A Stylish Introduction to Scottish Cuisine: My first haggis at North Bridge Brasserie, Edinburgh
First and last impressions, the opening and the closing act - those are the moments you take away from an event, the souvenirs from a story. The rest is just filler, as some comedians would say. How fortuitous that the standout moments of dinner at North Bridge Brasserie were the alpha and the omega, those winning dishes certainly made for a meal to remember!
"Would you try eating haggis? You know, it’s sheep’s stomach…” I flicked my hair. “Darling, I’m Chinese. If it flies and isn’t an aeroplane, if it’s got four legs and isn’t a table, if it swims and isn’t a submarine - I’ll eat it.” Not strictly true - I draw the line at chicken feet. But I’d already declared my culinary intrepidness on behalf of the Malaysian-Chinese so I couldn’t let down my team. Happily, I chose the right restaurant for my first foray into trying that quintessential and divisive Scottish dish, haggis.
North Bridge Brasserie is the perfect place to start for a fine-dining experience of Scottish cuisine. Paul Hartley Barber - the young chef de cuisine whose accolades include 3AA Rosettes at renowned Rocca Grill at St Andrews Golf Course, and counts some of the most prestigious chefs in the UK including Albert Roux and Jeff Bland as his colleagues - has already revolutionised the North Bridge Brasserie with his eclectic tasting menu showcasing seasonal, modern Scottish fare with a strong focus on exceptional local ingredients.
Combined with a well-curated and extensive whisky list - I myself am partial to a good scotch - I couldn’t be more confident that North Bridge Brasserie would serve me an gourmet experience full of style and surprises.
The decor of North Bridge Brasserie is a serendipitous marriage of 2 of my favourite aesthetics - solid, traditional, earthy, and masculine, juxtaposed against the airy, decorative aesthetic I like with soaring, double height ceilings and marble columns. With just the right touch of modern - a spiral steel staircase with famous Scotsman’s names printed on the mirrored steps - the restaurant offered a feast for the eyes to match their sumptuous menu.
I settled into our elegant surroundings with glasses of Aberlour A’bunadh while I contemplated the menu.
As the rest of The Scotsman Hotel staff are, our waitress was very helpful with recommending vegetarian options. I plumped for the Cauliflower Velouté with roasted hazelnuts and white truffle oil with a side of parmesan and truffle fries. Absolutely delightful and a pleasing testament that being vegetarian hardly lessen one’s culinary experience.
Small details are spared no less attention, with complimentary bread rolls (just the right shade of warm) and delightfully soft butter presented on a slab of stone that looks like it could have been carved out Scotland’s famous cliffs.
I embarked on my Scottish culinary adventure with haggis, naturally! Diving into the deep end and all.
The Scotman’s Haggis with needs and tatties, braised shallot, and whisky sauce was absolutely delicious and surprisingly comforting, which I attribute to its similar texture to cottage pie. The fluffy mashed potato topping added a much appreciated balance to the rich flavours of the haggis and whisky sauce. I honestly had not expected to enjoy my first haggis as much as I did, and here I was savouring every bite and wishing I had ordered only the haggis for my 3-course meal - I couldn’t get enough of it!
My next course was the Highland Beef Tartare with quail egg yolk, sourdough, and watercress followed by a third course of Guinea fowl breast with pastille, almond, and red pepper.
Both classic dishes I’m familiar with, made with exceptionally fresh and locally-sourced Scottish ingredients. I could definitely taste the difference with these dishes compared to similar ones I’ve had elsewhere, and I was all the more grateful to have tried them at the source. Even so, as beautifully presented and skilfully cooked as these lovely dishes were I found myself craving more of that gorgeous haggis I started with!
It’s official, The Scotsman’s Haggis has spoiled me.
I ended the meal on a sweet note, and a high one at that.
The bitter chocolate ganache with milk, caramelia, and hazelnut looks every inch the carefully deconstructed pudding I come to expect from a fine-dining restaurant. The flavours and texture of the chocolate ganache were out of this world - thick, rich, and intoxicatingly more-ish, with every bite better than the last. Even as my too-loose trousers began to feel uncomfortably snug I couldn’t stop helping myself to more than my share!
I couldn’t have asked for a more wonderful and satisfying introduction to proper Scottish cuisine, nor for a more surprising discovery of the joys of haggis! If you are a haggis virgin, like I was, and in Edinburgh you absolutely must try your first at North Bridge Brasserie - I cannot recommend it enough! It made me forget about my steak tartare dish which is one of my favourite foods, that’s how good the haggis is. The bitter chocolate ganache pudding is unmissable and is the final flourish to see out a delightful Edinburgh culinary journey.