Supper menu, which includes a 3 course meal for £15. This is a total bargain considering you could visit a chain restaurant and pay much more than this for just one meal. I am becoming much more enticed by independent restaurants and their ambition and originality. Even outside of Supper time, the prices are extremely reasonable.
Get this pâté started
For starters, Scott ordered himself the mushroom pâté and whipped goats cheese dip which came with pickled vegetables and crostini. I love a pâté but goats cheese is just a little too strong on my cheddar chart. Scott didn’t speak to me for a good 20 minutes whilst he got stuck in, which usually I take as a very good thing. After he finished, his plate was cleaner that the day it was bought.
I ordered hummus, herb oil and balsamic vinegar with crusty bread. This has definitely had a long lasting impression as I continued to eat hummus and crusty bread for the rest of my Edinburgh stay. Unfortunately, Tesco hummus doesn’t quite have the same effect. At £3.20 on the menu, would it not be worth eating all your Edinburgh hummus in The Apartment? Yum!
This is the Main Event
You know when you visit a restaurant with the best intentions, making promises to yourself that you will just eat salad with extra salad? I am that person. Before visiting, I made bargains with my left shoulder angel. Unfortunately pork belly with sautéed potatoes, cavolo nero, chestnut mushrooms and onion puree happened. There is some vegetables in there, right? The pork belly was worth pigging though as it arrived in the most tender of states. Had I not ordered it, the staff may have found me in the kitchen at the end of the night. That is my kind of pig sty…
My man from another van enjoyed the white fish, prawn, red onion and chilli burger. This was the first time he’d ever had a fishy bun and he was 7 shades of okay with it. It arrived paired with fries and tartare sauce and I think I noticed a smidgen of drool on that handsome chin of his. I think fish burger Fridays may become a reality. For goodness hake…
What, you’re just going to dessert me now?
At this point, we were full. Not just a little full but a little like shoving a sheep in a bucket. However just like sheep make room for extra grass, we made room for dessert. Besides, I was becoming a little too comfortable in the dusky candlelight. Although, a high 5 to me for avoiding the cocktail menu after my one and only cosmopolitan. The dessert menu at The Apartment is absolutely divine and even though my b & belly was fully booked, I was building an extension.
Scott ordered a tonka bean crème brûlée. For those of you who aren’t 100% sure what a tonka bean is… The tonka bean comes from a mahoosive tree which lies deep in the Amazon rainforest. It is a sweet, eclectic flavour and has chefs all over the world cooking up cat 6 storms. It works particularly well in desserts and even better in Scotts crème brûlée which I pretty much stole. SorryNotSorry.
Eating Autumn
In reality, poached fruits aren’t entirely easy to come by unless you are Nigella or a Masterchef finalist. I hadn’t ever tried a poached pear, or even just the one poach (HAHA) until I visited The Apartment. My fruits weren’t just any kind of poached but they were poached in the style of Autumn. Think pleasant plums, magnificent mascarpone and candied ginger. If you are looking for Autumn but can’t find it then there is a very high chance that I have eaten the lot.
Cheap and Cheery
The Apartment Bistro has a relatively fine dining feel to it yet the prices are more meal deal. I would much rather visit a restaurant and get a filling 3 course meal for only £15 than spend my pennies on a generic burger. Independent restaurants will always guarantee you a unique experience and flavourful fancies. Along with a wonderful meal, we also had a romantic evening (twitwoo) which made the bistro a complete contender for date night in Edinburgh.
The Apartment Menu
Curtain Call
We would like to express thanks to The Apartment and all of their staff, in particular Ben who made me the best hummus I have ever tried. Scott and I were invited along to the bistro as guests which was greatly appreciated as it got me away from my laptop for a couple of hours. We cannot wait to come and visit again when we are in Edinburgh and will make a point of coming along to one of your Food & Drink quiz nights.
