FOOD : Brewhemia, a wunderhaus of delights
As an Edinburger, I drive past Brewhemia almost every day. It stands loud and proud directly opposite Waverley Station and I always love to admire their changing decorated entrance, currently displaying Johnnie Walker and the Six Nations Rugby. Although quite showy its nothing compared to what lies inside - it is a wunderhaus of delights!
A REVIEW OF BREWHEMIA BEER PALACE AND RESTAURANT, EDINBURGH
Brewhemia is widely known for beer and entertainment. If you’re looking for a party, then your weekend starts right here! They have a little bit of everything - from Brass Bands, Drag Kings and Queens, Duelling Pianos, Choirs, Acoustic and Live Bands, Immersive Cabaret and our very own Haus DJ’s.
I’m not sure what gives it away, the ginormous disco ball in the middle of the room or the raised band stand above the bar. Either way, you know this is where the partys at.
This is also Scotland’s only Beer Palace. What a great title to have!
There’s eight gorgeous copper tanks filled with a selection of fantastic unpasteurised and unfiltered beers, some which they tanker directly from the Czech Republic and from local, Scottish master brewers. Ice cold pints where being poured and I have to say, I so lusted after one. However, as I was driving later on my choice was a mocktail.
I tried the Phoenix Flames (£5) of pineapple, orange, passionfruit, lime and pomegranate. A full on fruity mix that’ll give you a wee sugar rush. Tangy, sweet and tasty.
Bangers (£9.50) - Bavarian sausage bites with curried ketchup, German mustard and Frankfurter sauce. Plump, juicy and slightly smoky; I loved dunking these in the mild mustard. Great!
Cauliflower Hummus (£9.00) - cauliflower, tumeric and tahini hummus with toasted khobez bread. Loved this idea although the hummus was quite bland and finished off with a slight raw curry taste which I presume was from the tumeric. I added salt (kindly supplied on each table) and this brought the flavours around. A lovely wee starter - just remember to season before you tuck in.
We are trying to keep the carbs on the low so it was great to see so many choices that could accommodate this.
Other dishes such as the Venison Meatballs with passata sauce sounded yum and the Haus Pretzel served warm with beer cheese sauce and sliced pickles looked epic.
Besides the starters there’s dishes TO SHARE like the Artisan Bread Basket to which you can add cheese or charcuterie or Baked Camembert with walnuts, honey, truffle oil, crudites and bread.
Pork Belly (£21.50) - glazed pork belly with gratinated cauliflower cheese and black pudding bon-bons. Massive portion of tender, fall apart pork belly. Loved the pancetta crisps and the wee apples.
Winter Schnitzel (£17.95) - pan-fried with garlic and thyme, served with a duck egg, pancetta and truffle mash. This was incredible although I didn’t know it was chicken. No mention of what meat it is on the menu; and with it being German influenced I thought it would be pork. Still, it was hearty wholesome food. Egg was runny and bright yellow, truffle mash insanely good and lots of it all piled atop a crispy pan fried chicken fillet.
Both of these dishes were chosen from the FEASTING section but you could order steak or venison from the STEAK ON STONES section, or HAUS FAVOURITES which include household favourites like Fish n Chips, Mussels and Kebabs. There’s also lots of sausages - Weiner Dogs, Bratwurst, Kaiserwurst, Currywurst and even a Vegan one! Good to note that all their sausages are gluten free!
The meals are slightly on the expensive side but the portion size off sets this. My tell tale sign is whether or not I might still have room in my big toe to squeeze dessert in, and on this occasion, none! It was FULL.
If you are hungry then this is a superb place to eat. They’ll stop that belly rumbling in its tracks. The food is well cooked and presented; the menu has a great many choices and I feel there is certainly a dish or two for almost everyone; they have vegan/vegetarian and gluten free options and the staff are very friendly, efficient and helpful. My only tiny critique is that much of the food is unseasoned but they do provide you with salt and pepper on the tables - perhaps this is due to the amount of tourists that dine here, and its easier to cater to different palates more effectively this way.
All in all, I was surprised at the standard of the food, the offering and the service. It’s now on my radar for a night out and some beer swigging.
Do check out their February Dining Offer of 2 for 1 on mains and Authentic German sausages available Monday to Friday www.brewhemia.co.uk/2-for-1-on-mains
Things to note about Brewhemia:
They cater for vegan, vegetarian and gluten free but do check the menu
There is disabled access and doors are wide enough to fit wheelchairs
They are not dog friendly
Brewhemia, 1A Market Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1DE www.brewhemia.co.uk
My Spoon Award : Gold 9/10
I was invited by Brewhemia to review their menu. Food and drink were complimentary but the views are very much my own.