It’s not every day your wife turns 40, therefore it is imperative that such an occasion is marked in appropriate style.
There are countless ways one can do this, but for my good lady, I decided that a weekend of pampering in Edinburgh was the right choice.
So, after weeks of meticulous planning, we boarded the train at Aberdeen station, opened the bubbly, sat back and relaxed as the train took the strain. We decided not to drive as it can often be more hassle than it is worth. Plus, what better way could there be to admire the newly opened Queensferry Crossing than from the comfort of the train rather than catching the odd glance while trying to concentrate on the road ahead.
I hadn’t told my wife a thing about what we were doing or where we were staying, so after alighting at Haymarket station and making our way out to the street, I simply pointed towards a sign in the near distance that gave away the first surprise of the weekend. The sign belonged to the Leonardo Royal Hotel Edinburgh, which recently opened in the capital and could not have been handier for our needs.
The four-star hotel is a five-minute walk from Haymarket, which means it is linked by both train and tram to various parts of the city. It was also very easy to walk to many of the venues on our itinerary, which is what we did to build up an appetite in between our numerous dining experiences.
On arrival, we were struck by the fresh, vibrant colour schemes of the reception, the complimentary iced green tea and newspapers, the smartly dressed pilots milling about and the oversized tartan armchairs in the far corner. Not to mention the trendy bar and restaurant.
After a swift and friendly check-in, we made our way expectantly to our room on the sixth floor. My wife was thrilled to see her favourite touch – a fluffy robe and slippers sitting atop the huge double bed. A great start. As the birthday girl admired the large landscape of Calton Hill and the Edinburgh skyline on the wall above the bed, I was excited to find I could see Murrayfield Stadium from the window. Also pleasing was the fact we could not hear a thing from outside, so a good night’s sleep was sure to be enjoyed.
But there was no time to linger as the first treat on the list was waiting to be enjoyed. After ordering a taxi from reception, we were whisked off to Vincent Bell Hairdressing on the old cobbles of North West Circus Place. A warm welcome – and a cup of coffee – was enjoyed, and my wife was delighted with her blow-dry and treatment that left her looking a million dollars.
But again there was no time to loiter as we had to make our way to Zen Lifestyle, on Hanover Street, where more pampering awaited. However, as we climbed the stairs to the spa, my wife turned to me and said: “I’d better not be getting my nails done!” Charming, thought I, but this was merely because she was embarrassed by the state of her nails. She needn’t have worried though, as her expert nail technician spent a good hour with her transforming her nails into a work of art. All done in a relaxed but upmarket atmosphere, helped along by chocolates and a complimentary glass of prosecco. A nice touch.
As Lady Muck took to the pampering like a duck to water, I dashed along George Street to pick up what turned out to be the masterstroke of the weekend – wristbands for Edinburgh Cocktail Weekend. Costing only £6, the bands entitled us to a signature cocktail at over 50 bars in the city for the princely sum of £4 each. This turned out to be a really fun way of exploring the city, bar by bar, travelling between venues in search of the perfect cocktail.
So after the hair, the nails and the first of many cocktails, it was time for food. We were booked into the Wee Restaurant on Frederick Street, just around the corner from the spa. The eatery is appropriately named as it is couthy and cosy, and we made ourselves comfortable close to the window where we could people watch in the early evening darkness.
The restaurant was fully booked but well managed by a small team of servers. Our young French waiter was very friendly and immediately put us at ease. After ordering our wine, we took a look at the menu and were impressed. I decided to start with Shetland mussels with bacon, fresh basil, pine nuts and Parmesan cream – a pleasing alternative to the more traditional moules mariniere, which was also on the menu. I loved the creamy sauce and the crunchy pinenuts, while my wife said of her Gruyere cheese and leek tartlet that no two mouthfuls tasted the same and it was delicious.
Our mains of whole roasted lemon sole with baby shrimps, lemon, parsley, capers and samphire, and sun blush tomato risotto with mascarpone, chargrilled vegetables, micro herbs and basil oil were both demolished with delight, so much so that we had no room left for desserts, and after a couple of further cocktail stops, we retired to our hotel to rest up for the further gluttony that lay ahead the next day.
After a silent night in our comfortable bed, we ventured downstairs for breakfast in the bustling restaurant which was controlled expertly by a well-drilled army of waiting staff. Cereals, fresh fruit, porridge, cold meats, cheeses, bacon, black pudding, eggs – it was all there, and all very tasty.
With an early lunch booked at Tom Kitchin’s gastro pub, The Scran & Scallie, we decided to travel to the award-winning Stockbridge venue on foot to walk off our breakfast.
