Angels With Bagpipes

The 2013 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

This review is taken from the current (2013) edition.

With a name like Angels with Bagpipes and a location opposite St Giles Cathedral on the Royal Mile, this restaurant is a tourist magnet. The upstairs area is compact with a pretty Edinburgh street view – but fear not, there is extra room on the lower floor to accommodate larger groups, passing tourists and some local diners. Dishes are generally well executed but some lack the wow factor: this is a menu of highs and lows. Beef tartare is a highlight, as is the perfectly cooked highland lamb, served with pearl barley, carrots, sweetbread and kale. Haggis is beautifully wrapped in bacon and served with the expected neeps and tatties, but sadly the whisky sauce doesn’t pack much of a punch. Chocolate ganache with marzipan ice-cream, popcorn and candied nuts is an explosion of rich textures and sweetness; however the deconstructed cranachan – Glenmorangie parfait, raspberry crumble, oatmeal marshmallow and raspberry jelly – falls short of the traditional recipe. There is certainly some promise here, but there is also room for improvement.

• High point: Some impressive dishes
• Low point: Limited choice for vegetarians