A meal at The Sheep Heid Inn
The Sheep Heid Inn is a restaurant in Edinburgh and here at ESPC we don't only want to help you find property in Edinburgh but also get to know the area. This week we have Nadine Pierce reviewing the restaurant for us. Pick up our ESPC Paper this week for more information.
Our food blogger
Nadine Pierce is an Edinburgh-based foodie and author of the popular Eating Edinburgh blog, a self-confessed 'gluttonista' who has been known to eat out every day of the week in the course of research!
You can follow her foodie adventures at www.eatingedinburgh.com or on Twitter @nadinepierce.
This week Nadine reviews The Sheep Heid for ESPC and reveals a scrumptious evening of rather fun countryside dining.
The Sheep Heid Inn
I've been to The Sheep Heid Inn many times over the years, usually after a bracing stalk about Arthurs Seat and Salisbury Crags and often with visiting friends and family; however, I'd not visited since the recent refurbishment. I've always enjoyed dining there and with an old school friend staying over for the weekend, it was the perfect opportunity to check it out.
I took the time to book in advance as I've been turned away for food during the Festival before; clearly I'm not the only one who likes it there! A cheeky post-walk cider in the beer garden afforded us a sneaky peek of the menu and I was already sold on two of the specials.
Upon arriving at the Sheep Heid and receiving the menu, it soon become clear that it was going to be hard to choose what to have, the menu was well written and enticing. I especially liked the 'From the Land, From the Sea and From the Garden' sections; so much nicer than saying 'Meat', 'Fish' or 'Veggie'!
Our meal
After quite a lot of deliberation, aided by a lovely smooth Pinot Noir, I settled for a Lamb's Kidney starter and a Pork Belly Main while my companion indulged in a Squid starter and a Monkfish main. The dining room was full with a range of clientele from a family birthday party to couples and scruffy walkers like us but the ambience was quite charming and the view across to the quaint cottages in Duddingston Village enhanced that.
The starter was right up my street, Lamb's Kidneys in a rich creamy mustard sauce with mushrooms on top of toasted ciabbata, delicious! The deep fried calamari with a chilli crème fraiche was also pretty good; perfectly crispy and cooked perfectly!
A great start and the mains were no disappointment. Pork belly has been a favourite of mine since childhood so have probably had more than my fair share over the years and this one was served with black pudding and a ginger-beer glaze; I'm still thinking about it now!
The pancetta-wrapped Monkfish was a beautiful looking dish served with crushed potatoes and greens and judging by the speed with which it was polished off, was also pretty tasty!
I had no room for dessert but 'forced myself' to have a couple bites of the white chocolate cheesecake that my friend had selected. Next time I'll leave more room, is all I can say! To summarise, a cracking little pub with a great, mouth-watering menu; the only problem is trying to choose what to have!
Book your meal now
You can book a table or visit the restaurant yourself!
Address: The Sheep Heid, 43-45 The Causeway, Duddingston, Edinburgh, EH15 3QA.
Tel: +44 (0) 131 661 7974.
Let us know how you find your meal by emailing us at editor@espc.com or Tweet us @espc and tell us your thoughts on our ESPC Facebook page.