The Apartment

The Apartment
7–13 Barclay Place
Edinburgh, EH10 4HW
Phone: 0131 228 6456
amend these details
  • Food served: Mon–Fri 5–11pm; Sat/Sun noon–11pm
  • Number of wines sold by the glass: 12
  • Also offers: Children's portions, Children's high chairs, Wheelchair access
  • Music on stereo: Funk/soul/breakbeats
  • Capacity: 100
  • Largest group: 20
  • Open since: 1999
View larger map of EH10 4HW
  • Average price 2 courses:
     £10 (lunch)
     £17.50 (evening meal)
  • House wine: £13.80 per bottle
Eating & Drinking Guide 2009

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2009 – in the shops now or buy online.

After a busy ten years on Barclay Place it seems unlikely that anyone would be unfamiliar with The Apartment's decision to dispense with starters in favour of a range of eminently shareable char-grilled skewers dubbed 'chunky healthy lines'. However, the chatty staff are quick to explain the flexible menu to the uninitiated and when two skewers packed with succulent salmon, prawns and scallops arrive accompanied by pitta and pink beetroot coleslaw, it is obvious why this quirky formula has enduring appeal. The appetising range of thoughtful, uncomplicated mains doesn't disappoint either, with a moist fillet of sea bass cooked to crisp-skinned perfection served resting on earthy puy lentils and grilled aubergine. A rich and tender roll of slow-roasted pork belly also works with the heat-tinged sweetness of a soy, chilli and honey sauce. Quality takes precedence over quantity in the short dessert menu, but choosing between just-baked chocolate soufflé and zingy home-made lemon tart is still not easy. The Apartment's pared-down modern styling and trendy staff could easily land it on the icy side of cool, but fast and friendly service and a buzzing weekend atmosphere lend the place a warm, self-assured air that is proving as popular as ever.

  • High point: Delicious food in stylish surroundings
  • Low point: Not many vegetarian options

Comments

1. cooktobe, The Apartment – 25 October 2008, 11:25pmReport

This restaurant is not worthy of inclusion in the List. We visited last week and were met with the rudest and most unfriendly 'front of house 'person ever. Although we arrived at 4.30, we were not allowed to order from the early dining menu which was advertised from 2.00 til 5.00pm, the order took an hour to be served, then we were asked to leave at 6.30, with no time for coffee or dessert. One of our group got the wrong meal but no apology. We were given a bill with a service charge of £35.00, which we declined to pay.
The revue on the List does not compare with the other revues on other websites. Perhaps The Apartment put on a special show for you- they certainly didn't for us, or for many others.

2. JSONE, Edinburgh – 12 November 2008, 2:05pmReport

The Apartment used to be a decent place to eat but my last visit was a completed disappointment. The waiters are not the best and project the impression that tehy are doing you a favour to serve you, it is also pretty expensive for wghat you get.

3. Nina, Edinburgh – 24 December 2008, 3:46pm(1)Report

A very disappointing experience. The food and service was average. The food was expensive and rather boring and unimaginative.

4. I Love Edinburgh, Edinburgh – 20 May 2009, 8:57pmReport

I will never eat at The Apartment again. The food USED to be good, but the service is terrible, the staff are nothing short of rude.

I did love this place when it first opened, we even had a private party here. Booked another one and The Apartment cancelled our booking one week beforehand (Christmas) without any explanation.

I don't know of anyone apart from The List who has a good thing to say about this place - they must be putting on a special show for you !

5. Harriet, Edinburgh – 24 May 2009, 3:46pmReport

The Apartment used to be my favourite place for big and small celebrations. Hadn't been for a little while, but after last week I do not ever plan on going back.

I ordered the lamb CHL which I've enjoyed there several times before. When I cut into the minced lamb it was extremely pink. Since I'm pregnant I didn't feel I could risk eating them and sent them back. Even if I hadn't been pregnant I would probably have sent them back, as there's rare and too rare. My husband tried to eat his steak slowly, so we could still enjoy our meal rather than take it in turns to watch each other eat. When the dish arrived for the second time, the lamb was even pinker than in the first dish.

The manager was more interested in gossiping, than checking her customers were ok, but eventually came over and suggested I order something else. She also suggested the lamb balls were always that pink - which they haven't been in the past.

So by now, I didn't feel that I could safely order any of the meat and went for the more expensive fish instead. The manager said she was sorry and would do something about it. By this time my husband's food was completely cold.

For me doing something about a customer's complaint means apologising, doing your best to resolve matters, checking the resolution you offer is ok and doing your best to make it up to them - perhaps offering to knock something off the bill, so that they feel confident about coming back to you.

For the apartment it means you ignore them for the rest of the night and put the more expensive item that they felt forced into ordering on their bill instead of their original order.

To post a comment you'll first need to log in: Forgotten your password?

Log in

Not registered? Sign up – it only takes a minute.

RSS feed of these comments