British/Irish/Scottish Restaurants/Pubs

London – More Shopping at Liberty, Dinner at St John (Smithfield) and Returning Home

November 1, 2025 mmm-yoso Airport/Airline/Cruise/Rail Food, British/Irish/Scottish Restaurants/Pubs, Fine Dining, London, Memorable Meals, Travel

As we strolled back to our room following a wonderful lunch at Barshu and exploring Chinatown, the Missus wanted to make one more stop. It was at a place we’d stopped by at earlier. One that “FOY” Sandy accurately wrote as being ” a bit out of my price range” in the comments of that post; Liberty.

This time, the Missus did some serious browsing…..

And in the end, found a scarf that She really liked.

I was actually relieved that, like our visits to Hermes in Paris, it was only a scarf….

Liberty London
Regent St.
London, United Kingdom

As for dinner…well, it was going to take us about a half hour total. So, after returning to our hotel, we set off. We’d be leaving from Paddington, so the Missus had a chance to check out the sculpture, The Wild Table of Love a bit more closely this time.

The actual ride on the tube was only about 10 minutes and we ended up at Farringdon Station, after which it was a ten minute walk to our destination.

Much like our lunch at Barshu, my choice for dinner had been on my “list” for ages. The destination was once named as Anthony Boudain’s choice for his “last supper”. Unfortunately, we all know that didn’t happen. But since, by total accident, we did actually have what Mr Bourdain had as his last meal, it just seemed right to go to St John….and of course, I’ve been wanting to visit for years, since seeing his shows featuring Chef Fergus Henderson. Of course I had to convince the Missus…since St John specializes in “nose to tail” cuisine….well, showing the Missus photos really didn’t help things. But in the end the Missus gave in…..and we were at St John in Smithfield.

Our dinner reservations were for 645pm, so the place was pretty empty when we arrived. But soon enough the place filled up. The service a impeccable, the staff polished, professional, while being quite amiable. As for the customer base…well, it seemed to be mostly Brits based on the accents we could hear.

The Missus’s preconceived notions changed quickly when the bread arrived.

My goodness……yeasty, crusty….just perfect. The butter, while being on the cold side was well…..so buttery!

Now we’d had quite a bit for lunch, so we had a small dinner; but thoroughly enjoyed it.

I had to get my phone out to translate…well, English to, ahem English for what the heck “Cold Roast Dexter” was. Well, Dexter….is (thankfully) not whom you might think, but actually a breed of Irish Cattle. Think of it as cold roast beef….but just any roast beef. The slices of beef were very savory/bovine-y, quite lean but still tender.

The anchovy based dressing was rich, yet so umami and the cress added a wonderful, crisp, bright pepperiness to things. This was so ono!

The signature dish; the one that Bourdain wished for his last meal is the Roasted Bone Marrow & Parsley Salad…..again, a very simple looking dish. I would add, something this good does not need any fancy additions.

Man, that veal marrow was ooozing, gelatinous perfection. Beefy, almost sweet, and a touch of salt on that wonderful bread….say no more!

The Crispy Pig Cheek and Chicory gave me pause as it looked over-dressed. But again, this was delici-yoso. The pig cheek was indeed still crisp but also quite tender, and so porky! I asked the friendly Server what kind of pork this was and he said “Middle White”. So, of course I got the phone out…. Middle White is a breed of British domestic pig.

Loved the porkiness…definitely not the “other white meat” and the bitter, bold flavor of the chicory! We found out quickly that the dressing had a good bit of pungent mustard in it.

This was quite a nice…though smaller, definitely not light meal! It also gave me an appreciation for what seems to be more traditional British cuisine. Both the Missus and I can’t wait to return!

St. John Smithfield
26 St John St.
London, United Kingdom

After dinner, on the way to the metro station, we took a look at Smithfield Market, which of course was closed.

I’ve heard that the market is closing and the location becoming the London Museum.

We got back to our hotel and slept well. Our flight home wasn’t until 1pm, so we didn’t have to wake very early. Plus the Heathrow Express stops at Paddington Station and takes about 20 minutes to get to the airport. Flying Business Class has its benefits as we got to have brunch at the lounge at Heathrow.

And of course we ate on our flight back to San Diego.

One part of the meal in Business or First that I enjoy on British Airways is having the cheese plate for dessert. I really enjoy the Cashel Blue….which I believe comes from Ireland, with a nice port before heading off to dreamland.

And for the next meal…I selected the “light menu”…which ain’t so light.

I actually enjoyed the Smoked Chicken.

Which went well with the ricotta.

Though, my choice for Main Course, the Pesto Trofie was questionable. I guess I was still recalling being in Liguria.

Still, this had been a wonderful trip, starting in London visiting Westminster Abbey and getting early access to the Tower of London is highly recommended. Then heading to Milan…which exceeded our expectations. Then it was off to the Cinque Terre, we loved Veranzza, and even the hikes/walks to the various villages. I’m glad we were able to spend some time in Genoa, where we got to sample some traditional dishes. And of course, visiting my favorite city, Paris. Where we got to hang out on my favorite street. I’d always wanted to take the EuroStar! And it all ended back in London!

