Blonde
- Food served: Mon 6–9pm; Tue–Sat noon–2.30pm, 6–10pm; Sun noon–2.30pm, 6–9pm [Extended in Festival].
- Number of wines sold by the glass: 7
- Private dining: Up to 14 covers
- Also offers: Vegetarian options (at least ¼ main courses), Gluten-free options, Children's portions, Children's high chairs, Wheelchair access
- Music on stereo: Nothing
- Capacity: 75
- Largest group: 60
- Open since: 2000
- Average price:
£12.90 (set lunch)
£17.50 (evening meal) - House wine: £12.50 per bottle
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The 2011/12 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).
This review is taken from the current (2011) edition.
Sunlit by summer’s day and candle-lit by winter’s night, Blonde’s stylish-but-plain premises can feel a little harsh with its hard surfaces and basic wooden chairs. However, this lack of luxury is quickly overshadowed when the comfort food arrives. Blonde’s weighty menu has something for everyone, and there’s a lot going on in each option. Interesting starters of pork belly terrine and deep-fried smoked tofu are made even more so by the addition of un-Scottish accompaniments such as date and banana chutney, and tomato and jalapeño tapenade. A main course of chicken breast comes stuffed with almond and bacon atop a butter bean and rosemary stew with a potato, spring onion and haloumi cake on the side. The flavours here are big and bang-in-the-face. From the simple dessert list, a citrus crème brûlée is mouth-smartingly lemony while flourless chocolate cake, served warm, melts on the tongue. Vegetarians have plenty of options, and the service is informal. If you'll risk a numb bum to keep your tum happy, then Blonde’s big flavours will have you revisiting its hard wooden chairs time and again.
- High point: Tasty comfort food with big flavours to the fore
- Low point: Basic chairs and plain surroundings
Neighbourhood watch: Newington, Edinburgh
A guide to the ares of the Scottish capital dominated by Edinburgh University
27 May 2011
Reviews of Blonde (75 St Leonard's Street, Edinburgh)
- 7. lou746, Edinburgh – 20 August 2010, 4:16pm
BlondeReport -
This is the first visit to this restaurant and we really enjoyed the experience. They have the right balance of choice for non-meat eaters and true veggies. My husband enjoyed the meat choices too!Approx 9 mains to choose from, 3 of each; veggie,fishy,meaty. Lovely salads and some effort put into the dishes with lot's of fresh ingrdients - not a packet chip in sight! See their sample menu for an idea of what's on offer. Tofu was a lovely choice for me and I had a filo parcel main with really tasty couscous(which can be bland), but was packed with flavour. Puds were yum! We shared the banoffee and flour free choc cake. Light as a feather compared to the always filling banoffee. Really nice staff too, attentive without feeling rushed considering this is the middle of the Edinburgh Festival. Will be back for seconds.
- 6. lou746, Edinburgh – 20 August 2010, 4:15pmBlondeReport
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This is the first visit to this restaurant and we really enjoyed the experience. They have the right balance of choice for non-meat eaters and true veggies. My husband enjoyed the meat choices too!Approx 9 mains to choose from, 3 of each; veggie,fishy,meaty. Lovely salads and some effort put into the dishes with lot's of fresh ingrdients - not a packet chip in sight! See their sample menu for an idea of what's on offer. Tofu was a lovely choice for me and I had a filo parcel main with really tasty couscous(which can be bland), but was packed with flavour. Puds were yum! We shared the banoffee and flour free choc cake. Light as a feather compared to the always filling banoffee. Really nice staff too, attentive without feeling rushed considering this is the middle of the Edinburgh Festival. Will be back for seconds.
- 5. acmm, edinburgh – 16 January 2010, 12:01pmBlondeReport
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We have been to this restaurant twice and really enjoyed the food, beautifully presented and the service was excellent I have recommended it to friends
- 4. acmm, edinburgh – 16 January 2010, 11:54amBlondeReport
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We have been to this restaurant twice and really enjoyed the food, beautifully presented and the service was excellent I have recommended it to friends
- 3. MattB, Cheshire/London/Kent – 4 December 2009, 11:42pmBlondeReport
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The best eaterie in Edinburgh by a country mile- never lets me down, always reliably excellent I would take anybody there at any time.
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