The Wee Restaurant was established in 2006 by husband and wife Craig and Vikki Wood, the ethos of the two restaurants in the group is to ‘serve simple good food and wine in a truly relaxed atmosphere’.

Craig’s career has seen him work in some of the country’s most respected kitchens including Restaurant Martin Wishart and the Royal Scotsman train. Craig was also crowned Chef of the Year 2015 at the CIS Excellence Awards.

We arrived early on a Sunday evening when The Wee Restaurant runs a special menu – £17.50 for two courses, £22 for three courses.

Alex and I both love pork so I knew one of us would order Strathspey Pork Belly, Beetroot, Apple & Sultana Coleslaw. I think we were both expecting a square piece of pork belly as this is how it’s usually served, in this case it had been sliced like bacon. Alex, not a coleslaw fan, raved about this version but he felt the pork got lost a bit as the flavour wasn’t very strong.

I ordered the Baked Chavignol Goats Cheese Crottin, Apple, Walnut & Summer Truffle Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette. This was a very French dish, rich, and heavy on the cheese. Personally I’d have liked just a wee bit more of the apple to cut through that richness.

The Roast Rump of Perthshire Lamb was served with a risotto of peas and wild garlic, red wine jus, heritage carrots and olive oil pearls. It made a nice change to have risotto rather than potato, and we were both impressed with the spherification of the olive oil, it gave what was a traditional dish a little modern twist and the olive oil flavour really came through.

Any dish that features langoustine is a pretty easy choice for me at the moment. The Roasted Cod Fillet, Langoustine Bisque, Spelt Grain & Fennel, Roasted Langoustine Tails didn’t disappoint – the cod fillet was some of the most perfect fish cookery I’ve seen. I think I’d have preferred the langoustines cooked a little less and the whole dish needed more seasoning, which I added myself. This is the second time I’ve has spelt in this format and I think it really works. Overall a great dish and one I’d definitely order again.

The Baked Isle Flottante (floating meringue) was one of the most delicious things I’ve eaten this year. I had agreed to share it and was in a world of regret after the first mouthful. Meringue, soft on the inside, crispy on the out, floating in crème anglaise, fresh strawberries and toasted almonds. Desserts don’t get better than this.

The Chocolate Pecan Tart with Salted Caramel Ice Cream & Chocolate Sauce was up to the same high standard. Pastry was textbook – thin, crispy, and perfectly formed. The filling was rich with large pieces of pecan which helped to cut through all that chocolate. The desserts at The Wee Restaurant are some of the best you’ll find in Edinburgh – don’t deny yourself!

The Wee Restaurant was doing a brisk trade for a Sunday evening, some of the guests looked like they may be regulars, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they were – The Wee Restaurant feels like an excellent neighbourhood restaurant in the centre of town. Their traditional French style of cookery was clearly appealing to those that were dining that evening.

The Wee Restaurant
Location: 61 Frederick Street, Edinburgh EH2 1LH
Price: £17.50 for two courses, £22 for three
Good for: classic French style cookery, and excellent desserts.