Review: The Gilded Saloon, Edinburgh

THE LAST COUPLE of weeks in the Edinburgh hospitality soap opera have been tough. Firstly, Bakery Andante closed its doors for good, swiftly followed by former Leith institution Noble’s, although the site has at least been taken on by the good people from Bellfield Brewery. Then, out walking, I passed La Garrigue only to find a hanging ‘closed’ sign. However, it isn’t all doom and gloom because I stumbled across a new opening that would bring welcome balance.

I’d spent a frustrating amount of time trying to find a pair of

sunglasses (yes, it may be October, but I’m a rock star and sunglasses are an essential) in John Lewis that were apparently in stock in the actual shop, but no fewer than FIVE staff had any idea where they were or seemed to have little interest in helping me find them (I’ll just point out a very determined chap went over and above the following day to locate them. Again, balance). As you can imagine, this built up an appetite for both grub and a cold, hard alcoholic beverage. As good as they are, I am a tad bored with our usual haunts, so I went onto Opentable - this isn’t an ad by the way - and found The Guilded Saloon, which had strangely good availability for a Saturday night.

Located in the former Boteco Do Brazil site on Lothian Street, had I unearthed another cracking eatery in and around Southside? The name behind the menu was Tomàs Gormley of Cardinal fame, and the French bistro-style menu seemed incredibly well priced, which would make sense given it is smack-bang in the middle of Studentville. An 800g rare breed pork chop with mustard sauce for £30? Yes, please. It would later unfold that this community restaurant is a collab between The Gilded Ballon (hence the name), next-door neighbours Paradise Palms, and the people behind the Kelburn Festival, with Gormley obviously heading up food operations.

Proceedings started on an incredible high with a couple of stunning pork skewers at just £3 each. If I eat something better than that between now and next year, I’ll be extremely pleased. Layers of melting, yet crispy fat intertwined with beautifully tender, moreish pig that delivered the satisfaction that only pork belly in the right hands can do. The cured egg yolk added a bit of richness, but maybe not the intended seasoning for me, as I’d have liked a sprinkling of sea salt. A pleasant burst of finely diced chives and the distinct wave of black garlic just enhanced that swiney goodness in all the right ways. These were £3. THREE POUNDS. Can you even buy a Freddo for that these days?

I mentioned the pork chop earlier, which featured

on the specials board seemingly designed for sharing. There were a couple of steak cuts, a skate wing option for the seafood lover, and braised fennel to cover vegetarians too, as well as half chicken and chips for £22. However, I opted for grilled chicken leg with lentils à la Francaise (or lentilles rather) for £12 from the à la carte. It certainly looked on point, and if the aromas were anything to go by, I’d be well fed. The bird had been taken off the bone to make it easier to carve and had deliciously crispy skin and succulent meat that I suspect had benefited from a good brining beforehand.  The lentil ragout was rich and accented with herbal notes that tied everything neatly together and transported you to a village eatery in the south of France.

Sarah punted for the Free Company beef shin suet pie (£12) with a side of fries (£5) that we split. The meat was of obvious quality that you’d expect from a great supplier and the house-made pastry was robust in both flavour and texture. The classic sauce was decadent and everything a top red wine accompaniment should be; ideal for dunking those sublime chips in. The menu was so appealing that you could have ordered anything, really, which bodes well for future visits.

Drinks-wise, we drank beer from the brilliant Newbarn’s with the beer menu also featuring your now hipster-friendly brews like Tennent’s and Guinness with a couple of other Scottish crafts for good measure. It must be said that the FoH staff must be the most popular people in Edinburgh, given how many people dropped in to greet them, and no wonder – their service was excellent. I loved that the interior was timeless, rather than these modern, polished places with silly slogans in neon lights, especially the Kubrick-esque little booth behind a red (I think) curtain next to the bar.

I IMAGINE EVERY restaurant reviewer dreams of unearthing a hidden gem to rabbit on about before anyone else does, and I think I’ve found one here. The cooking and service were exemplary, and the prices were ludicrous in the current climate, which indeed lends to the ‘community’ vibe of the place. The timelessness of the menu, coupled with consciously sourced ingredients, is sure to please the most discerning restaurant critic as much as the most wallet-conscious student. I’m glad to find there is at least a bit of a double helix going on in the capital’s food scene.

Web: thegildedsaloon.co.uk

Instagram: @thegildedsaloon

Book: HERE

Address: 47 Lothian Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1HB

Open: Mon - Weds 4 p.m. - 1 a.m, Thurs 4 p.m. - 3 a.m., Fri and Sat 12 p.m. - 3 a.m. and Sun 12 p.m. - 1 a.m.