Edinburgh restaurants: No 11 Brasserie is one of Edinburgh's hidden gems - review

Restaurant is one of city’s hidden gem, says Rhoda Morrison

There is a lot of talk these days about ‘hidden gems’ in cities. Little coffee shops that no one else knows about, the independent shops where you find the best gifts and beautiful bars off the beaten track.

And when my partner and I turned off a busy and bustling Leith Walk onto a very dark and quiet Brunswick Street on a Friday night, I knew that we were either lost or that there was a chance that we were about to discover one of those very gems. Spoiler alert: we didn’t get lost.

We had a table booked for two at the No 11 Brasserie and we soon found the restaurant tucked away near the end of the road. Staff greeted us like regulars from the second we stepped inside. We were seated at a table at the window in the beautiful restaurant, and eyed up all the delicious drinks on offer at the bar. We decided on a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc - our favourite - but choosing from the food menu proved much more difficult, with every dish having sounded right up my street.

The No 11 Brasserie is one of the city's true hidden gems

In the end, I chose the roast Loch Fyne scallop with curried sweetcorn puree and pickled cucumber. The dish came beautifully presented in a scallop shell on a bed of pebbles which, despite making it slightly difficult to balance, looked incredible. The dish was delicious - the scallop cooked to perfection and complemented by the accompaniments. My partner - a meat eater unlike me - went for crispy coated venison haggis with sweet carrot puree and herb oil. His plate was cleared within just a few minutes which is a sure sign that it’s a dish he would order again and again.

For main courses, I chose ginger cured seabass and my partner went for a pan roast breast of Gressingham duck. Yet again, I had been umming and ahhing about which dish to choose but the gherkin salad with which the seabass was served made my mind up. And after just one bite, I was thrilled with my choice. The fish was crispy on the outside and fell in juicy flakes the minute the knife hit it. It was served on a bed of shredded pickles which - surprisingly - was the perfect pairing along with the chutney.

Before I stopped eating meat, duck was my favourite food and so it took one look at the main course opposite me to know that it was also going to be delicious. And it went down a treat. It was served with spinach puree, honey braised chicory and pecans. We also ordered a portion of sauteed potatoes and one of seasonal vegetables which went perfectly with both meals.

The portions of food were really reasonably sized so by this point we were getting quite full. But, after one glance at the menu, there was no way we were skipping dessert. I can’t pass up anything mojito flavoured so the ‘Mojito’ tart - a Key lime pie with minted meringue, mojito gel and fresh mint - was a must have. And I’d have it again. It was a really fresh dessert and the perfect ending to the meal. It also tasted exactly like the cocktail after which it was named which was a big tick for me. My partner went for the rhubarb and custard dessert and - after sneaking a quick taste for myself - I can assure you it was absolutely delicious as well.

The scallop starter was beautifully presented

Everything about our night was fantastic - from the friendly and attentive staff to the delicious food and drinks. But something that I couldn’t help but notice was that, for the majority of the night, we were the only people in the room. The only reason I can think for this is that No 11 Brasserie is indeed a hidden gem - one that at the moment is too hidden but one I don’t think will be for too long.