Doric is on the right track

Published on Friday 2 February 2007 17:04

The Doric Bistro,

15/16 Market Street,

EH1 1DE,

0131 220 0894

DESPITE walking past the Doric Tavern on a weekly basis over a five-year period, my first visit to this popular bar/bistro did not take place until last summer, when I was invited to celebrate the promotion of a friend who was swapping the elegance of the East Coast for the more earthy appeal of the West.

Before the ink had dried on the new contract, he'd planned his future right down to the daily commute - to be more precise, the return journey from Queen Street to Waverley.

He reckoned he'd have just enough time to sprint across Market Street to the pub for a quick half before heading home to help prepare the evening meal then read the kids a bedtime story.

The only part of the plan that didn't change was the trip to the Doric, which somehow had evolved into the occasional dinner in the upstairs bistro.

According to my commuter friend, you're assured classic favourites made from local ingredients - so on his recommendation, I tried it out last week after kicking off the evening with a few drinks at a nearby wine bar.

The wooden staircase that leads up from the bar opens directly on to the dining space, which is pretty harshly lit. Toning it down would pay considerable dividends.

If we hadn't drawn the curtains to cover the overhead wall lights, I would have ended up with a headache.

On the back of such earnest approval, I'd expected the place to be full on a Friday, so it came as a surprise to find only half of the 30 or so covers taken up. As a result, service was quick and orders were flying out of the kitchen at a steady space.

At this point, I'd managed to demolish a basket of bread and gave the first course a swerve, but my dining companion's appetite never lets him down and he opted for a ravioli dish of wild mushroom served with a fresh tomato sauce.

From a reasonably priced wine list, we chose Fleurie - a light, aromatic Beaujolais, but if you're unsure about matching up food and wine, check the reverse of the menu where you'll find chef's recommendations.

The selection of mains sounded rather more interesting than the intros and we changed our minds several times before calling the waiter back with our final order.

My initial choice would have been salmon cooked in vermouth, but I ditched that in favour of lemon sole, which won me over with chef's clever combination of such diverse flavours as Queen scallop and dill mousse with Champagne sauce.

But if I had no complaint, things were not so positive on the other side of the table.

The lamb was overcooked and for a man who prefers it pink, this was such a disappointment, but then no-one had asked how he preferred it, and in his eyes, this was a real faux pas, especially as his expectations had been so high. Paying extra for vegetables didn't go down well either at these prices.

Our dining experience and my commuter friend's might not have run along parallel lines, but they were on an even track, which I guess pleases the Doric no end.

The bill

1 Mushroom ravioli 4.50

1 Lamb loin 16.50

1 Lemon sole 17.50

1 Side dish of mixed veg 2.25

1 Basket of bread 1.95

1 Bottle of Fleurie Domaine Lardy 19.95

Total: 62.65

Quality of food ***

Menu Choice ***

Surroundings ***

Service ****

Value ***