The Old Bell Restaurant

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.

This welcoming restaurant above a bar still has its dark wood, white tablecloths and walls covered with pictures, but chefs rule now they have taken over the running of the Old Bell. Their ambition is to provide Newington with fine dining on Scottish recipes using French and other European techniques – chef/proprietor Finlay Nicol spent 5 years working in Paris. For starters, traditional black pudding is sandwiched with pork belly in crisp croquettes and served with a grape compote, while bacon is added to the cream sauce for mussels. The beetroot relish which accompanies the smoked salmon starter reappears with their signature dish of nicely pink pan-roasted venison with a chocolate rosemary jus. Fennel-crusted whiting is moist and flaky and accompanied by wilted kale. A varied selection of desserts includes a smooth and creamy vanilla bean crème brûlée. Or there is crowdie bavarois, delicately flavoured with hazelnut syrup, coffee and whisky and coated with rolled oats. Alternatively, try the family-friendly carvery all Sunday afternoon. The chefs also provide the set menu for the bar downstairs.

• High point: Willingness of staff to adapt to customers' individual tastes
• Low point: Slightly oversalted kale