purslane restaurant

great restaurant. very intimate atmosphere with good service and an excellent menu of locally sourced food. chef paul gunning's enthusiasm for his craft is evident in the menu and feel of this hidden gem of a restaurant. the tasting menu with matched wine is not to be missed.

purslane is situated in a little basement abode on st stephen street in stockbridge and seats less than 20, which gives an intimate vibe to the place. we had got a five course tasting menu for lunch for £39 for the two of us, which was incredibly good value. whilst we were waiting for the tasting courses to commence, were brought some warm bread rolls. these were nice and tasty but the accompanying butter seemed to be unsalted, which was a bit of a shame. however, this was the only blip in what ended up being an exquisite meal.

the first course was an amuse bouche of butternut squash veloute and arrived in a cute little cup. i love veloutes and this one certainly didn’t disappoint. it was light, smooth and delicate, yet at the same time has a smoky robustness of flavour.

the next course was sea bream, parmesan polenta and sun-dried tomato arancini. the arancini were creamy in texture and packed with a great depth of tomato-y goodness. the sea bream itself was beautifully cooked, with a salty skin which was deliciously crispy.

onto the main and we had roast rump of beef. the five course menu usually has pork but today it was beef and it was like a posh mini roast. the meat was quite pink, which was just to my liking but may not be to everyone’s taste. the flavour was excellent. we perhaps could have done with steak knives as it was a rump cut but we soldiered on. the celeriac and potato stack creamy and the kale was er, like kale. however, the star of the plate, apart from the meat, was the combination of mushrooms which has been softly cooked and the sweet onions. the juiciness of these onions was wonderful and was almost like an onion marmalade. the red wine jus brought the dish together well.

now, this restaurant does a ‘pre-dessert’. this is my kind of place! it’s essentially another dessert which almost acts like a palate cleanser. it was a raspberry sorbet with a chocolate mousse. as expected, the raspberry worked well with the chocolate, with the zing of the raspberry making sure that the mousse wasn’t the overpowering flavour of the dish.

the actual dessert came in the form of ‘rhubarb and custard’. obviously this wasn’t going to be quite as straight forward as described. it was absolutely delicious and we agreed that it was the best course. there was rhubarb ice cream, which was creamy and, amazingly, had not lost any of the true rhubarb flavour. there were also lots of small pieces of rhubarb which still had a bit of bite. alongside that was a stack of vanilla panacotta and rhubarb jelly and a piece of crème brulee to add the custard element. the brulee was also packed with the sweetness of vanilla. this was a perfect finish to the meal.

purslane is a lovely little restaurant, great for an intimate dinner but simply great to eat at…full stop.

a small, personal restaurant hidden away in the back streets of edinburgh. what a find! we had the 7 course taster menu with accompanying wines which was out of this world. both the foods and wines were exquisite. the service and staff knowledge behind the food and drink was second to none. i cannot recommend enough.

this restaurant is tiny, i mean really tiny, like smaller than some peoples lounge tiny! in the basement of one of stockbridge many floored beautiful victorian buildings sits this gem of a restaurant. look down at your feet when you arrive or you may never find it! i didn’t even notice the place while standing next to it as it’s accessed via steps down from the street (which need to be taken with care if you’re partaking of the sumptuous wine menu)

we were looking for a memorable experience so went for the 7 course tasting menu with a cheese course and what an amazing selection of food we were served. i wish i’d taken pictures to remember them all but memorable in my addled mind was..

- melt in the mouth scallops with popcorn.. who knew that worked but wow yes!

- halibut with a fennel sauce that bought the entire dish into a unbelievable level of focus of pleasure and forced every mouthful to be savoured slowly and the plate uncouthly scraped to get every drop

- the cheese course was great and worth doing but unless you have a serious hunger on i’d suggest sharing between 2

downsides? did i mention it’s tiny? when we arrived the restaurant was at its full 20 covers bar 1 table (ours). we were sat next to the door, it’s worth noting neither of us are racing snakes, the tiny table felt like one of those old style children’s school desks shared between two and the poor waiters were having to clamber over us to serve us and other tables. as the restaurant emptied we asked to move to a larger table not in the middle of the thoroughfare and the experience was transformed as well as our ability to breathe

we were enjoying the evening so much they couldn’t get rid of us and we found ourselves the last people in the restaurant however the staff were never pushy or gave the feeling they were anxious to get home. the service remained relaxed and friendly throughout the meal and even paul the chef popped his head out as we were leaving to say goodbye which was kind.

so great food, two lovely bottles of wine, relaxed service, what’s not to like. definitely book early and i’d suggest requesting the table in the window if you can for more space

this is by far my favourite restaurant in edinburgh and currently the only restaurant that my partner (a chef) will eat at! so for me, that says alot.

