MY MATE MARTYN returned to Scotland recently following a year working as a chef at Elystan Street under Michelin-starred chef Phil Howard in London. Martyn and I went to catering college and worked together at the Seafood Restaurant as commis in what seems like an age ago. Following a lengthy debrief of dining scenes in the respective capitals, he messaged me to say he’d “booked a table at Borough in Leith” if I fancied it. The possibility cropped up in conversation and it would have been rude to turn down the invite.
Dinner is a regularly changing four-course menu priced at what seems a reasonable £35. There’s a small array of snacks including olives, smoked trout and East Coast salami to whet your appetite and it’s BYOB on Wednesday and Thursday subject to a £5 corkage charge. We happily munched on the fish and olives before enjoying some good quality sourdough with homemade butter; decent bread is always an indicator of what’s to come.
The first course of the four was asparagus custard, smoked Dunlop cheese and Jersey Royals. It’s always a beautiful time of the year when asparagus come into season. The vibrant green stems were appropriately tender but still with crunch. There was slight nuttiness from the neat little potato crisps as well as a slightly salty note. The custard was creamy but I didn’t pick up a great deal of asparagus flavour and failed to detect much of the promised smoked cheese either. It was a pleasing enough dish but needed seasoning to really enhance it; the potential is definitely there.
Beef shin agnolotti with swede and mushroom broth was the meat course and an absolute winner. The broth was brimming with umami goodness and it complemented the meatiness of the beef without drowning it out. The meat itself melted in the mouth, with the pasta accurately cooked al dente. I loved the thin layers of turnip that lapped up those beefy flavours and gave another level of texture.
The fish course of Loch Etive trout with braised endive, cauliflower and blood orange dressing was the standout dish for me. It’s a skill to achieve crispy fish skin and this was bang on the money. The flesh underneath was moist, too. The bitterness and bite of the endive was enjoyable, and the silky-smooth cauliflower puree contributed an earthy note. The acidity from the blood orange really made the dish gel. A multitude of tastes for the palette to decipher, balanced perfectly.
Buttermilk panna cotta, chamomile meringues with whisky sponge completed the four-course menu. It was a light pudding which I was thankful for. The sponge, while a little dry for my liking, had a real depth of whisky flavour and the lactic buttermilk really harmonised with it. The meringue shards added height for presentation as well as snap and were a neat accompaniment with a hint of apple and honey on the palate from the dusting of chamomile.
An easy spot to unwind in, Borough was roughly two thirds full, which speaks volumes on a Wednesday night. Evidently, word has spread quickly and, judging by the audience, the menu appeals to the younger diner. The décor was chic but not over polished and I particularly enjoyed peeping into the window downstairs in the toilets where there’s a wine cellar and a bunch of jars with various concoctions in.
Given Borough has only been open for a couple of weeks and there are only two chefs in the kitchen, this was an impressive display of hospitality. I think a high quality, excellent value menu like this is what’s needed in Leith with competition high in the area. It’s laid-back service and chilled-out atmosphere is a winner and I’m sure this brilliant independent eatery will go from strength to strength. All the best to Darren, Aleks and the team.
Twitter: @Borough_Leith
Instagram: boroughleith
Phone: (0131) 554 7655
Address: 50 - 54 Henderson Street, Edinburgh, EH6 6DE
Opening hours: Weds-Thurs 5.30 - 9.30pm
Fri - Sat 12 - 2.30pm for lunch, 5.30 -9pm for dinner
Sunday lunch 12 - 5pm
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