The Olive Branch

George IV Bridge, Edinburgh

visited 16/1/09

I have been to three restaurants this week, all on work-related occasions which means I can't order expensive wine. So let's compare them.

The Olive Branch is a small chain of Edinburgh bistros. I have been to the one in Holy Corner but we had a minute table and it was very shouty so I can't remember the food. But this branch had a good review in the Herald so we gave it ago. It's in the basement space last occupied by the very good L'herbe. It seems to be difficult to fill this space and we were just about the only table on a Weds. But it was pretty good.

I had some smoked salmon--a nice sweet cure, not too fatty, and a generous amount. Very nice. Then some chicken--not the absolutely greatest raw material but extremely well cooked with a lovely crispy skin and moist meat. This came with bacon and cabbage (pretty much the perfect accompaniment for most simply cooked meats) and some mashed spuds. These were quite solid--almost crushed rather than mashed--which I liked. Creamy mash is a bit overrated in my opinion. Pudding was allegedly a pannacotta with apricots but it was all wrong. A solid lump with dried fruit in it.

The house wine wasn't great so we upgraded (still not too good). The service was forgetful but the server was charming.

In sum: OK for the price and a considerable notch over Howie's et al