We loved this rather longish vacation and maybe when JJ gets a bit older and his favorite Auntie is back in town we’ll be able to do it again!

Cheers!

London – Jack the Ripper Tour and The Hoop and Grapes

November 22, 2024 mmm-yoso British/Irish/Scottish Restaurants/Pubs, London, Pubs and Pub Grub, Travel

Yes, I know, it was the first time we were really spending time in London. So why not "do" all those touristy things? Like a Jack the Ripper Tour? After doing a bit of research, it seemed like this one would be a good match. And since we were pretty full after having Afternoon Tea, we could just try to find a nice, maybe historical pub afterwards for a late bite and drink.

After all, what would be more fun than to walk the streets of London's East End? And of course everyone has heard of Jack the Ripper, a name that will forever be associated with the East end, who murdered at least (it depends whom you ask) 5 women for a period of about 5 months (again, depends on whom you ask) in 1888. There are innumerable books, websites, and various articles to read. I'm not going to go into too much detail here; I'm sure you can find all you want on the web, library, etc.

We caught the Tube and met at the Aldgate East Tube Station. The group was relatively small, less than 12 people. Our guide Angie was a hoot; totally in character, amazing stories, had historic photos of the area; once strewn with small streets.

We stopped at various sights; like one of the places we had on our lists to have dinner and a drink following our tour; the Ten Bells.

Where at least two of the Ripper's victims were known to visit. In fact, it is said, that Mary Jane Kelly, the supposed last victim of the Ripper was last seen at the Ten Bells. The pub is also supposedly haunted.

We made over a dozen stops; including the corner of this square.

This is the southern corner of Mitre Square; where at 145am in the morning of September 30th, 1888, the body of Catherine Eddowes, the fourth vitim of the Ripper was found. The interesting thing about this is that this is the western most location of the Whitechapel Murders and actually in the City of London!

It was an entertaining evening. Before we headed off, we asked Angie about getting a bite to eat and a drink nearby. She told us the Ten Bells was noisy and full of tourists and recommended another historic pub named the Hoop and Grapes.

This place seemed a bit more local; the folks working quite friendly.

I got a Nicholson Pale Ale.

Hilarity ensued when I ordered the Missus's Gin and Tonic. The bartender asked me what kind of tonic…..something I don't think I'd been asked before. When I appeared stumped he told me "we have over 30 different tonics!" Ok, lesson learned! I just got a Hendricks with the basic Fever Tree Elderflower Tonic.

Since we were in London; the Missus decided on some Fish and Chips, which was made with Haddock.

We had to send this back once because the fish was still frozen. They apologized and actually got a brand new plate; the shape of the fish was totally different. The batter was crisp and light, but the fish was on the dry side. The chips were dry and we actually needed to request malt vinegar; which was provided in packets.

I decided on the "award winning" Steak & Nicholson's Pale Ale Pie…..well since I was having a Nicholson's Pale Ale anyway.

The crust of the pie was decent; crisp and flaky, the "steak" was quite chewy, though the sauce and gravy helped even things out. Overall, a bit on the bland side. I actually had to request some salt; something I almost never do in a restaurant. The peas, green beans and cabbage were pretty much tasteless. Though the mashed potatoes were very creamy it was also on the bland side as well.

Well, we weren't expecting haute cuisine, so this was perfectly fine for us. Some drinks in a relaxed pub with very friendly folks suited us just fine on this evening.

The Hoop and Grapes
47 Aldgate High St.
London EC3N 1AL, UK

London – Afternoon Tea at the Terrace at The Dilly, Westminster Abbey, and The Church of St Margaret

November 3, 2024 mmm-yoso British/Irish/Scottish Restaurants/Pubs, Desserts, London, Sandwiches, Travel

It was still fairly early when we crossed the Westminster Bridge. We had afternoon tea scheduled for 230pm, back at the hotel where we were staying.

I had always wanted to check out Westminster Abbey It was just before 10am. Because I wasn't sure what our schedule would be, I didn't purchase advanced tickets. It was just past 10, the line to get in didn't seem very long, so we decided to see if we could get tickets. Surprisingly, there were tickets available. I went ahead and got us tickets for 1030 entry into the Abbey. We decided to check out St. Margaret's Church which is on the grounds of the Abbey.

According to Britannica, there had been a church on this site since the mid-12th century. But that structure was demolished and this church was built between 1486 and 1523. It is the "official" church of the House of Commons (i.e. the Parliament), which happens to be right next door. In fact, Winston Churchill married Clementine Hozier in this church in 1908. They were married for 56 years, until Churchill's death in 1965.

IMG_1999a

The church is also known for it's windows. The famous East Window has quite a story.

It was also interesting to see who's been entombed here.

Speaking of entombed. Well, according to Wikipedia, there are over 3,300 people buried or commemorated in the Abbey, which was housing Benedictine Monks back in the 10th Century!

