Angels with Bagpipes

Venue Review by Penny Green | 04 Feb 2011

My dining partner Susie is already settled with a glass of rosé and blethering with the staff by the time I arrive at Angels With Bagpipes, a new addition to Edinburgh's Royal Mile. My immediate sense of the venue is that it is relaxed and welcoming, decorated in warm orangey tones and velvety fabrics. It's clear a lot of thought (and money) has gone into the decor. We choose our food over a glass of prosecco (pink, I think) before smiley staff lead us through to the upstairs dining room. The narrow bistro feel of the room would probably be relieved in daylight where the view through the glass wall onto a courtyard reveals another secret outdoor space of Edinburgh's old town. Mental note, summer lunch.

It's been a long day, and I don't realise the chicken terrine is made with fois gras until after dinner when Susie reassures me the creamy-meaty bits I was describing were exactly that. I am a fois gras virgin no longer, and I like it. With a magic mushroom and hazelnut dressing, this is ideal scran for forest food lovers. Susie's scallop and black pudding-ball starter includes massive and perfect crispy-on-the-outside-and-translucent-in-the-middle scallops, which really are the stars of the starters.

We order the sea bream to test the handpicked crab ravioli. Delightfully crispy skinned fish, but does chef know unexpected caviar would make up for the disappointing crab ravioli pillow? Who cares, Susie is a caviar virgin no longer, and she likes it. My venison is superbly cooked, if a bit over-presented, and the bitter chocolate is a savoury flavour that complements the meat. Pearl barley and a turnip circle rounds this into a sumptuous, rich dish.

No more firsts in the third course, but the caramel popcorn is special. Chocolate mousse is actually a ganache, and baked date and toffee sponge is actually sticky toffee pudding. Call it like it is Angels! That said, we're not stickling over the words. Or the price. Three courses come in at around £35 per head excluding wine (and you could spend a fortune on the V&C family's cellar), but considering the prime location, the friendly atmosphere, and little signs of a tip top kitchen, this is a food experience that's worth it. [Penny Green]

343 High St, Royal Mile, Edinburgh, EH1 1PW. 0131 220 1111

http://www.angelswithbagpipes.co.uk