The Wee Restaurant

Nestled within a postcard picture-perfect view of the Forth Rail Bridge, and the middle of North Queensferry’s picturesque village main street, is an aptly-named wee gem of a restaurant.

Sited in a former cottage, The Wee Restaurant, despite its modest proportions, seats 60 during a busy Friday night and punches above its weight; accolades include Michelin approval.

Famous for its fish, I treated my pescatarian mum to a meal she would savour. To start, she whetted her appetite with cured Shetland salmon dressed with sour cream and greens, while I had cream of white onion soup drizzled with rare and rich truffle oil, to warm a winter’s evening.

For mains, she had a delicate, though distinctly flavoured seabass in a fennel lobster bisque. I plumped for roast partridge with dressings including marinated foie gras. I had never tasted fowl before and it was succulent and cooked well. The paté was warm and tasted amazing. The fish was nuanced with the aniseed-like flavour of the fennel which married well with seafood.

The mains were deceptively filling but we made room for dessert which came in generous proportions. My guest chose a pear & almond tart and it was the hot chocolate fondant for me; the courses just got better and better, but all were of a very high benchmark.

To finish, we had a cafétière of filter coffee between us, served with chocolate and vanilla fudge petit fours, to cleanse the palette.

The Wee Restaurant lives up to its name and the reputation that goes before it: small, but perfectly formed. [Yasmin Ali]