The Printing Press Bar and Kitchen

The Printing Press Bar & Kitchen is located on George Street and occupies the former home of Susan Ferrier, a highly acclaimed 19th century Scottish novelists.  Prior to traveling to Edinburgh, I did some research into restaurants, and favorable reviews of this restaurant kept popping up on several occasions.  The restaurant offers up modern Scottish cuisine in a casual setting.  

Sourdough Loaf

For  a starter, my wife and I ordered the Sourdough Loaf for us to share.  The bread and butter really hit the spot because both of us were starving.  Prior the entree arriving, I also had a Scotch Egg, which was equally delectable.

Mince and Tatties

For my entree, I ordered the Mince and Tatties.  Although I had never heard of this dish before, it was absolutely delicious and I was happy with my choice.  Both the minced beef and the potatoes were very flavorful and filling.  

Truffled Honey Chicken

My wife ordered the Truffled Honey Chicken, which was tender and flavorful.  She allowed me only a small bite, which tells me that she really liked it.  We also split a side of Roasted Parsnips and Carrots, which were both quite good.

Roasted Parsnips and Carrots

We finished off the meal with Cappuccinos and a Dark Chocolate Tart.  Both were enjoyable and were the perfect end to a very good meal.  The wait staff was friendly, but I felt they could have checked on us a little more.  The ambiance of the restaurant is very relaxing and would be a great place for a romantic dinner or a night out with friends.  I would not hesitate to return to this restaurant in the future.

Dark Chocolate Tart

The Printing Press Bar & Kitchen
http://www.printingpressedinburgh.co.uk/
Livin the Good Life Rating=4

Zizzi

In case you didn't know, it rains a lot in Scotland.  One evening my wife and I were walking around Edinburgh and taking in the sights, when it began to rain on us.  My wife was on the verge of a "hangry" attack, so we decided to grab a bite to eat and get out of the rain.  The first place that we came across was Zizzi, which is an Italian restaurant chain in the United Kingdom.

Garlic Bread with Mozzarella

We had walked close to twelve miles that day exploring Edinburgh, so we were both starving.  We started with the Garlic Bread with Mozzarella.  The bread had caramelized balsamic onions on it, which gave it some additional flavor, but this dish really hit the spot and was quickly gobbled up.

Prosciutto Verde Rustica Pizza

For our main course we decided to split a pizza.  We chose their seasonal special, which was the Prosciutto Verde Rustica Pizza. This pizza was a white pizza with mozzarella, ham, balsamic tomatoes, garlic cloves, spinach, and prosciutto.  I am usually not a big fan of white pizzas, but this one was terrific.  We both agreed that it was one of the better pizzas we have had in 2016.

Tiramisu

For dessert, we split the Tiramisu, which might have been the best item we ate at Zizzi.  It was certainly top notch and amongst the best pieces of Tiramisu that I have ever had.  While the food was really good, the service was a little disappointing.  They seemed to be under-staffed and we had to wait quite a while between visits from our waitress, which left us without drinks frequently.  Although she didn't check in on us regularly, our waitress was friendly and helpful with the menu.  Overall, we thought the restaurant was very good, especially considering the fact we had done zero research or even heard about it prior to this visit.

Zizzi
https://www.zizzi.co.uk/
Livin the Good Life Rating=3

Angels with Bagpipes

On one of our days that we spent walking around Edinburgh, we decided to do a little fine dining and made reservations at Angels with Bagpipes, which is located on The Royal Mile.  I had a cousin that recommended this restaurant to me after she had dined there the previous year.  In addition to her recommendations, the Internet also offered up favorable reviews of this establishment which served up fresh Scottish Cuisine.

Bread and Oil

After ordering drinks, our waiter brought out some bread and oil  The fresh bread was fantastic and helped ease the hunger pains in my belly.  For my entree, I ordered the Fillet Steak topped with garlic butter.  My steak was cooked to perfection and the garlic butter gave it a little extra flavor kick that set it over the edge of greatness!  Without question, this was the best fillet (filet for us Americans) that I have had in a at least a couple of years.  It was served with an order of "chips", which were crispy and quite good in their own right.

