Hadrian's

Hadrian's is essentially brasserie style with an informal and buzzy atmosphere, and is situated in The Balmoral, one of Edinburgh's older established hotels; it is the contemporary and chic sister to number one also at The Balmoral.

Its stylish interior has a distinct 1930s Art Deco influence, with walnut floors and a palette of lime plus a splash of African violet. The combination of colours was inspired by the natural landscapes of Edinburgh, taking the Salisbury Crags, sea and sky as influences. While the décor has been given a facelift to underline this venture, fortunately the food certainly reflects it as well. Designed by their Michelin-starred chef Jeff Bland it offers a cosmopolitan menu with a mix of Scottish dishes and innovative European cuisine.

There is an essentially comforting element to brasserie food, not entirely unassociated with its familiarity and all the usual suspects, plus some, are here. Grilled calf's liver with smoked bacon, olive oil mash and shallots jostles with sirloin steaks and pork chops, not to say a wide range of pasta and fish dishes, like smoked salmon, crab parcel with citrus sauce or Bland's signature dish of chargrilled tuna fish niçoise, French beans and new potatoes.

An à la carte provides the main working menu for Hadrian's, backed up by the prix fixe aimed at providing a good value lunch and an early evening pre-theatre or 'neighbourhood' supper. From the carte one could expect to find a choice of up to 15 starter dishes that invited you to consider six native oysters, the famed Cullen skink, baby beetroot with ricotta cheese and pine kernels, or a carpaccio of Blairgowrie beef.

Following the strong inclination to food from the sea we find lemon sole on the bone, roast scallops with creamy mash and sauce vierge, alongside such traditional dishes as haggis, neeps and tatties or braised oxtail with root vegetables. A spatchcock chicken with tarragon will keep you waiting a little longer to allow for extra time in cooking, in which case the calfes liver with American bacon might offer a suitable alternative.

Vegetables at Hadrian's are different - somebody cares, as demonstrated by spinach and shallots, ratte potatoes, creamed Keltic cabbage and carrots with coriander, a welcome change from those places where dishes whose main constituent, however good, is rendered dreary by sad, limp, uninteresting vegetables.

Summer cranachan appears amongst the desserts, as well as the traditional crème brûlée. The service is professional and friendly. A good wine list will not overstretch you with house wine at £22. Whilst food trends and fads change with the wind, brasserie-style food goes on for ever; long may it last.

Their prix fixe is a great deal that offers two or three delicious courses, along the lines of buffalo mozzarella with coppa and wild rocket, grilled pork steak with black pudding and bread and butter pudding with apricot compote, at £19.50 for two courses and £24.50 for three.

Hadrian's also recently launched its 'Little Angels' weekend family lunch menu. Michelin starred Executive Chef, Jeff Bland (see the image in the gallery), has created this with tasty options for children under twelve. This is full of delicious, healthy dishes that parents should approve of, such as 'five a day' seasonal Scottish vegetable soup, fresh Scottish salmon fingers with baby new potatoes and garden salad and Blairgowrie strawberries and vanilla ice cream.

Hadrian's was voted 'Best for Breakfast' by The Scotsman and this lovely breakfast is served from 7 to 10.30 am from Monday to Saturday, and 7.30 to 11 am on a Sunday.

Check out the Website for more details about Hadrian's, the 5 star Balmoral Hotel and its many facilities.