There's so much that has happened here; every coronation, since that of William the Conquerer in 1066 has taken place here; the High Altar is where those take place. This post could be many pages long; so I'm just going to keep it simple.

Of course, I was much more interested in who was buried here. It's a who's who of history.

There are a total of 17 monarchs entombed here. For instance, Elizabeth I and Mary I are buried next to each other.

There are familiar names everywhere and folks seemed to be entombed together in sections.

Poet's Corner features some familiar names.

IMG_2052a

Remember I used the term buried or "commemorated" above? Well, I found it even more interesting folks who have memorials or statues here, but are not buried at Westminster.

Like this rather well known fella'…….

I really appreciated some of the "pairings"….for instance, Stephen Hawking.

Is buried next to…..

And nearby resides….

From people I've read about in history class.

To those who future generations will read about in their history classes.

And even those whom I just remember for certain things; like the quote "Doctor Livingston I presume?"

I really enjoyed just wandering thru Westminster Abbey. There's an Audioguide available, but we just decided to "wing it".

I'm thinking we'll return and perhaps do a private or Verger tour. This was a lot of fun.

Exiting Westminster Abbey, we headed up Parliament Street.

Passing the Cenotaph, a memorial to those who died in the First and Second World Wars. Unfortunately, those photos didn't turn out.

My photo for the Monument to the Women of World War II did.

As did that of the Field Marshal Earl Haig Memorial.

Whitehall is indeed a street with so much too see.

At the intersection of Whitehall and Horse Guards Avenue is a very popular gate. This is where one of the ceremonial entrances to Saint James and Buckingham Palace is. This is also where the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment guards the gate. You can figure out what the draw here is, right?

Everyone wants a photo with the Equine Soldier, but like they say for the Tube, you need to "mind the gap" as some of the horses, like the one above enjoy their "personal space". It was quite a crowd.

This is also where the entry to the Household Cavalry Museum is located, along with the Horse Guards Parade. It had quite a line on this day.

We walked thru the passage to Horse Guards Avenue. And came upon the Guards Memorial.

Like I said. There's so much to see that it can be overwhelming. By this point we had seen so much that it was time to head back to the hotel and take a short break before Afternoon Tea.

I put my phone away and we took a nice stroll back to the Dilly.

I had made reservations for Afternoon Tea at the hotel's restaurant, the Terrace. One thing I did learn was the difference between High Tea and Afternoon Tea. Afternoon Tea is earlier with supposedly lighter fare….you'll see why I say "supposedly" soon. The Terrace is a lovely, somewhat stylish, very bright restaurant.

Since we wouldn't have time for dinner until later this evening; I thought 230 might be a good time for Afternoon Tea. The restaurant was busy, but not super crowded. We thought the prices were quite reasonable as well.

We really weren't prepared for how much food this was. That said, nothing was memorable; the sandwiches dull, the scones quite bland….

The "sweets" tasted like mass produced chocolate; though we thought the theme and presentation was charming.

The service was quite attentive; though we were underwhelmed at the quality and flavor of the food. Still, you were in London, you had to do Afternoon or High Tea, right?

Terrace at The Dilly
21 Piccadilly
London, United Kingdom

Having Haggis at The Pub (formerly Dan Diegos)

March 29, 2024 mmm-yoso British/Irish/Scottish Restaurants/Pubs, Pubs and Pub Grub

Recently, I took a nice stroll down Milton to Morena. I decided to walk back on that current mess of construction called Clairemont Drive. While heading North on Morena passing The Pub, I suddenly had a hankering for some Haggis. Now honestly, how often have you heard that in San Diego? Back in 2023, right after my Bobby Burns night dinner, Dan Diegos changed its name to The Pub. The owners and menu is basically the same. One of the interesting things is that Haggis is now on the daily menu.

So, I'd already walked a decent distance and had the walk up Clairemont Drive ahead of me; so I thought a pint and some Haggis would suit me well.

Rev The Pub 01

The place was doing some good business on a week night. It wasn't even five yet.

I got me a Mulligan Red Ale, nice roasty-caramel tones.

Rev The Pub 02

I also ordered the Haggis Plate ($20). Which includes soda bread and The Pub's definition of Colcannon.

Rev The Pub 03

I do like the soda bread here; it's got a nice biscuity flavor, but much lighter than a biscuit, with a touch of graininess almost like cornbread. The "Colcannon" here is mostly cabbage, mixed with mashed potatoes, not as buttery as I would like; but heck, I got my veggies in right? As for the haggis; it's still milder than what we enjoyed in Scotland, but I think this was even better than what I'd had here before. A bit more offaly, nice balance of savory flavors, a bit less oatmeal, a decent amount of typical spices, and seemed to use less fat (i.e. suet is typical) making it a bit more gritty, but still decently flavored. It was also filling. I quite enjoyed this.

