What’s so special about The Stockbridge Restaurant?

On Sunday we were invited to check out The Stockbridge Restaurant who are now offering a 2 or 3 course meal every Sunday for just £28/34 plus BYOB.  BYOB is charged £4 for wine and £5 for champagne.  I was excited, as have wanted to eat here for a long time.  We arrived for the first sitting, as it was easier for childcare.  Let’s face it, any offer of help and I will take it.  We need time out.  Sometimes a conversation at home can feel impossible with young kids, who want to play ‘house tig’ for hours on end.   I adore my kids, but I adore my own space too.  It’s essential.  I also adore food.  If you have read my first book, you will be aware how much.  I’m a 10/10 foodie (proud with my food and wine quiz score on the Goose’s Quizzes Podcast).

There was already a table of 4 in the corner and an hour later, the restaurant was busy, with what looked like double dates, families getting together (bringing along some lovely looking wine) and of course couples.  Nestled in a candlelit basement venue on St. Stephen Street, The Stockbridge Restaurant is one of Edinburgh’s only family-run two AA Rosette restaurants.

The past few restaurants we have been to have been fairly cold (partly why I never took the time to do a write up on the blog), so Hubs came prepared with his thickest shirt, and I had a cosy scarf wrapped round me.  It was a pleasant surprise that the restaurant was cosy.  This isn’t the norm, but what a difference it makes.

 

The menu had all of my favourites and I found it very hard to pick, because I wanted everything.  The plant based options caught my eye too.  Fresh homemade bread, butter and an extremely moreish chervil pesto dip were brought to the table.  It was SO good that we asked to keep the pot beside us, but we were trying to be careful not to fill up on bread either. I have since googled a recipe so watch this space.  I love fresh herbs, but am not normally a big fan of parsley (I’m blaming pregnancy for this) so I was surprised I enjoyed it so much.  The chervil mixed with the white wine vinegar and fresh lemon really works.

The standard of food was excellent.  The scallops were cooked to perfection, which was a relief as I struggled to pick a starter –  I genuinely adored the sound of all of the options.

The sea bass and fillet steak dishes that followed were to an equally high standard.  The homemade aioli worked a treat with the light and crispy squid rings.

The steak melted in my mouth and the sauce was to die for.  Don’t get me started on the slow cooked beef shin.  I tried to keep my foodgasm noises to a minimum but it was a struggle.  Thankfully there was a bustling atmosphere despite the restaurant being so cosy.

It would have been rude not to check out the desserts and, as the meals were light and not too heavy, we were all in.  Hubs is prone to getting a bit of stomach pain if food is too rich for him, but there were no complaints.  As a side note, do you know that most stomach issues flair up between the age of 30 and 40?  I put this down to the stress of running around, juggling work, life and little people.  All the more reason to get out for a treat as often as you can fit it in.

The passion fruit sorbet is the best I have tasted and the chocolate fondant, Crème brûlée, and white chocolate moose , with homemade milk chocolate ice cream sang to my soul.

This wasn’t our average Sunday night but it was fabulous.  I would definitely recommend.  My Hubs is hard to please but there was not one complaint which was a dream, as I’m not a fan of the negative as you will know.

BYOB is always a winner but let’s break it down further.

Food – Stunning, not too heavy and cooked to a high standard.

Drinks – Delicious selection of wine, fizz, cocktails, hot and soft drinks available.  The house tap water 🙂 is even flavoured and given extra love, if you are happy with this.  We were asked at the start.

Service – Excellent.

Atmosphere – Cosy, relaxed, home from home and NOT cold.

Toilets – Clean, cosy, nice hand products and added extras to help out if required.

Voted in the Sexiest 20 Restaurants by The Times, The Stockbridge Restaurant makes for the perfect romantic evening. The ivy covered doorway situated at the foot of age-old stone steps opens onto an intimate space awash with character. Natural stone walls create an atmospheric ambience with a striking fireplace, overflowing with wax from candles burned out during intimate evenings of dining takes stance at the head of the room.

Let me know if you go.  You won’t regret it.

 

Jojo Fraser is an award winning author, podcaster and motivational speaker.  She is a speaker coach for TEDx in Cumbernauld this December.  Jojo believes that we are all born to lead.  She has been a mental health researcher for the past 6 years and helps her clients to empower, motivate and uplift the leaders they work with.  She is a regular speaker on BBC Radio, a keen foodie and loves to sing.

Follow her popular podcast here, which is dubbed by her global listeners as ‘free therapy’.

Tune into her daily stories on Instagram @jojofrasermojo and Facebook @jojofrasermojo.

You can purchase her first book here.  More info coming soon about book number 2.