Whisky Experience / Amber Restaurant
Recently, upon having visitors who stayed in town for a few days, I ventured into the basement of the Whisky Experience – up by Edinburgh Castle – for a bite to eat. Thankfully it wasn’t quite as gruesome an experience as it may sound, as their basement actually serves as the home of a good restaurant called Amber. It was my first visit to the restaurant, though I have previously attended the whisky tour upstairs, and with my expectations set not too high, I was actually delighted!
We had booked a table for around half seven, and arrived pretty much spot on that very time, but before being taken to our table in the restaurant we were shown to a small whisky bar in an adjoining room. There, we were sat down and each handed a whisky menu with some 350 Scottish whiskies on offer – as well as a couple of liqueurs – all of which were reasonably priced. Much to my delight and, in honesty, slight surprise, the waiters all knew a fair bit about whisky, and were quite competent indeed at recommending new malts based on your current favorites.
Whisky ordered, we were presented with the food menu, and our order was taken from the comfortable armchairs and sofas in the bar, where we remained seated until our starters were ready – a pleasant twist, as sitting at the dinner table often isn’t quite as relaxed, or as comfortable.
The food on offer shows their commitment to everything Scottish, ranging from starters such as smoked salmon with Arran mustard and whisky dressing, to mains including the most beautifully cooked and amazingly tender fillet of Scottish beef I have ever had – served with wild mushroom and truffle oil sauce. The only disappointment on the menu, that we ordered, was the wild mushroom starter, which was too sweet. The beef, as mentioned, was sublime, and their vegetable haggis starter was nothing short of delicious.
After the meal we ordered another round of whisky and had a good chat with the waiter about the various malts on offer. Soon thereafter he offered to take us to see their whisky collection – the biggest in the world, apparently, with some 3000+ expressions, weighing in at over 3 tons (which means they had to reinforce the floor) and purchased at about $1.5 million! An astonishing collection, kept in incredibly good condition, and beautifully presented in perfectly lit glass cabinets.
Overall Amber offered great value for money, fantastic food, and outstanding service – I was well and truly impressed, and will without doubt return soon!