Edinburgh restaurant review: a rock'n'roll-style high-end takeaway from Wedgwood

It’s only rock’n’roll, but I could develop a taste for it.

When the takeaway service was announced, Paul Wedgwood said it would be a first for the restaurant. Picture: Paul Zanre.

I remember reading many years ago how, after getting his share of a record company advance for The Verve, singer Richard Ashcroft got a takeaway delivery of a lasagne every day until the money ran out.

It’s the most rock’n’roll thing I’ve ever heard – and while I don’t think I’ll ever be able to afford this level of decadence, the story comes to mind after fine dining at home courtesy of this Edinburgh restaurant located in the heart of the Old Town.

While I hadn’t – and still haven’t – dined in Wedgwood, I later learn that when Paul and Lisa Wedgwood started formulating the restaurant concept they were determined to create their “perfect night out”.

When Paul and Lisa Wedgwood started formulating the restaurant concept, they aimed to create their 'perfect night out'. Picture: www.schnappsphotography.com.

But 13 years after it first opened, its doors it has been forced, along with so many other establishments, to shut them as Covid-19 develops an increasingly prominent presence in all of our lives.

It was one of a coterie of Edinburgh restaurants – including Merienda and The Little Chartroom – to announce a takeaway (and in some cases delivery) service. By the time I order, Wedgwood is offering takeaway or delivery but I opt for the former.

When the takeaway service was announced Paul Wedgwood said that it would be a first for the restaurant (also stressing the need to keep staff and customers safe) – and “should be a great option for those who’d prefer to stay at home but still want to enjoy a special meal”.

Quality

He added: “The collection menu aligns with the restaurant offering; using the best ingredients that Scotland has to offer.”

You can either order three courses for £17.50 or mix and match – and I get cracking.

My dining partner chooses a main and a pudding, but I decide to throw in a starter for us to share for research purposes. I order my meal as three separate dishes as I can’t figure out how to choose the options for the three-course meal deal.

It’s evidently a popular service – some of the choices, such as mains of braised featherblade of beef and pork belly, have sold out by the time I place our order.

But I’d have gone for the smoked mackerel niçoise salad anyway, while our second main order is baked courgette with couscous, a pine nut herb crust, tomato caponata and basil. I add the game terrine starter to the mix and to round off we go for sticky toffee pudding and Eton mess.

I then choose a collection time, and we set off to collect it from the restaurant, located near Royal Mile’s junction with Jeffrey Street – and we can park right outside due to the eerie lack of traffic.

I pop in to see a row of brown paper bags lined up for collection. Ours is fetched promptly, and I’m told it contains cooking instructions.

Everything is served in reusable plastic containers, and the only thing that needs heating is the courgette dish. I put that straight in the oven, trying not to undo the neat presentation, and open up the game terrine – which we share.

Terrine isn’t usually one of my favourite dishes but this is excellent, meaty but lean rather than oleaginous and dotted with emerald-like pistachios, with an accompanying salad.

I manage not to burn the courgettes, which look delicious. Indeed, that’s the verdict from my companion, with compliments including it tasting very fresh.

Perfectly cooked

As for my niçoise, you could argue that salad is simply an assembly job, but this comes with perfectly cooked boiled egg halves with orange yolks that still have some yield. It works well with the mackerel and I’m classifying the dish as a health food due to its omega three properties.

I imagine pudding to be a course that would travel well, and so it proves.

I was for years convinced that I wasn’t really a fan of sticky toffee pudding, only to “convert” with zeal when I found out many recipes contain dates – giving it an exotic edge – and also learning that it tastes really good.

This one is a case in point – rich, moist and with a deep caramelly flavour – served with a delicious Caol Ila Butterscotch. I wouldn’t have minded a bit more sauce, although I guess I could have added a dollop of ice cream.

You might go to a high-end supermarket for a relatively fancy dinner – but you wouldn’t be getting food made to order, with Scottish produce, and by an independent local business.

We can only hope the hospitality sector in Edinburgh, Scotland and beyond pulls through this difficult time – while every restaurateur surely must be hoping that Richard Ashcroft moves in nearby.

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