It was nice to see Dan Diegos The Pub doing well. The food seems to have improved since my first visits over a decade ago. The crowd skewed a bit older and folks seemed to be enjoying themselves. I should probably try more items from the menu, the walk might do me good too!

The Pub
2415 Morena Blvd
San Diego, CA 92110
Current Hours:
Mon – Wed – Thurs 330pm – 10pm
Fri Sat 1pm – 11pm
Sunday 10am – 3pm
Closed on Tuesdays

Where in the world are we – part 1

October 27, 2023 mmm-yoso British/Irish/Scottish Restaurants/Pubs, Chinese Restaurants, Italian Restaurants, Italy, London, Milan, Travel

So yes, we're off on another trip and are having a great time. We are now on the third "stop" of this holiday.

The first stop was a place we've flown thru so many times, but really never took the time to enjoy. This time, we wanted to check things out and enjoy. And that we did. It's a bustling city, full of iconic locations.

Yes, it's an easy guess……

There's so much to see that we limited our visits; I'm sure we'll be back. After all, there's so much history here.

And spent a good amount of time at places we did visit.

And, as we've done in recent years, we carefully picked tours to suit us. Which usually have an interesting wrinkle to them.

What about the food you may ask….after all; the main focus of our humble little blog is still food.

Well, what we ate here ranged from two Michelin Star Chinese.

To more traditional grindz.

Our next stop was a pleasant surprise for us. Considered to be the fashion and business center of this country; it still seemed quite laid back. We enjoyed strolling the streets and plazas, which included one of the oldest shopping malls in the world. Which was quite stunning.

The Duomo was also something to behold.

We included a visit to the roof as part of our admission. Even though raindrops were falling, it was stunning.

There was one main reason for our visit, which did not disappoint.

And our favorite meal of our trip thus far was here.

Which was located in the wonderful little neighborhood we were ensconced in. In fact, we ate all of our meals in this area. Which included some traditional dishes of the region.

We're now at our next destination and enjoying things. We hope all is well with you!

Thanks for stopping by!

HitH – Robert Burns Supper at Dan Diegos

January 26, 2023 mmm-yoso British/Irish/Scottish Restaurants/Pubs, Pubs and Pub Grub

Here's another H(anging) i(n) t(he) 'H(ood) post.

Sometimes things work in rather mysterious ways. For some reason, I was feeling like taking a nice walk and I hadn't been to Dan Diegos since before Covid. So I figured it would be a good walk, about two-thirds of a mile and I headed on down. "ST" had sent me a recent email recommending the Lamb Sandwich at Dan Diegos so that was the purpose of my visit. But when I arrived, I was waylaid by the special of the day.

HITH DD 01

The sign said "Bobby Burns Night – Dinner: Haggis with Neeps and Tatties". Shades of Scotland! I consider DDs to be sort of an Irish pub, so the last thing I would expect would be a Burns supper, which celebrates Scottish Poet Robert Burns, author of such works as Address to a Haggis. But here it was…and here I was.

HITH DD 02

The folks here have always been quite friendly and all the folks sitting at the bar seemed to be regulars. And they were quite curious to see me order the Haggis, Neeps, and Tatties. The woman working the bar told me that the chef had been working weeks trying to get the Haggis "right". And I was more than happy to be the first to order it.

HITH DD 03

So, how was it? Well, it nicely seared, this had a ton of oatmeal in it. I'm not sure if it had much offal as the flavor was quite mild….no, this was definitely not like what we had at Drover Inn along Loch Lomond. It was nicely seasoned, with some earthy tones, and quite filling. Sort of like "Haggis not to Harm"? The neeps (mashed turnips) were good as were the "tatties" (mashed potatoes), though I wasn't a fan of the gluey-bland gravy. I didn't need the mustard or horseradish sauce at all.

To be perfectly honest, I'd have this again. Perhaps I'll call before going to see if they have it. Or maybe I'll have to try the Lamb Sandwich.

HITH DD 04

This was a fun, serendipitous meal, surrounded by nice folks.

"Auld Scotland wants nae stinkin ware,
⁠That jups in luggies;
But if ye wish her gratefu' pray'r.
⁠Gie her a Haggis!"

Address to a Haggis – Robert Burns

Dan Diegos Pub
2415 Morena Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92110

And I do have a question for you. In terms of distances, what do you consider "your 'hood"? Is it a few blocks, a half mile, a mile, or (god forbid) over a mile?

Edinburgh (2022) – St Giles Cathedral, Dinner at Wedgewood, Deacon Brodie’s Tavern, and Breakfast from the Edinburgh Larder

November 6, 2022 mmm-yoso Breakfast/Brunch, British/Irish/Scottish Restaurants/Pubs, Edinburgh, Scotland, Travel

After checking out the Museums and Greyfriars Kirkland we headed back up to High Street. There was one more stop to make before we took a break in the action. Our trip would not be complete without a visit to what is considered Scotland's most important church, St Giles' Cathedral.

IMG_2937_02 And though we had passed the Cathedral several times a day, and even checked out the gravesite in the parking lot, we had yet to actually enter the cathedral. We were looking for a time when it wasn't too crowded and at this moment the place was fairly empty.

