Seeing stars in the quest for culinary excellence

DINNER at chef Paul Kitching's 21212 restaurant in Royal Terrace could scarcely be described as cheap as chips.

In exchange for the freshest ingredients, course after lavish course of finely prepared and beautifully served platefuls, you'll have to find nearly 70 - and that's before you have a drink.

This is Michelin star dining, Edinburgh-style.

It's pretty much - give or take a pound or two and the odd twist of the pepper grinder - the same at Edinburgh's four other star players of the restaurant trade, those highly respectable eateries which have made it into this year's prestigious Michelin Guide.

Ten years after Martin Wishart earned the Capital its first ever Michelin star at his eponymous restaurant on the Shore, the city continues to punch well above its weight.

Edinburgh has managed to hold on to its five Michelin star restaurants: Number One at the Balmoral Hotel, Martin Wishart in Leith, The Kitchin run by chef Tom Kitchin, Tony Borthwick's Plumed Horse and, of course, Kitching's 21212. Count the Champany Inn in West Lothian and we can claim six.

Not only that, but we also boast a Michelin "rising star" in Castle Terrace which opened last year and a "Bib Gourmand" - the award for good food at moderate prices - to Hanover Street restaurant The Dogs.

It's a clutch of tasty prizes, all the more mouthwatering given we've been in the midst of an economic crisis for nearly two years.

There's further reason to feel pretty smug. For while Edinburgh boasts an array of Michelin choice, our west coast cousins in Glasgow have none.

Outside of London, only Birmingham comes even close to matching Edinburgh, with three Michelin star venues.

So what exactly is the special ingredient that allows Edinburgh to dish up some of the best food in the land?

According to Michelin star chef Martin Wishart, who opened the restaurant that bears his name 11 years ago, our international status as tourist capital, festival city, sport and university hub has driven up standards.

He says: "I think these bring in a lot of business to the city, not just for the likes of us but for various other dining establishments.

"We've seen an increase in 'gastro tourism' over the past five years - people who come here specifically to visit two or three Michelin star restaurants over a long weekend.

"Why Edinburgh and not Glasgow? I wish I knew," he laughs.

Malcolm Duck, chairman of the Edinburgh Restaurateurs Association, says standards have been driven up by the high expectations of foreign visitors. He says: "There's a big conference centre which does a lot for Edinburgh and the city is regularly in the top dozen of the world rankings in the Cond Nast list of places to visit. There's also the Scottish Parliament.

"It means we are getting a high volume of people coming here with high expectations." A high-flying top end filters down the food chain to boost the rest of the city's restaurant trade, according to Neil Forbes, executive chef at Atrium, Blue and Cafe St Honore.

"It's great to see Edinburgh restaurants doing well," he says. "That in itself brings in more tourists and is encouraging for the future of restaurants. Why are we in this position? It's a bit of a clich, but Scotland really does have the most fantastic larder in the world. We have an abundance of great produce."

The plethora of fine dining establishments helps encourage the restaurant trade to thrive, he adds.

"Just ten or 15 years ago there weren't that many really top-quality restaurants in Edinburgh to choose from. Now there's a lot more offering exceptional quality.

"That's because the quality of the produce they are using is improving, but also because of the calibre of chefs that are coming through. There are young lads out there in their early 20s with extensive CVs that show they have been working with some of the best chefs in the world."

It's not all good news, though. Mr Duck, who runs Ducks at Kilspindie in Aberlady, says while top-end restaurants bask in their Michelin star glory, others in the city are struggling.

"It's a very polarised industry," he warns. "Some restaurants are doing very well and some are struggling. Some have been going for 25 years and are struggling to pay their rent bill.

"In a recession, the top end keeps going and the tail end keeps going because they're low cost. It's the ones in the middle that end up being squeezed.

"There are very tough times ahead for some."

A taste of the high life at capital's top tables

SO what's on the menu at Edinburgh's Michelin-starred restaurants?

Diners at Jeff Bland's Number One restaurant at the Balmoral can tuck into Borders Venison served with braised lentils, partridge roulade, halibut with langoustine and sticky toffee pudding souffl. For those who venture to Martin Wishart in Leith, there's Dover sole with braised pig's trotter and pistachio souffl. At Tom Kitchin's The Kitchin, try a boned and rolled pig's head. The Plumed Horse in Leith tempts diners with roast breast of Goosnargh duck and 21212 in Royal Terrace is where you can tuck in to pulsating lamb with smoked bacon crisps.