June 24th 2024.
Recently, I had the pleasure of dining at the newest restaurant from renowned chef Roberta Hall McCarron. As a food critic, I've had the opportunity to visit my fair share of fancy, 10-course tasting menu-style establishments in the past few months. However, most of them were new openings, so it was refreshing to return to a more down-to-earth spot. Ardfern, McCarron's latest venture, is a charming café, bar, and bottle shop, setting itself apart from her other highly acclaimed restaurants, The Little Chartroom and Eleanore.
Don't be fooled by the label of a "bottle shop" - Ardfern is far from your typical greasy spoon. With its chic, minimalist decor and relaxed atmosphere, it exudes the same unpretentious yet refined vibes as its sister restaurants, albeit with smaller plates. Speaking of plates, the menu consists of small dishes ranging from £7 for generous nibbles to £14.50 for heartier options. My dining companion and I started with four starters, but before they arrived, we were treated to a plate of their grilled sourdough bread - a highlight of the meal for me.
The food at Ardfern is designed to be shared, making it the perfect place to catch up with friends over a few bites. And with breakfast and lunch options that have received rave reviews, it's a spot I plan on returning to multiple times. But let's talk about the food. We tried the mushroom hash browns with truffle pecorino, kedgeree fritters with cured egg and curry mayo, pork croquettes with pesto and pickled chilli, and lamb merguez kofta with egg yolk and date molasses. Each dish was thoughtfully crafted for pairs to share and disappeared in just a few bites. My personal favorite was the kofta - I'll definitely be ordering it again on my next visit.
For our main dishes - or should I say "mains" since they were served on bread - we had a light and refreshing combination of heritage tomatoes and broad beans on cheese flatbread, and a heartier ox cheek with fermented carrot, chilli, and sesame on flatbread. Both dishes were delicious, but unfortunately, they were over too soon. We also tried the cured sea trout with fennel, which was excellent but gone in a flash.
As for dessert, I would recommend sticking to the savory options. We tried the chocolate and peanut butter cookie tart with crème fraiche and the affogato, but neither stood out as much as the other dishes we had. However, overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my meal at Ardfern. The service was friendly and attentive, the wine selection was reasonably priced, and while the portions may have been on the smaller side, it wasn't so extreme that I felt the need to grab some chips and gravy on my way home.
In fact, I'm already looking forward to going back to try their breakfast and lunch options. And let's not forget about that amazing sourdough bread. If that's not a sign of a great dining experience, I don't know what is. You can find Ardfern at 10-12 Bonnington Road in Edinburgh, and I highly recommend checking it out. For more reviews, be sure to visit our website, and don't forget to subscribe to the latest issue of Scottish Field. Happy dining!
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