The Skerries
4 West Coates
- Food served: Mon–Sun 5.30pm–9pm.
- Bar open: Mon–Sun 11am–11pm.
- Number of wines sold by the glass: 7
- No. overnight rooms: 19
- Also offers: Gluten-free options, Children's portions, Children's high chairs, Outdoor tables, Free wi-fi
- Music on stereo: Relaxed jazz, Sinatra and other cool crooners
- Opening times: Mon–Sun 11am–11pm
- Capacity: 32
- Largest group: 40
- Open since: 2001
Tell us more about this place.
- Average price:
£20 (evening meal) - House wine: £15.95 per bottle
The 2012 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).
This review is taken from the current (2012) edition.
A recent refurbishment has given the Skerries a fresh lease of life. It’s all very Downton Abbey with ornate gilt mirrors, chandeliers, and rich fabrics. An impressive new bar and lounge has added to this elegant space, boasting a fine wall of malts. The owners’ Orcadian island roots haven’t been entirely swept away though, and fish, meat and cheese from both Orkney and Shetland still feature. A pot of mussels hails from the latter, and in a white wine and shallot broth it’s a starter that doesn’t let the islanders down. Chunky herb gnocchi is baked in a cheese sauce on fresh spinach, top-class comfort food. Orkney Gold rib-eye steak maintains the standard, cooked perfectly to order with a satisfying hint of charcoal grill. More elaborate, the pan-fried scallops, braised pork cheeks, Stornoway black pudding, crisp bacon and pear purée create an artful archipelago on the plate. Not just pretty to look at, but harmony by the forkful too. Desserts include Orkney ice-creams (a little icy) and a chocolate fondant with a melting middle and delicate biscuits. Bravo!
- High point: Grand without being grandiose
- Low point: Less than upper crust bread
Reviews of The Skerries (Dunstane House Hotel, 4 West Coates, Edinburgh)
- 1. Peter Eater, Edinburgh – 6 March 2011, 9:58am
The SkerriesReport -
Disappointing!
This was a last minute impulse booking based on the 'seafood' credentials.
It is hard for hotel based restaurants to elevate themselves beyond being a dining room for residents and attract a local following. The low number of diners and accompanying atmosphere on a Saturday evening tells you that Skerries hasn't managed it.
If an eatery labels itself as a seafood restaurant you might expect to find more than two mains from the seven on the standard menu that could have seen the sea and the two that were on offer Crusted Haddock and Salmon didn't do much to excite the senses. Burger, Steak, Chicken, Lamb and Pasta (not seafood) were not what I was expecting. There was a Scallop speical and the standard starters include Chowder, Mussels and Smoked Salmon but nothing that really would support a seafood speciality.
My wife and I both had the mussels and to be fair they were good quality and tasty but the main were disappointing especially considering the price of the scallops.
Skerries has to decide if it really is a seafood restaurant or not.
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