As you would figure for a church that is one, located in Edinburgh, and two, been around since 1124, there are a ton of stories and artifacts. Like, for instance that three-legged stool to the upper right. It's called a "cuttie-stool".

Here's the story:

Indeed St Giles has quite a tumultuous history. It was established as a Catholic Church and then came the Reformation and John Knox. Things were changing. It is said that the statue of the Patron Saint Giles was stolen and "drowned in Nor Loch". In 1559 the Lord of the Congregation, led by John Knox marched into the St Giles and took over. John Knox preached in St Giles for the first time….there was a "new sheriff in town". After a brief time when the Roman Catholic party retook the church and the Treaty of Berwick was signed, St Giles once again became a Protestant Church on April 1st, 1560! Whew……all of that in just a year!

If you you want more on the history if St Giles, this is the Cathedral's official website's history page.

Me, I'm just gonna enjoy some stained glass.

It was a fun stop.

We headed back to the apartment and took a short break before heading out to dinner. Unlike the previous evening tonight's dinner locale was close by, a place named Wedgwood The Restaurant.

It was a quaint little restaurant serving modern, seasonal cuisine, that gives you a "wee tour of Scotland".

We started with the amuse and a bit of "bubbly".

And some very tasty bread.

We weren't very hungry, so we went with three starters and a main to share.

Like just about all the seafood we had in Scotland, the Treacle Cured Salmon was delicious.

Treacle Cured Salmon - Wedgewood Edinburgh

It really didn't need all the soy and yuzu sauces; though the pickled beetroot was a nice touch.

The Laurencekirk Duck Breast looked lovely but was a bit on the dry side.

Laurencekirk Duck Breast - Wedgewood Edinburgh

We didn't care for the fennel which was quite strong in flavor and overwhelmed the dish.

The Missus enjoyed the Charred Midlothian Wild Leek.

Charred Midlothian Wild Leek Potato Creme Fraiche - Edinburgh

The wild leek had a nice mildly sweet almost pungent-garlicky flavor. The creme fraiche added a bit of mild acidity and richness. The potatoes had a nice starchiness and this was a good dish overall.

I was looking forward to the Avon Valley Roe Deer Loin and Venison Haggis.

Avon Valley Deer Loin Venison Haggis - Wedgewood Edinburgh The lean deer loin had a nice, moist toothsomeness, had been seared and seasoned nicely. It wasn't overly gamy, but you could tell it was venison. The jus was wonderful, not overly rich, and went well with the delicious potato pave. Loved the celeriac puree, but that round ball of venison haggis was super mild in flavor. It did have quite the gritty-grainy texture though.

Overall, a nice meal, great service.

Wedgwood The Restaurant
267 Canongate
Edinburgh, Scotland

We decided to go ahead and do our after dinner stroll and headed back to the Royal Mile. And of course we passed…..

We took a look at another placed we had passed oh, so many times on this trip, Deacon Brodie's Pub. It was such a nice evening, we thought we should do the "tourist thing" and grab a pint!

I went and ordered a pint; the Missus grabbed a table outside, and we watched all the happenings on the Royal Mile.

Like this guy with the owl and what looked like a television crew.

There's always something going on!

Deacon Brodies Tavern
435 Lawnmarket
Edinburgh, Scotland

We then headed back to the apartment.

Well, it was still early, so we decided to do some shopping and wandered along the various side streets.

We found a leather shop. My belt had taken a beating, so we walked in. The folks were awesome. They were closing in 20 minutes, but he selected the leather, belt style, and sized it for me. They'd be open at ten the next morning, they'd get it ready by the time they opened and I could pick it up then.

Somehow we ended up at Canongate Kirk.

With a statue of Scottish Poet Robert Fergusson "strolling" in front of it.

And of course Canongate Kirkyard, yet another cemetery surrounds the church.

What really kinda freaked us out was that there were apartments right next to the cemetery and the units overlooked the graveyard; not sure I would want to live here.

After this, we decided to call it a night and headed back to the apartment.

We slept well. Our flight wasn't until 5pm and the owners of the apartment said we were welcome to stay until one.

We took it easy in the morning. For breakfast we decided to do a takeout order from the very popular breakfast and lunch spot that was on the next block up from the apartment. I went and placed a takeout order and the Missus and I went to pick up my new belt which was ready. Man, the service here was awesome.

We then walked on back to the Edinburgh Larder to pick-up our order. There always seemed to be a line here.

We actually picked up our order from the "Little Larder".

It was the Hash Breakfast, which was enough for both the Missus and I.

Nice poached egg, sweet corn, wonderful red potatoes, smoked haddock, which was a bit too much for the Missus. The Chermoula Dressing was nice; a bit of nice cilantro tones, mild garlicky flavors, quite herbaceous.

We finally had a chance to avail ourselves of the generous amount of coffee pods in the apartment.

