We recently visited the wonderful Twenty Princes Street, and to say I was impressed is truly an understatement. On arrival, we were immediately struck by the breathtaking interior design, which gives an Old Hollywood feel but with a modern twist.
We were seated by one of the managers – the utterly charming Arron, who helpfully took us through the menu, making recommendations and answering questions. The menu is split into sections with titles like ‘The Warm Up Act’ for starters and ‘The Headline Act’ for the grill dishes. The reference to performance didn’t stop at the menu, as each dish was served with a flourish of theatrics in both the way it was plated and presented. All of this was complemented by an arguably unrivalled dining view over Princes Street. For starters I chose seared West Coast scallops and medallions of lobster, served with an apple consommé and vanilla. The shellfish was cooked to perfection and had that beautiful freshness to it. My guest chose haggis ravioli, which was accompanied by roast swede, chicken butter, warm Drambuie jelly and crisp potato. The report came back as a simple: delicious.
For the main event I had selected a salt and rosemary seabass dish, served alongside potatoes and brown shrimp butter. Not normally one who’s partial to seabass, I was delighted with this experience. Again, like my starter, it had a wonderful combination of flavours. My guest chose a T-bone steak, a succulent delight from the Josper Grill.
Having enjoyed my Twenty experience so far, I was keen to sample a dessert. I chose Fire & Ice – which translated to a banoffee baked Alaska. As it was brought to the table, the dramatics appeared in abundance as the dish was indeed on fire. When the flames were extinguished, a fog of dry ice rose from the plate. I loved the whole performance.
For a little bit of food theatre, views, ambience and delicious, locally-sourced cuisine, I found Twenty Princes Street to be absolutely on the money.
www.twentyprincesstreet.co.uk
