dulse leith, Edinburgh

One restaurant closes: another opens on the same site. Hardly news. A restaurant critic has a Friday deadline, and nothing to write about. That's not of much interest either, but deeply concerning to those who scribble in the field. I should know - I was that critic.

Then lo and behold, an email pops into my inbox one Monday, announcing the opening of a new place on the Wednesday (ie two days ago). Most unusual for this column to be a trendsetter. But the bigger news is that it's yet another offering from the very energetic Dean Banks. His group had backed Dan Ashmore's first solo venture ASKR, which traded very briefly on this site. On 21 October I read that the place had closed, and that Ashmore had left the company. Remarkably, just over three weeks later dulse leith opened its doors, the space having had a complete makeover.

While it obviously helps that there is a successful restaurant of the same name running in Queensferry Street, do not underestimate for one second the amount of effort involved in such a speedy turnaround. But, more importantly, how was it?

I never visited ASKR. I wrote not so long ago of my distaste for tasting menus in general. Then there's the small matter of economics. The full tasting menu, I gather, was £115, no doubt with service charge on top. With 13 courses to go through, libation would be required. You don't pay that sort of money for food without there being some sort of celebration involved, in which case you probably wouldn't get out of the door with much change from 350 smackers.

Dulse isn't cheap, but it's a fish restaurant and fish isn't cheap. I cooked halibut for our dinner at home last weekend. Two pieces cost over £23. So let's look at the quality and the service first. Not only has the Queensferry Street menu been transported down the tram line, so have the lovely staff whom we met. Manager Laura seemed delighted to have been promoted; Roisin, who was our principal server, is a one month veteran well on the way to her gold watch; and the smiling Bilal was an affable presence throughout. I've had occasion to be critical of the service in one or two of Mr Banks's establishments in the past. Here it was just a delight from start to finish.

It's small menu which is frankly a little confusing. Sides aside, there are three unheaded sections. The first contains, bread, olives and oysters. You then have a group of five choices, followed by a group of three. Group 1 has a price range of £15 - £30. The group 2 dishes cost, respectively, £30, £35, and Market Price. Tricky.

To L, I recommended the trout pastrami with rye bread and Katy Rodgers crème fraîche. I had eaten this before and knew the size. It's an ever present on the West End menu, every bit as lovely when served nearer the sea. Still puzzled, I ordered what I assumed would be an expensive starter of Argentinian Red Prawns, Roast Garlic, Aleppo Pepper and Preserved Lemon Butter. I really wasn't prepared for the five (yes, five) whoppers which were delivered. Each prawn was about 10cm long, seared, flavoured as advertised and finger lickingly lovely.

L went to section 2. I never got there, but I digress. I find cod to be a dull fish, but Dean Banks knows that too. His answer on Wednesday was to serve it on a cassoulet of sorts, beans, n'duja and clams.  Not an original idea. I've had similar, but never ever such a glorious, spicy, fishy, tomatoey concoction. Wonderful.

Back in Group 1, having anticipated a smaller starter, I had chosen scallops for my second course. You can have any number you want, but they are priced at £12 each, with a couple of quid discount if you go for three, as I did. Sound expensive again? Well these were Orkney monsters, the type much beloved of top chefs. And a quandary for top chefs is how to serve them. Wearing my consumer hat, I'd have been happy to have them seared with some garlic butter. But wearing my critic hat, might I have been snotty about the lack of cooking skill involved? You can't win being a chef.

Mine were served in the half shell with a wild mushroom stroganoff. I saw no sign of the advertised puffed rice. As a dish it didn't quite work for me. The sauce was too rich, and couldn't help but slightly mask the flavour of the star ingredient. I scraped the sauce off my third and was much happier as a result. No criticism of the kitchen - it was a very fine sauce - just personal taste.

In a fish restaurant, I do like the idea of a daily changing market option. Do remember to ascertain the price in advance. No such issues here, as it's on the blackboard. Not a shock to see turbot priced at £60, but the smallest portion is 400g. Too much food for one, though excellent value if you were sharing. Maybe next time. And don't miss the Dulse Seaweed Potatoes on the side. Now foody pedants like you are aware that dulse is a type of seaweed and that the menu therefore contains a tautology. But before you write to Dean, just think how much explaining Laura, Roisin and Bilal have been saved.

Pudding, should you have room, is ice cream. That's it. I don't care, but I know many who might. Perhaps the choices will expand in time**. I've been at a few opening night dinners, but never one as assured as this. The place is five minutes' walk from The Shore tram stop. Fish lovers in Leith are well served by Fishers and The Shore; however, there is certainly room for a place like this operating at just another level. Not perhaps for everyday, but not trying to break into the bank breaking world of Messrs Wishart and Kitchin.

Well done, Dean. This is your best start up since The Pompadour.

 

**I sent the restaurant a preview of this. Manager Laura has been in touch to say that they are already expanding the choice of desserts. Understandably they just wanted to keep things simple at the beginning, when a generous discount was available.

Tom Eats! will return in two weeks' time