The Edinburgh Larder
5 Blackfriars St.
Edinburgh, Scotland

We left the apartment at around 1230 and walked on over to Princes Street and caught the tram to the airport. We made it in good time and were now getting excited about our next stop. It was back to Paris!

Edinburgh (2022) – Dinner at Restaurant Martin Wishart

November 4, 2022 mmm-yoso British/Irish/Scottish Restaurants/Pubs, Edinburgh, European Restaurants, Fine Dining, Memorable Meals, Scotland

We had wanted one blow out meal during our stay in Edinburgh. So after doing some research and then trying to hunt down reservations I came up with Martin Wishart. Even though the one Michelin Star restaurant was in Leith, almost 2 1/2 miles away, we could always catch a cab if we desired. Of course, as things ended up we walked both ways. It was a fairly pleasant walk. Leith was once Edinburgh's seaport and had fallen into disrepair following World War II. But during the early 2000's, the neighborhood has been revitalized and with the mooring of the Royal Yacht Britannia and the conversion of the Ocean Terminal into a shopping center, along with artists, musicians, and designers moving into the area it has been ranked as one of the coolest neighborhoods in the world. Well, we walked on over and the place seemed quite mellow on this Saturday night, we were probably in the wrong area, but we kind of enjoyed the relaxed nature of things.

We were greeted immediately after entering the restaurant. Service was friendly and professional, though the timing of the dishes was inconsistent as there were a few long waits between dishes. The Sommelier though, was outstanding! He helped the Missus pick Her tasting as if he read Her mind and totally understood Her taste and preferences.

The Missus and I decided to go with the three course "Market Menu" and each had one of the two choices available for the three courses. That way we could taste one of each item available on the menu.

Things started with some delicious bread and the four course amuse bouche featured beetroot and crowdie, cod roe and fennel, potato and smoked egg yolk, and horse radish and celeriac.

The highlite was the smoked eggyolk and potato, the flavors of each component seemed so intensified

The Sea Bream Tartare was nice though nothing really special.

Having both the strong flavor of lemon and the brininess of capers was a bit much. The soy foam was fine. The fish had been perfectly prepared and marinated though, the texture was a perfect creamy toothsomeness.

The Roasted Veal Sweetbread was an amazing "earthy" and textural delight.

The sweetbread was perfectly fried, crisp coating, creamy interior, slightly earthy and mildly sweet with a hint of offal sharpness. The flavors of the morels added another luxurious layer of earthiness with a nutty finish. The broadbeans finished things off nicely along with the wonderful jus.

Another dish that was perfectly prepared was the Roast Peterhead Skatewing.

The Sauce Grenobloise, featuring brown butter, capers, and good acidity went well with the creamy but mild flavored skate wing. There were a couple of escargot thrown in that really didn't add anything to the dish in our opinion. Loved the confit tomatoes which added a deep acidic fruitiness to the dish. The artichokes were surprisingly creamy.

The Roast Saddle of Dornoch Lamb was wonderfully gamy and meaty, if a bit on the dry side. We loved the rub and sear on this.

This version of Pomme Salardaise, basically garlic potatoes with a good amount of fat, was almost like a creamy croquette. Speaking of croquette, that's a wonderfully porky and crisp fried pork belly on the bottom left which almost looks like one, doesn't it? The asparagus was crisp, fresh, and mildly sweet. The jus featured thyme which was used judiciously and didn't interfere with the overall flavor of the dish.

For dessert the Missus chose the Passion Fruit Creme Fraiche Tart.

Which She enjoyed saying it was both refreshing and quite rich.

I chose the Cheese Course (an extra £10 supplement).

I wish I took notes on the cheeses. That bleu was fabulous! And like I mentioned earlier the Sommelier was fabulous. When I asked for a "Spot of Port" to go with the cheeses, he selected an amazing Tawny that was perfect with the bleu!

We took the macaroons and "stuffs" to go because we were "stuffed".

The Missus enjoyed these during the rest of our stay in Edinburgh.

Overall, professional but not stuffy service. A bit slow and off in the pacing as the evening wore on, probably due to staffing. The Sommelier was amazing.

Restaurant Martin Wishart
54 The Shore
Edinburgh, Scotland

We then hoofed it back to the apartment. Even though it was a Saturday evening things were pretty quiet as we walked back which was unexpected, but we enjoyed.

We had one more full day in Edinburgh, and we'd try to make the best of it.

Thanks for stopping by!

Scotland (2022) – Dunchraigaig Cairn, Nether Largie Standing Stones, Inveraray Castle, and Dinner at Monteiths (Edinburgh)

October 12, 2022 mmm-yoso British/Irish/Scottish Restaurants/Pubs, Edinburgh, Scotland, Travel, yoso-silly

**** This is a long one! So, if you're not interested in mysterious stones, castles and such, you can go ahead and scroll down to the food.

We had a great time on Islay, from the Scotch tastings, to the wonderful sights and people, it was a trip we'll not soon forget. But in was now time to head back to Edinburgh. We must have been more tired than we thought…or perhaps our hearty breakfast got the better of us? Both the Missus and I took a nice nap on the ferry back to the mainland.

