I VISITED BOROUGH with a chef friend of mine, Martyn, back
in April, just a few weeks after husband-and-wife team Darren and Aleks opened
the doors. We were impressed at the time and agreed that “this place will get
better and better”. Today just happened to be my birthday and after last year’s
awful dinner in a restaurant that will remain nameless, I placed my faith in
the ever-rising Leith food scene.
The ethos of the restaurant, and I know every restaurant
under the sun says this these days, is on seasonal cooking with minimal food
waste, but Borough actually mean it. The evening menu consists of an ever
evolving four course set menu priced at a very reasonable £35 with the theory
being this avoids food being flung out. You have to admire the confidence in
this approach in terms of trying to please the masses. As it happens, I’m in
for lunch which is served on Friday and Saturday in a 2-2-2 that costs £18.50
for three plates of grub.
This is a restaurant I love sitting in. It’s spacious and
bright with a real sociable atmosphere to it. The artwork changes regularly and
showcases local artists. The attention to detail is a testament to the
determination of the couple to create a unique dining experience that embodies
themselves.
The wine list is much to be admired for the clear intention
to focus on organic and biodynamic wines. It’s thoughtfully curated and
contains a commendable range of beers, spirits and sweet wines, too. Our server
even let us sample a few to aide our decision– neat little touch.My first dish was seared gurnard, Dunbar crab sauce and Crown Prince pumpkin. Most people have probably never heard of gurnard, let alone tasted it. I’m a big fan. It’s bold in flavour and meaty, along the lines of red mullet. Let me start with that crab bisque. I had a good one the day before, but this was outstanding: velvety smooth and brimming with a rich, shellfish flavour. I’d have been satisfied with a bowl of it. The fish was immaculately cooked and flaked apart with crispy skin to boot. I admired how the sweet pumpkin harmonised with the robustness of the sauce and the gurnard. Seasoning was spot on as well – it always is with Darren’s food.
Sarah began with roast beetroot, redcurrant, crowdie and
walnuts (left off due to my allergy). A pretty looking plate showcased
beetroot, cooked with a slight bite remaining, with the wonderful lactic foil
from the cheese. There was bitterness and bite from the radicchio and the zing
of redcurrant brought a hit of acidity.
We both ordered Borders partridge with black cabbage and BBQ
kale which arrived with a pot of parsnip mash. A generous portion for a lunch
menu featured the juicy breast of the bird that benefited from a good searing
in a hot pan. There was also a delicious rillette made from the leg meat; melt
in the mouth stuff. A sumptuous cauliflower puree added an earthy note and the
irony kale was the ideal pairing for this dish. The parsnip was as smooth as
you’ll ever find and sprinkled with crispy onions. This sort of dish is why I
love autumnal food the most.
Darren only uses Scottish cheeses which showcases the
outstanding cheese makers we have in this country. I hadn’t tried minger – a soft rind cheese
from Tain – before but found it to be strong and barnyardy. I always liked
the salty creaminess of Blue Murder
which sat alongside and, the third, I can’t quite remember the name, was firm
cows’ milk cheese that had a fine acidity to it. The accompanying crispbreads,
made in house, were divine and the fruity chutney, thankfully, wasn’t too
sickly sweet.
Sarah went for the actual pudding option of poached pear,
rapeseed cake with lemon and thyme ice cream. The danger with poaching pears is
you can overcook them and they become flabby. This effort was perfect; juicy
and mellow. The cake element was light and moist with a crunchy oat biscuit
that had a pleasing hint of salt. The lemon thyme ice cream was very refreshingly good. This was a superbly balanced dessert with a delicate
herbaceousness that wasn’t too sugar heavy.
My highlight was hearing the couple next to me say they had
never tried gurnard or partridge before but absolutely loved it; this is the
sort of comment that must make the long hours and hard work worthwhile.
I was so satisfied with this meal. Technically, the cooking
was flawless and the flavours were top notch; modern with a nod to classic technique. It's such a relaxed place to dine in, with attentive service that shows a real belief in what the team want their restaurant to be. The sheer attention
to detail throughout leads me to suggest that you put Borough near the top of
your list of places to eat.
Instagram: @boroughleith
Phone: (0131) 554 7655
Opening Hours: Tues - Thurs 17:30 - 21:30
Fri - Sat 12:00 - 14;30, 17:30 - 21:30
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