Only diner where you won't be priced out

Published on Friday 27 June 2008 09:08

THE question of just how honest you are is probably not something most people expect to be challenged on over dinner.

While conversation can encompass everything from the state of world affairs to which Big Brother contestant has the most punchable face, it is hardy likely to include a brutal, soul-searching test of a person's integrity.

For diners at The Reverie, the bar/restaurant on Newington Street, that is exactly what they are faced with at the end of the night.

In a bid to draw in customers, offer something a little bit different in the crowded Edinburgh dining scene and to work out how much to charge for their food, the owners have opted to allow customers the chance to pay whatever they want for their meal.

And that really does mean anything. While drinks are a set price, the cost of the food is entirely down to the customer. If they think it's worth a few pounds, then that's all they need to pay, and if they think it's the best meal they've ever had, well, the hope is that they will reflect that when they dig deep into their wallets.

Walking into the Reverie, I was surprised at just how much the owners had managed to change the building from its previous incarnation, The Wine Glass.

As a former Newington resident, I stumbled into the Wine Glass on a few occasions, and remember vividly how stunned I was to find a 1940s Hollywood-style recreation Chinese gin palace on my doorstep.

In its new incarnation, the deep red decor and gaudy gold ornaments have been entirely stripped away, as has the somewhat intimidating atmosphere, to be replaced with simple wooden tables and comfy lounge seats arranged around an impressively welcoming dining area.

The changes certainly seem to be working as well, with the bar full of diners on a warm Monday evening.

The menu, as you might expect given the 'unique' prices, is simple – four starters, four mains and a short selection of classic desserts.

While not quite your standard pub grub, it flirts with the traditional bar meals while adding something a little extra. So, instead of fish and chips there's home-made fish pie with seasonal vegetables, and instead of no vegetarian option at all there is a sweet potato, chick pea and butterbean stew with parmesan crisps.

After settling in with a nice pint of 80 shilling, it was down to the serious business of just what to have.

Preferring to save herself for the dessert, my companion passed on a starter, so I was left to try out the home-made chicken liver, bacon and rosemary pate, served with two chunky slices of warm, toasted brioche and a light salad.

The generous portion was more than enough, and had a nice, rough texture and strong flavour to it, which was off-set well by the salad.

A promising start, I thought, before mentally trying to calculate just how much I thought it was worth. And here the problems start. OK, it wasn't earth-shatteringly good, but then again it was home-made, and it can't be easy to pate your own bacon. Am I paying for labour costs? Service? What about the brioche? Was that home-made too?

Those thoughts quickly disappeared, thankfully, as the main courses were promptly delivered. While my companion was fairly chuffed with her gigantic, well-done bacon cheeseburger, complete with an (un)healthy portion of hand-made chunky chips, I was a little under-whelmed by the haggis filo parcels in a whisky cream sauce.

It was nicely presented but while the haggis was well cooked, lightly spiced and went well with the turnip and potato mash, the sauce seemed to have no flavour at all and was really a big disappointment.

After carefully perusing the dessert menu, both of us passed over the cheese selection, sorbets and cheesecake in favour of the classic sticky toffee pudding, which proved to be very well done, with a light sponge smothered in a super-sweet toffee sauce, served with a dollop of ice cream.

All in all it was a reasonably good meal, so, we wondered, what would be a reasonable price? And, in all honesty, would we actually pay it?

After a bit of ropey mental calculation, we decided that 30 would be about right for the meal, and after a few minutes of wondering just how it works – I was half hoping to get a bill with a large question mark on it – we approached the bar.

The drinks came to just under 5, and so, in all honesty, the total should have been 35 – not exactly an unreasonable price for a good meal, and not likely to break the bank.

As the expectant waitress asked politely what we would be paying, I smiled, handed over 30 and thanked them for a lovely meal. Then we both legged it in shame.

The Reverie, 1-5 Newington Road, 0131-667 8870

The bill

1 Home-made chicken liver, bacon and rosemary pate with toast

1 Reverie beefburger topped with smoked cheddar cheese, with red onion chutney and home-made chunky chips

1 Haggis filo parcels with turnip and potato mash and a whisky cream sauce

2 Sticky toffee puddings with toffee sauce and choice of cream or ice cream

2 Pints of Caledonian 80/- 1 pint of coke 5 Total paid: 30 Quality *** Menu choice ** Surroundings *** Service *** Value ****