by Sam Martin
Aizle is one of the most talked about restaurants in Edinburgh, currently sitting in the top five of the unusual Tripadvisor restaurant list for the city – a list that includes greasy spoons, cafes & Michelin star restaurants.
Aizle is none of the above; however it does have its own USP. The restaurant has no menu; the customer is only told that month’s selection of seasonal ingredients, which will be used to create a five course dinner.
The restaurant itself is hidden away in a rather unassuming location. Inside it’s decorated in a sparse manor but it has a unique charm.
On arrival the ethos of the restaurant is explained and they do ask about any dietary requirements. There is a size able drinks list, including a selection of cocktails. We tried a couple of glasses of wine throughout our meal and they were very nice and cost around £7-9.
The meal started with three amuse bouche, all beautifully presented. A quail egg shell was used as a vessel for a Morteau smoked sausage and egg sabayon, topped with little croutons. On the side was a rather bland reheated Pomme Anna cube and a Gruyere Crisp topped with a pretty, but pointless Beetroot sphere. This was a worrying start, the best part was the bought in Morteau sausage.
Aizle is a small operation; this was reflected in the pre starter. Cold potato salad, thick stodgy avocado cream and cold raw mackerel. This dish was criminally under seasoned and the oily fish was masked by the creamy potato salad and avocado cream. It was a strange dish that cried out for some acidity and less ingredients. I also think that a potato salad isn’t celebratory enough, for what is a reasonably expensive meal.
The first warm dish of the evening was the starter, a good sized piece of well cook monkfish was served with a small amount of sauce and a dish ruining lemon puree. This puree tasted of nothing but lemon pith and lingered on the pallet for far too long, a major mistake. Also on the plate were little cubes of salt baked celeriac, which unfortunately were under cooked and tough.
To follow was a generous piece of Melrose Lamb Rump, served with a Bulgar wheat risotto, rocket puree, cheese curd and fresh rocket leaves. Before this dish was brought out we were told the lamb was going to be served pink, unfortunately the cooking wasn’t as described, the lamb was overcooked and the fat hadn’t been rendered enough, leaving a rather tough and bland piece of meat. Again seasoning was a major issue and the Bulgar wheat risotto was a disappointing creamy mess on the plate, the highlight was the little pieces of cheese curd which cut through the cream and fatty lamb. Overall the dish didn’t feel like it came together particularly well and lacked any real interest.
Desert was a chocolate cream cylinder topped with cherries, wood sorrel and caramelised pistachios. This was another expertly plated dish and easily the best dish of the night. The chocolate wasn’t overly sweet and the little chewy caramelised pistachios were a lovely surprise among all the soft cherry and chocolate. The wood sorrel was purely there for presentation and added nothing.
Excellent refillable coffee was brought out in a wine decanter, served with a rather unprofessional looking macaroon and a very poorly made strawberry jelly square.
Aizle is aiming for the mid to high end of the market; at £45 for five courses - you can add a tailored drinks selection for a further £35. However the cooking was unsatisfactory in parts, the food lacked seasoning and depth of flavour, the saucing was poor - almost nonexistent - and the general cooking of the ingredients displayed critical errors. The food is beautifully presented and the ideas are interesting but most of the plates had too many ingredients and were in need of stripping back.
Aizle is none of the above; however it does have its own USP. The restaurant has no menu; the customer is only told that month’s selection of seasonal ingredients, which will be used to create a five course dinner.
The restaurant itself is hidden away in a rather unassuming location. Inside it’s decorated in a sparse manor but it has a unique charm.
On arrival the ethos of the restaurant is explained and they do ask about any dietary requirements. There is a size able drinks list, including a selection of cocktails. We tried a couple of glasses of wine throughout our meal and they were very nice and cost around £7-9.
The meal started with three amuse bouche, all beautifully presented. A quail egg shell was used as a vessel for a Morteau smoked sausage and egg sabayon, topped with little croutons. On the side was a rather bland reheated Pomme Anna cube and a Gruyere Crisp topped with a pretty, but pointless Beetroot sphere. This was a worrying start, the best part was the bought in Morteau sausage.
Aizle is a small operation; this was reflected in the pre starter. Cold potato salad, thick stodgy avocado cream and cold raw mackerel. This dish was criminally under seasoned and the oily fish was masked by the creamy potato salad and avocado cream. It was a strange dish that cried out for some acidity and less ingredients. I also think that a potato salad isn’t celebratory enough, for what is a reasonably expensive meal.
The first warm dish of the evening was the starter, a good sized piece of well cook monkfish was served with a small amount of sauce and a dish ruining lemon puree. This puree tasted of nothing but lemon pith and lingered on the pallet for far too long, a major mistake. Also on the plate were little cubes of salt baked celeriac, which unfortunately were under cooked and tough.
To follow was a generous piece of Melrose Lamb Rump, served with a Bulgar wheat risotto, rocket puree, cheese curd and fresh rocket leaves. Before this dish was brought out we were told the lamb was going to be served pink, unfortunately the cooking wasn’t as described, the lamb was overcooked and the fat hadn’t been rendered enough, leaving a rather tough and bland piece of meat. Again seasoning was a major issue and the Bulgar wheat risotto was a disappointing creamy mess on the plate, the highlight was the little pieces of cheese curd which cut through the cream and fatty lamb. Overall the dish didn’t feel like it came together particularly well and lacked any real interest.
Desert was a chocolate cream cylinder topped with cherries, wood sorrel and caramelised pistachios. This was another expertly plated dish and easily the best dish of the night. The chocolate wasn’t overly sweet and the little chewy caramelised pistachios were a lovely surprise among all the soft cherry and chocolate. The wood sorrel was purely there for presentation and added nothing.
Excellent refillable coffee was brought out in a wine decanter, served with a rather unprofessional looking macaroon and a very poorly made strawberry jelly square.
Aizle is aiming for the mid to high end of the market; at £45 for five courses - you can add a tailored drinks selection for a further £35. However the cooking was unsatisfactory in parts, the food lacked seasoning and depth of flavour, the saucing was poor - almost nonexistent - and the general cooking of the ingredients displayed critical errors. The food is beautifully presented and the ideas are interesting but most of the plates had too many ingredients and were in need of stripping back.
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