The Apartment
Food in Scotland
The Apartment
7-13 Barclay Place
Edinburgh
Tel: 0131 228 6456
The problem with so many restaurants is that they specialise. You can go North African, or order Chinese, you can take-out an Indian or dine French. Unfortunately, there are very few places you can choose from all of them at once. At last, with The Apartment, comes a restaurant that serves food first and specialises later. With big portions, plenty of choice and a convivial atmosphere, this is fusion dining at it's good-value best.
The Apartment opts for an irreverent menu, doing away with the formalities of starters and mains and opting instead for ranges entitled 'Chunky Health Lines', 'Other things', 'Fish Things' and 'Penne Pasta'. And who cares? If you want a starter, you can share a main dish and if you want a main course that's half 'Fish Thing', and half 'Penne Pasta', you can share several.
In that sense, it's a clever menu, breaking down formality, encouraging people to share and, perhaps most importantly for their accountant, packing the place to bursting every single night.
Intrigued by what a Chunky Healthy Line might be, we decided to order several. To begin with, we opted to share a fabulously fresh and fruity Chicken and Apricot Line with a Piquant Peanut, Garlic and Green Chilli Dressing (�8.35). Summery, upbeat and served on a plate you could go to sea on, things were looking good for the CHLs.
Next up, I went with the North African Marinated Spicy Lamb Balls, Merguez and Grilled Basil-Wrapped Goat's Cheese (�8.25). The lamb was rich, the Merguez fresh and spicy and the goat's cheese beautifully balanced by the fresh basil. Served with pitta bread filled with their own apple, beetroot and lentil coleslaw, the dish was well garnished and there wasn't much need for the giant bowl of garlic fries I'd ordered.
Going further east, my girlfriend pitched for the fantastic Chinese Marinated Fillet of Beef, with Potato and Garlic Clove (�8.45), which effortlessly combined the richness of the beef with the pizzaz of far eastern spice.
With other options running from Black Peppered Rib-Eye Steak and Fries (�8.90) through Seared Tuna with a Coriander, Lime Zest and Coconut Milk Marinade (�8.90) to Penne with Serrano Ham and Sundried Tomatoes with Fresh Basil and Mozzarella (�5.70), The Apartment fuses enough ingredients to keep just about anyone happy.
~ Matt Warren