Fillet

Chips (Fries)

My wife ordered the Salmon.  It was served with wild garlic and gnocchi.  As impressive as my steak was, her salmon was equally unimpressive.  My wife thought it tasted overly fishy and couldn't even finish it.  I sampled some myself and it did have a funny taste to it and was the worst of three salmon meals I tried on this visit to Scotland.  Our waiter was very gracious and insisted on having the chef remove it from our bill, which he did.

Salmon

Angels with Bagpipes is a very quaint restaurant with a comfortable feel to it.  Although the salmon was disappointing, I was quite happy with the quality and flavor of my steak.  The service was friendly and accommodating.  Since we had plans later that night, we skipped dessert, but they did have several interesting looking options on their menu.

Angels with Bagpipes
http://www.angelswithbagpipes.co.uk/the-restaurant/
Livin the Good Life Rating=3
 

Chaophraya

There are no shortages of restaurants in Edinburgh, but there is a big variation in quality.  My wife and I both love Thai food and Chaophraya came highly recommended by food bloggers, travel sites, and a couple of locals we met.  This restaurant is located on the fourth floor of a building located on Castle Street and offers an amazing view of Edinburgh Castle if you are lucky enough to secure a table with a view.  We waited too long to secure a reservation with a view, but we were still able to get into the restaurant with only one day's notice.

Asian Platter Appetizer

Following the recommendation of our waitress, we ordered  the Asian Platter as an appetizer.  This large appetizer included chicken satay, prawn tempura, chicken spring rolls, marinated pork with honey and Thai herbs, and a crispy duck salad.  Each one of these items was delicious, but my favorites were the prawn tempura (6-8 inches long and fried to perfections) and the marinated pork with honey (think sweet bacon).  My wife was partial to the spring rolls, which were also quite delightful.

Chicken Pad Thai

Spicy Fried Rice with Beef and Basil 

Coconut Rice

For entrees, we share an order of Chicken Pad Thai and Spicy Fried Rice with Beef and Basil.  The Pad Thai was amongst the best I have ever had and the other entree, which was the chef's signature dish, was delicious, but not overly spicy.  My wife and I also ordered a side of the coconut rice, which was sticky and went well with the two dishes.  I really couldn't pick which entree I liked best, because both were amazing.

Thai Mango Sticky Rice

For dessert, we shared an order of Thai Mango Sticky Rice.  It was not overly sweet, but was a tasty and light, which we needed after eating way too much prior to dessert.  Chaophraya  was arguably the best meal we had in Edinburgh and perhaps the best Thai food I have ever had.  In addition to the wonderful food, the service was spectacular.  The restaurant has beautiful decor and the views are hard to beat.  If we ever return to visit Edinburgh, this restaurant would be #1 on my list to revisit!

My date for the evening 

Chaophraya
http://chaophraya.co.uk
Livin the Good Life Rating=5

Steak

My wife and I recently visited Scotland for a vacation and to celebrate our 10th anniversary.  Upon arriving in Edinburgh, the concierge at our hotel, The Glasshouse, recommended dining at Steak, which was a short walk from the hotel.  I had previously read favorable review about this restaurant, so we dined there on our second night in town.

Bread and Butter

After ordering drinks, our waitress brought us some homemade bread and some sparkling water.  Both were delicious and we inhaled the bread.  For our main course, we both decided to order the Donald Russell Fillet and share sides of Bacon and Cheese Macaroni and Buttered Mashed Potatoes.  

Donald Russell Fillet (Filet) 

Bacon and Cheese Macaroni

Mashed Potatoes

When the main course arrived, we couldn't wait to dig in.  The steaks were perfectly seasoned and cooked to a perfect medium rare.  It was also nicely charred, which added to the flavor.  Both sides were commendable, but the Bacon and Cheese Macaroni was some of the best mac & cheese that I have had in recent memory.

Creme Brûlée 

For dessert, we shared a Creme Brûlée with mixed berries.  It was very good as well and my wife claimed it was the best she could remember having.  The service was courteous and helpful, despite the fact we arrived just one hour before they closed for the evening.  Overall, we were impressed with our first fine dining experience in Edinburgh and I was pleased to know they could cook a steak as good as we do back home in Texas!

Steak
http://www.steakedinburgh.com/new/
Livin the Good Life Rating=4