Since, we were returning rather early in the day, Sean had a couple of stops planned for us. The first two stops was in the Kilmartin Glen area.

We parked in a small designated parking lot and crossed the road where Sean led us to this pile of rocks.

This is Dunchraigaig Cairn. In case you're not sure of what a cairn is, it's basically a pile of stones used as a marker, be it a burial site or to identify a path, or some other purpose. Dunchraigaig Cairn had its first documented excavation in 1864, though it said to have been "badly robbed". It was a very impressive cairn.

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Many photos I've seen of this cairn show the entrance, or cist open. On our visit it was closed and I was rather glad, because in 2021 the first Prehistoric Animal Carvings ever found in Scotland were discovered here! Pretty awesome huh?

Our next stop made our day. You know how the Missus and I love the mysterious and unknown, right? Well, after parking we were walked over to a group of standing stones in sort of an 'X' formation.

Whoa, these are the Nether Largie Standing Stones.

The central stone is the largest and covered with lichen. It has cup like indentations.

The outlying stones are aligned in northeast to southwest, so perhaps to mark the solstice or something of that nature?

Just Googling "Nether Largie Standing Stones" will deliver you a wealth of theories; everything from a tool to predict the solstice and eclipse, to burial rituals, to this being a ball court! You gotta love it!

And if that wasn't enough; our next stop was very impressive……

That's Inveraray Castle, home of the Duke of Argyll, who is chief of the Clan Campbell….which means all Campbell's in the world!

It was quite stunning, walking down the path to the castle.

This really looks like something out of a movie, doesn't it? Touring the estate, the Duke of Argyll and family still occupy part of the structure, was very impressive. The foundation stone of the castle was laid in 1746 and the castle has gone under renovations after two fires. After the fire in 1877, the third floor and the four conical roofs were added. In 1975 another fire engulfed the castle.

What was probably the most impressive room of the castle is the Armory Hall, with its huge collection of weaponry. The ceiling of this hall is 21 meters – that's almost 69 feet high and is said to be the highest ceiling in all of Scotland!

Of course the thought of being in here when a earthquake hit and getting impaled by one of the pole-arms entered my head…..

The Salon was a very nice room.

It is said that Lerner and Loewe actually composed some of the songs from My Fair Lady at this piano while staying at the castle.

This is the Drawing Room.

This is the Victorian Room, located on the first (second floor in the US) floor.

Of course every castle has at least one ghost, right? Inveraray is noted to have several. The most well known one occupies the MacArthur Room. It is said that a young harpist was murdered by the Duke of Montrose's men in 1644. The the ghost of the harpist is attached to this bed, must be one heck of a bed! And according to the legend, when a family member is about to die you will hear the music from a harp coming from this room!

And there's the "Grey Lady" often said to be the ghost of a former kitchen maid who can only be seen by daughters of the Duke of Argyll!

Nothing like some good "Obake stories" for the month of October, right?

I also enjoyed touring the kitchen in the basement.

Which was last used in the 1950's.

The grounds of the castle are immaculate.

And there must be hundreds, if not thousands of stories…..

That millstone above is said to be cursed.

This was a enjoyable stop!

Sean got us to our AirBnb in Edinburgh in perfect time. The flat was fantastic, just meters from High Street, but still fairly quiet.

Soon enough, it was time for dinner. We originally had dinner reservations at Forage & Chatter, but the restaurant cancelled our reservations a week before the date. Luckily, I managed to get reservations at Monteiths, which was just around the corner from where we were staying a few days before we arrived in Edinburgh. Like Devil's Advocate, Monteith's was located in a Close. In case you are wondering what a "close" is.

And of course Monteiths is located on Monteiths Close.

The restaurant serves "modern" Scottish cuisine and cocktails. Serves was friendly and efficient. The restaurant was a bit on the dark side so please forgive the photos.

We started with the Beef Tartare.

There was what seemed to be shaved cured egg yolk on this though it didn't add much to the dish. The beef was tender and if a bit coarsely chopped. Nice clean flavors overall.

We also got the Smoked Duck.

The duck had a nice smokiness to it and was on the toothsome side, but still quite tasty. The goat cheese added a bit too much acidity for our taste.

The Potato Dumplings, Wild Mushroom, and Truffle.

Nice mushroom flavors, mild truffle, and the potato dumplings, which were pretty much gnocchi were really rubbery.

The best dish of the evening was the Hot Smoked Salmon.

The salmon was wonderfully smoked, good balance, just enough salt. I wasn't sure about the Hazelnut Bearnaise sauce, but the rich creaminess, along with the herbaceous tones really balanced out the smokiness of the salmon. The nutty buckwheat pancakes was a nice accompaniment as well.

Overall, a decent meal and the staff was very nice.