I must admit I had some preconceived ideas about this eatery, which is a holder of a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand 2017, but I couldn’t have been more wrong as it was unpretentious, welcoming and relaxed. It was also packed, with diners of all ages, and it even has a little children’s playroom.
Every detail is thought of at the Scran & Scallie, and little twists can be found at every turn. I was particularly intrigued by the pig’s ear appetiser, while my wife loved the selection of moreish vegetable crisps. My starter of pigeon escalope, black pudding and fried hen’s egg was beautifully presented, and the pea puree it came with packed a fantastic punch. My wife’s risotto was rich and just the right size, while her spelt and lentil burger was a sight to behold. My fish pie was a lovely take on a classic dish, but unfortunately my eyes were bigger then my belly after my big breakfast and I had to wave the white flag. Beaten by full stomachs and another pressing engagement, we had to pass on desserts in favour of a taxi, but we thoroughly enjoyed our experience.
And that next taxi was to take us to the Edinburgh Playhouse for a matinee performance of Sunset Boulevard.
It’s hard to beat the buzz of a theatre lobby just before curtain up, and we had just enough time to order an interval drink before sitting down to enjoy a performance that was met with a standing ovation and cries for more. As well as being impressed with the theatre and the performances, I was also taken by a new app that allows you to order drinks that are brought directly to your seats. That’s certainly something I’ll be trying on my next visit.
Following our afternoon of culture, I then took my wife on a magical mystery tour of Edinburgh as we made our way up the Royal Mile, past the castle and down towards the Hilton Hotel which boasts a sky bar. Normally closed to the public, the sky bar was open specially for Edinburgh Cocktail Weekend, so we made our way to the top of the building where we were treated to the most incredible views of the castle and the city skyline.
Well refreshed, we ambled the short distance back to our hotel where we were booked in for yet another meal. I really liked the atmosphere in the restaurant and particularly admired the clever false flames that “burn” in one of the alcoves.
Although our stomachs were groaning, this was a weekend of foodie treats and we were not to be denied. I chose the chicken liver pate with a sweet tomato chutney which was delicious. Flavoursome but not too heavy on the liver, I could happily have eaten this as a main course. My wife enjoyed her ricotta mushrooms before I manfully persevered with chicken and prawns with stir-fry vegetables in a sweet chilli sauce and my wife had a Thai vegetable curry. Yet again we were beaten and failed to sample the desserts, but it had been a day of over-indulgence and it was time to hit the hay.
After another tasty breakfast the next morning, we retreated to our room for a lazy morning and made use of the striking bathroom facilities. I say striking because have you ever bathed in front of a woolly sheep before? I refer you to the photograph on the previous page.
The birthday weekend held one final secret before our return train, and that was a relaxed Sunday brunch at Rabble, a trendy, upmarket grill with rooms on the city’s Frederick Street. Despite its basement location, Rabble is full of light and has a fresh feel to it. Its staff treat you like old friends and are very knowledgeable about all the food and drink served there.
For my final hurrah, I chose Sriracha chargrilled king prawns with mango and tomato salsa while my wife went for coal-fired asparagus with poached duck egg and hay hollandaise. While I really enjoyed my prawns, I must admit to having food envy as her ladyship’s asparagus was sensational.
Next up was braised Aberdeen-Angus ox cheek with black eye beans and chipotle, tortilla chips and sour cream. This was a wonderful combination and I particularly enjoyed the chipotle salad and tortillas. My wife had the black lentil dahl with spinach and paneer nuggets, cumin flat bread and puffed rice.
Amazingly, we had just enough space in our bellies to share a dessert, and the peanut butter and chocolate tart had the perfect contrast of sweet and savoury flavours to send us reluctantly homeward in much need of a week of abstinence to counteract the gluttony of this birthday weekend.
And what a weekend it was. I wonder what I can plan for her 50th. I feel I’ve set the bar pretty high.
THE HOLIDAY
- Leonardo Royal Hotel Edinburgh, 1 Morrison Link. 0131 460 4600. www.leonardo-hotels.com
- Vincent Bell Hairdressing, 23 North West Circus Place. 0131 220 1888. www.vincentbell.co.uk
- Zen Lifestyle, 84 Hanover Street. 0131 516 0567. https://zen-lifestyle.com
- The Wee Restaurant, 61 Frederick Street. 0131 225 7983. www.theweerestaurant.co.uk
- Edinburgh Cocktail Weekend. www.edinburghcocktailweekend.com
- The Scran & Scallie, 1 Comely Bank Road, Stockbridge. 0131 332 6281. https://scranandscallie.com
- The Edinburgh Playhouse. 0844 871 3014. www.atgtickets.com/venues/edinburgh-playhouse
- Rabble, 55a Frederick Street. 0131 622 7800. www.rabbleedinburgh.co.uk/rabble-restaurant