Scran and Scallie

This pub opened in 2013, a casual sister to Kitchin. The head chef was Jamie Knox, who has worked here since the restaurant opened. It is tucked away in a terrace of shops just a little outside the centre of Edinburgh.

As you look at the menu a plate of kitchen-made crisps arrived, a mix of carrot, potato and parsnip flavours, which were all very pleasant. Sourdough bread was also fine. We started with a dish of hand-dived Orkney scallop that had been seared in a pan and served with strips of with apple and celeriac. The scallop itself was plump and sweet, lightly cooked, and the gentle acidity of the apple and earthiness of the celeriac were an excellent combination. This was a relatively simple yet very well made and enjoyable dish (16/20).

Fish pie had a mash potato top, the contents being a mix of hake, smoked haddock, salmon and prawns, with a hard-boiled egg in the centre. The seasoning was accurate and the fish was nicely cooked (15/20). I was tempted to try a special of the day but found myself drawn magnetically back to a dish I ate here last time, the steak pie. The version here was topped with puff pastry and used Aberdeen Angus beef shoulder and other less exalted beef cuts, the pie dish having a bone marrow at the centre. The beef had lovely flavour, the meat tender and well-seasoned, given depth by bone marrow and the inherent richness lightened by some chopped some root vegetables. This was an excellent classic pie, and the golden retriever sitting patiently at the next table seemed distinctly interested, but I scoffed the lot, much to his disappointment (17/20). On the side were honey glazed Chantenay carrots with mustard and crisp classic chips.

For dessert, vanilla cheesecake had a good biscuit base, topped with honey crema, poached pear and a blueberry sauce. The filling had excellent balance, the acidity of the fruit cutting through the richness (15/20). Caramelised plums and ginger bread came with set vanilla custard. The custard was excellent and the plums had good flavour, another enjoyable dish. Coffee was from a company called Miko and was quite good. Service, from a former manager at the Castle Terrace, was excellent, and the bill came to £115 per person with a bottle of Meerlust Rubicon to share. The restaurant was packed out, turning tables even on a Sunday night. The Scran and Scallie elevates pub food to a higher level through its use of good quality ingredients and excellent kitchen technique. 

Further reviews: 25th Jun 2018 | 06th Nov 2016