Monteiths
61 High St.
Edinburgh, Scotland

After dinner we headed out for a stroll. I thought we'd head up Calton Hill As we headed up, we saw Old Calton Cemetery, something I had on my "list" of things to see. The Missus humored me and we decided to check the place out.

That obelisk is the Political Martyrs Monument. There's even a American Civil War Memorial, with a statue of Abraham Lincoln. Sad to say that photo didn't come out.

Quite a few notable folks are buried here.

Man, look at the dates!

Man, if these tombstones could talk….the stories that could be told.

Instead of heading up Calton Hill, we decided to head on back down. The view was very nice.

We walked down the stairs….

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Then crossed over Waverly Station. Took took a short walk down the Royal Mile. Before deciding to head back to the apartment and call it a night.

Of course we got to Deacon Brodie's Tavern before we decided to turn around. And here was yet another story. You gotta love this one!

"He had designed the gallows that were to eventually seal his fate." Can you say ironic?

Scotland (2022) – More Meals at the Port Charlotte Hotel

October 7, 2022 mmm-yoso British/Irish/Scottish Restaurants/Pubs, Scotland, Seafood, Travel

We had some extra time on our hands after visiting Bunnahabhain and Bowmore Distilleries, so Sean drove us back past Port Charlotte to the southwestern tip of Islay and a quaint little village named Portnahaven. It as a quite peaceful and sleepy, with a population of 150….we saw not a soul during our visit.

There was a little seaside trail called "Rathas nan Iasgairean" and you know the Missus and trails, right? It was a short and pleasant walk.

On the drive back to Port Charlotte, Sean, knowing that the Missus was charmed by the "Heilan' Coos" stopped a couple of times so the Missus could take some photos and "ooh and aah" over them.

They didn't seem to care about their paparazzi moment….

We got back to the hotel and decided to take a stroll. We headed up the road in the northerly direction.

Past the Loch Indaal Lighthouse.

And past Saint Kiarins Church.

Completed in 1899.

And on up to the Kilchoman War Memorial.

There's a bench and table nearby with the following tag.

From here we headed back. Though we took a short detour up one of the side roads. Because who could resist the adorable sheep and lamb…..

Unlike the "Coos", the sheep seemed a bit curious…..

And the views walking back to to the main road were amazing.

The air so fresh and crisp, the grass so green…..

We got back to the hotel and I saw Sean having a drink at the bar, so I decided to join him while the Missus freshened up. Sean knew the owners of the hotel and one of them was tending bar on this evening. Sean mentioned the Missus's love of really peaty Scotch and the gentleman pulled a bottle of what he called the "most peaty" and it was still sealed. "No one dares drink this….." It was a brand named Octomore. He told Sean he's open it so that we could have a whiff. When he took the seal off, the cork just blew off the bottle! It was hilarious. And man, it smelled like I'd been rolling around on the floor of a cigar factory!

Soon enough Sean had to take leave and the Missus joined me for dinner. We just got a table in the bar area this time.

Of course we got the oysters.

And the Mushrooms….

Just like last time.

I also ordered the Fish and Chips to share.

It was a bit overdone for our preference and on the drier side. The potatoes were awesome though.

When dessert arrived……

I had an idea! I asked the owner if the Missus could have a "wee dram" of the Octomore and even though he looked at me in disbelief he gladly obliged.

We paid and took the dessert and drinks out to the front area of the hotel, after all "smoking is illegal in public enclosed spaces in Scotland, and the Missus got Her Octomore…and more!

I could see the owner peeking out the window seeing if the Missus would actually drink the stuff; which She did. It was quite funny.

We enjoyed watching folks taking their evening stroll from the al fresco table…..

It was just a perfect end to the day!

The next morning we had breakfast before we headed on back to the mainland.

The Missus had loved the Smoked Kippers I'd had the day before so She ordered that with some poached eggs.

Meanwhile, I went for it and ordered the Full Scottish Breakfast….which was no joke….

It had Baked Beans, good texture but a bit too sweet for my taste, Stornoway Black Pudding, good, a bit gritty, the acidity from the grilled tomato and the lovely fried potato scone really tased good together. The smoked back bacon was quite meaty though tender if a bit on the salty side. I wish the pork sausage was actually Lorne Sausage, but you can't have everything, right? I enjoyed the mushrooms with the toast. And of course a sunny side up egg. Whew……..of course this was going to hold me until dinner!

Port Charlotte Hotel
Main St.
Port Charlotte PA48 7TU, Scotland

As we headed on out, Sean turned the music on and the perfect song, one from the days of my youth came on:

"Smiles in the sunshine and tears in the rain
Still take me back to where my memories remain
Flickering embers growing higher and higher
As they carry me back to the Mull of Kintyre

Mull of Kintyre
Oh, mist rolling in from the sea
My desire is always to be here
Oh, Mull of Kintyre"

Mull of Kintyre by Paul McCartney and Wings.

A perfect way to end our stay on Islay.

It was time to skedaddle.

Of course we still had most of a day ahead of us and Sean had a couple of stops prepared!

Thanks for stopping by!