This Scottish restaurant beats London Michelin star joint hands down

I’ll pay more at Benares in London’s Covent Garden tomorrow night for one tasting menu for one fat food critic than I will for an all-the-options, all-served-together meal-for-two including tip at Ardfern here in Edinburgh’s Leith tonight. But then Benares has that bifter Michelin star whereas the ink on Ardfern’s Bib Gourmand (one culinary rung down) is still running from last night’s heady announcement.

Is Ardfern better? Probably. But then the bibs are where Michelin reaches out and touches base with us common people.

Look at this: Joe and I are facing each other at a table so indescribably and awkwardly tiny that I’ll inadvertently set fire to the leg of my specs (from Amazon too) on the low level pyro-maniac candle that gets stealth shuttled about all evening igniting multiple bush fires until we put the damn thing out, and I’ll have one leg branded for free too from the heat of the scorchio radiator that’s so close it’s defying physics.

The food won Ardfern a Bib Gourmand this week (Image: free) The general decor here is not much to talk about either. Somebody got a big tin of white paint, slapped it over the cracks, got a slide rule out and calculated how many tables and chairs it was mathematically possible to crowbar in, then got to work on the kitchen. But what a kitchen.

I can see it from my seat here by the window. Across bobbing heads, and gliding staff (two - both brilliant), through an oblong door? A cuddly cheffy geezer in kitchen-combat stained whites, ducking and diving over a stove and oven, that oven door opening, that oven door shutting, cooking aerobics, a study in constant pressured motion.

Ah, the illicit pleasure of watching others working. Steam billowing, seafood aromas wafting, plates of curious objects leaving, necks craning - is that for us?

Yes, is the answer. Taa-raa. And so to dinner.

Kedgeree Fritters, Hash Browns, Squid Buns. “Excuse me” I’ll say to the waiter with the ‘tache: “what one is this?” It’s the Hash Brown, you doughball, he’ll no doubt be thinking as we crack that crisped cube of fondanty potato and scarf meaty duck rilette, beetroot ketchup and capers down in a few explosive bites.

“And this,” I’ll ask pointing at the remnants of some pretty, crispy mouthful with squirty eggy bits, deep smoky haddock undertones and then Great British Curry afterburners. The Fritters, comes the reply.

Read more

• There's a few hiccups but this new £25 Six by Nico meal is a bargain

• This restaurant does one thing few other places in Scotland can

• I'm hot in the city - and so is the surprisingly cool Haylynn Canteen

• How much fun was this five-course meal for just £25? Lots and lots

Hey, that Beef Tartare on Toast? I’ll say to Joe, pointing past a smouldering napkin. Meh, comes the reply from my Ayrshire chum.

No meh about it, mate, I reply. Yes, it is raw beef, but not as we normally know it. Being instead, incredibly savoury, almost too tangy, the lightest waft of Worcestershire circling it and now mellow with the doughy bread.

In a few moments we’ll slice the Squid Bun in half, a travesty considering how perfect it looks. Despite its filling of battered squid bits and gloopy, slippery mayoes it is so professionally put together that it will neither squidge, nor collapse, but stand patiently waiting until the bun reapers come and it too gets eaten with nods of appreciation.

Get Ron's review two whole days before it appears anywhere else.

Whew. Ardfern? Never dull. An Ox Tongue Flatbread appears and just as swiftly departs this savoury life in a puff of still warm crypto-naan tastes, even more good stuff meatiness, all florally garlanded with an effervescent and fresh romanesco, almond and rocket crown.

There’s no music in here. Except what’s playing in my head. But if there was it would have stopped dead on the arrival of the Pie and Beans.

How dull it sounds. How good it looks. The most-beautifully-burnished dome of pastry, the sort of pie that stops people talking at other tables as they follow its winding route to us, containing sweetly braised beef and piping hot gravy. And chips.

Ardfern is well worth a visit (Image: free) Actually, reverse ferret here, the chips aren’t that good. Served with bacon jam mayo they merely hit the level of fine when everything else so far has been kinda spectacular.

And, because there always an and, a word on the, erm, cheesecake. If you only offer one dessert? Shouldn’t it be a good one?

Put it this way. Our waiter later brings the bill and says, “I’ve taken off the price of the burnt cheesecake and your burnt glasses.”

I tell him to put it back on again. The glasses were my fault and the (only very slightly) burnt cheesecake did not spoil an otherwise outstanding meal.

Food-wise - this place is on fire.

Menu: They got a Bib Gourmand from Michelin this week for their stuff-you-want-to-eat: hash browns BBQ flatbreads, beef pies and funky fritters. 5/5

Service: Calm, professional, yet warm and very friendly. 5/5

Atmosphere: Hmm, it’s not really about the decor which is just as well: shop-front restaurant, vanilla walls, but full of vibe and life. 4/5

Price: The Bib Gourmand is affordable, not cheap, small stuff hits the £8 mark, that pie £20, squid bun a salty £17. 3/5

Food: Super casual cooking laced with high quality, meaning a fabulous beef tartare, ox-tongue flatbread, kedgeree fritters and sensational beef pies. 8/10

Total: 25/30

Ardfern

10 Bonnington Road Edinburgh

0131-600-0067

Open: seven days

Ron Mackenna reviews restaurants for The Herald.  He always pays his own way and never announces his presence at the restaurant. He also never accepts invitations or freebies – which is why you can trust his reviews.