REVIEW : Harvey Nichols Summer Menu 2019

I looked out the window and thought that there was nothing that could cheer up this dreich day, but then I checked my calendar and seen I was off to review lunch at Harvey Nichols with TartanSpoonie, Kim. No amount of rain and greyness could detract from that view across the Edinburgh cityscape and how could I not find joy in sharing food and drink with one of my favourite humans!

HARVEY NICHOLS FOURTH FLOOR BRASSERIE

Harvey Nichols have yet again launched their much-loved Summer Market Menu, which offers customers two sun-worthy dishes and a refreshing cocktail for just £19 or three courses and a cocktail for £23 in the Forth Floor Brasserie at Harvey Nichols Edinburgh. Alternatively, customers can dine on five courses and a glass of Prosecco for £40 in the Forth Floor Restaurant. Both menus have been created using the finest seasonal ingredients, which have been sourced regionally.

There is also the A La Carte menu with some staples but also some lovely fresh new dishes for the Summer.

So lets tuck into the menu and see what delights await.

On the A la Carte menu there are several sections to help you navigate easier - snacks, starters, main, from the grill, classics, sides, taste of the sea and desserts whilst on the Prix Fixe menu there are starters, mains and desserts.

We started with some snacks - the Wild Mushrooms Croquettes (vegetarian) £4.

Very soft and almost mushy in the middle but in a really good comforting way. The outside was crunchy and light, and the inside quite earthy. It was what was needed on a day like today - like a cosy blanket! 5 bonbons was a great snack size and the balls were bite size, so for sharing it’s perfect.

Serrano Ham and Pecorino £4.

A very very simple dish that lets the ingredients sing. The serrano ham was thin wafer like slices of yummy meaty saltiness and the shavings of pecorino cheese giving it the edge with its sharpness contrasting again the silky smoothness of the ham but complimenting it on the salty level.

We mixed and matched across both menu’s and I preferred the sound of the Burrata dish from the Prix Fixe menu as apposed to the A la Carte one.

The A La Carte Burrata dish - Isle of Wight heritage tomatoes, burrata, basil pesto and aged balsamic £8.50 (v)/

I choose this instead - Green Pea Guacamole, burrata, toasted sourdough and a pea shoot salad (v).

This was heavenly and something I could eat everyday for the rest of Summer and perhaps even Winter. The burrata is wonderfully light and fluid, silky, smooth and creamy off set against the chunky vivid green freshness of the peas and the crunchiness of the sourdough. Magnificent. I ate every last crumb!

The Hummus and Wild Mushrooms on toast, tarragon oil and mixed seeds £8.50 (V) caught Kim’s eye.

What a flavour packed dish this is! Hummus and mushrooms are a match made in heaven. The earthiness, woodiness and deep nuttiness of these ingredients was superb.

Continuing from the A la Carte menu we went for a something from the Grill; and choose the Rib-Eye Steak £27.

One dish that did try to sway us on the Prix Fixe menu was the Pan Fried Sea Bream, sauteed potatoes, tandoori spiced butter, tomato chutney and crispy capers. Sounds delicious especially the tandoori spiced butter.

The steak was cooked to how it was requested - medium. A nice thick slice of beef, well seasoned and cooked. Fries were thin and crispy.

I chose of the Classics menu. These are oldies but goodies and new on the Summer was the lobster.

Half or Whole Ballantrae lobster thermidore with fries and a salad £25/ £48.

The taste of the lobster was tremendous. The lobster was on the small side but what it lacked in size it made up in taste. Sweet, juicy and succulent pieces of meat that had already been prepared for you, so you didn’t have to battle to try to scoop it out the shell.

The thermidor sauce was fantastic - everything on my plate got dunked in it.

You cant dine at Harvey Nichols without indulging in a cocktail or two. They have a long list of delicious sounding cocktails and it was hard to choose. In the end we went with

Wax Lyrical (left) - Maker’s Mark bourbon, Chambord liqueur, lemon, brown sugar syrup, chocolate extract and raspberries.

Sakura Spritz (right) - Roku Gin, fresh ginger, watermelon puree, lime, sugar syrup, London Essence ginger ale.

Who needs sunshine when you have cocktails!

We were genuinely so stuffed but we were determined to try a dessert. From the Prix Fixe menu we ordered the Raspberry cheesecake mousse, honeycomb, oat crumble and raspberry sorbet (v).

Hell yes, this is the way to end lunch. This did not disappoint. It hit every sweet note there was. The cheesecake mousse was creamy and fluffy at the same time with a good hit of raspberry. Honeycomb sprinkles were just enough. Overall a lovely dessert that we are glad we shared as they are a substantial size.

Harvey Nichols have it nailed when it comes to using fresh ingredients and they really know how to make the most of these ingredients to make the dishes fabulous. They cater well for vegetarians and vegans and every plate of food has an element that just hits the spot! The service is fast and friendly and there are plenty of staff to cater to your every need.

A superb venue for stunning views, people watching, cocktails inside or out and food especially great value lunchtime food! Highly recommended.

Harvey Nichols, 4th Floor Brasserie, St Andrews Square, Edinburgh. Tel : 0131 5248350 www.harveynichols.com/store/edinburgh

My Spoon Award : Gold Spoon 9/10

I was invited by Harvey Nichols Edinburgh to review their menu. Food and drink were complimentary but the views are very much my own.