THERE WAS A certain amount of nostalgia attached to this evening’s dinner. The Urban Fox occupies the premises formerly operated by Hewat’s, the place I conducted my first ever professional restaurant review. Arriving slightly late, I had to dash to the loo where I could hear the chef having a good old singalong to some Beatles tunes. I only hoped his cooking was better than his singing!
The new tenants (Hewat’s now trade on the Royal Mile) have brought about a more youthful vibe to the student-laden area that is Causewayside, just off the Meadows. There is retro furniture with hip lighting and the odd, quirky animal prop dotted around, sure to appeal to a younger clientele. At the same time, it strikes me as a relaxed modern eatery with a gastropub-style menu that appeals to all.
The lack of online presence meant that we were essentially doing this blind, although I had read a few favourable blog reviews whilst doing my homework. Although the wine list was on the small side, there was a range of decent craft beers and a tempting cocktail menu. As usual, we would opt for a bottle of red, this time in the form of a usually dependable tempranillo (£17.95).
Starter prices range from £5-7 with a range of mix and match sharing plates a notable option also. I began with the crispy halloumi with salsa verde and rocket at the lower end of the price scale. The accurate cooking temperature delivered a melty inside and crunchy exterior as promised. The salsa verde lacked a bit of punch and was sadly outmuscled by the balsamic vinegar, mainly because there wasn’t enough of it. The rocket brought a bit of pepperiness that worked harmoniously with he salty cheese.
Sarah sampled the fresh Scottish mussels with artisan bread (£7) which, although wasn’t billed, came in a mariniere-style sauce. The bivalve molluscs were sweet and tender – nothing worse than an overcooked mussel. The sauce was creamy and could have handled more garlic, but a squeeze of lemon really brought it alive.
Our main selections of pork belly and duck would present a real test of the chef’s skills, as both can easily go horribly wrong. If my pork crackling isn’t sufficiently crisp, then consider my night ruined. My eyes widened as a huge slab of meat was put down in front of me alongside black pudding mash, baby leeks, and an apple cider jus (£12). Black pudding can be a hard one to balance; too much will make the dish heavy and could overpower the rest of the dish, but this was perfectly poised. The sauce was tangy and thankfully not overly sweet, whilst the earthy leeks added crunch. But the undoubted star of the show was that beautiful, salty crisp skin. I’d order this again.
Parmentier potatoes and wilted greens with a red wine and rosemary jus accompanied Sarah’s duck main (£13). The meat was sufficiently pink and tender with the fat rendered well. The potatoes were crunchy and bustling with rosemary flavour whilst the greens were skilfully despatched. The fruity sweetness of the sticky jus provided a sharp foil for the sweet duck.
My second visit to the lavatory allowed me to experience the chef’s rendition of the ‘90s dance classic ‘Rhythm is a Dancer’ by Snap. What a tune. Such was his music taste, I felt like getting in the kitchen and performing a duet. Maybe next time after a few more glasses of wine.
My inability to resist a classic sticky toffee pudding (£4.50) meant that belt buckles would have to be loosened, especially when another massive portion was served. The sponge was a bit dense and had a strong treacle taste to it that wasn’t unpleasant. The cold milky ice cream added a soothing vibe and the tartness of the fresh strawberries was welcome.
The other half went for the apple and bramble crumble with vanilla ice cream (£4.50). She found the crumble slightly too sharp, yet palatable when mixed with the ice cream and crumble mix. There was a delicious blueberry compote served alongside it.
The Urban Fox was a pleasant find. The prices, particularly for the mains, offered outstanding value for money given the quality of the cooking. A modern bistro well worth testing out. I’m just glad chef’s cooking was better than his singing in the end.
Web: facebook.com//urbanfoxedin
Twitter: @UrbanFoxEdin
Phone: (0131) 662 6766
Address: 19-21 Causewayside, Edinburgh,
EH9 1QF
Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat 11am - 10pm
Sun 11am - 5pm
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