just recent.y undergone a refurb, this place is small and intimate but not as such that the tables sit on top of each other or that you are overhearing other diners. the atmosphere and the ambience are just perfect; and the staff are super friendly, very welcoming and attend to your every need.

as for the food, well thats just outstanding. paul is a wonderful chef and his passion for cooking and serving up delicious plates of food is evident.

for starters we had : roast breast of duck and the curried scallops with parsnip crisps. beautiful. my scallops were cooked to perfection slightly caramelised on the outside and soft and melt-in-the-mouth on the inside. the curry puree and the parsnips elevated this dish to the next level. great flavour combo.
mains : beef with foie gras, sublime and i had the bouillabaisse (pan fried sea bream, prawns, red mullet and monkfish with steamed potatoes, curly kale and shellfish sauce). the sauce was rich in flavour and all the seafood elements delicious.
desserts : cheese board and i had the baklava with yoghurt icecream. i do prefer my baklava slightly sweeter with more honey, but this was gorgeous too. lots of nuts complimented with the sour icecream.
inbetween course we also had :
cauliflower veloute - such intense flavour, i could have eaten a bowl of this,
belly pork - served two ways. soft, succulent.
rosemary pannacotta and rhubard - by far the best flavoured pannacotta i have ever tasted.

the price is great for the food you receive - 3 course £29.95.

i love this place and we will be returning on a regular basis.

consistency is key in the restaurant business and i’ve waxed lyrical about this st. stephen street eatery many times, but tonight, chef-in-residence paul gunning is away at an awards bash, giving his deputies the chance to show off and impress this hungry soul. previous visits meant that expectations were incredibly high.

run by head chef and owner paul gunning, purslane in stockbridge serves quality produce packed with intense flavours. this year has already proven to be successful with the restaurant winning scotland’s best fine dining restaurant from the scottish entertainment and hospitality awards. purslane could somewhat be missed as it is tucked away at basement level on st stephen street. seating just 20 people there is a very cosy and intimate atmosphere with welcoming staff who explained the menus.

sometimes in life you just have to accept that you’re never going to master certain things. after an hour (yes, i said hour) long attempt at ironing my shirt for dinner at purslane, it’s fair to say that it was one of those moments where you miss living at home with your mum. hopefully, dinner will be more successful.

consistency is key in the restaurant business and i’ve waxed lyrical about this st. stephen street eatery many times, but tonight, chef-in-residence paul gunning is away at an awards bash, giving his deputies the chance to show off and impress this hungry soul. previous visits meant that expectations were incredibly high.

christmas is a time for over indulgence, when traditionally one lets oneself go a bit. with the amount of food on offer over this period it's refreshing to visit a place that doesn't overdo it. purslane's christmas lunch this year brought a delightful surprise in that the portion size was just right.
my memory is waning, such is the brunt of xmas excess, so i'll keep this short and to the point. the turkey main was spot on. the turkey who gave his life for my sustenance would have been proud, i'm sure, to have been served up in such a deliciously dignified way. perhaps there could have been a bit more stuffing of pigs in blankets, but that may just be my vulgar greed taking over.
the starter i cannot remember, as a result of simply too much merriment during the holidays, but i recall it being a delight too.
this segment of stockbridge is populated by excellent establishments; it takes a lot to stand out on food alone, which makes purslane's achievement all the more impressive. it's easily missed with it's underground location, but what a shame it would be to mindlessly walk by.
my only regret is that i didn't write this review closer to the actual meal. sorry turkey, i guess i'll just have to come back again next year.

i had an absolutely amazing three-course christmas meal at purslane, it's a very intimate space and makes for an ideal destination for intimate meals.

i opted for the starter of confit pork with black pudding cromesqui, with an apple, walnut and celery salad. it was utterly divine, the pork meshed wonderfully with the taste of the black pudding, all tied together with a delicate swirl of apple from the salad.

for my main i had cod, with a white bean and chorizo cassoulet. again, a stunning achievement, i could have quite happily eaten the white bean and chorizo cassoulet on its own! the fish was cooked wonderfully, juicy and flaky on with lovely crispy skin.

this was topped off with some gorgeuos salted caramel ice cream - yummy!

i'll just say that this is easily one of the best places to eat in edinburgh and you should give it a try :)

i've waited almost 4 weeks to write this..and purely the reason because, well..i simply still haven't found anywhere that is as exceptional as this place!

hands down i did not expect this!

i can write on here a mountain of flavours, textures, freshness, portion size, food and wine pairing, all the meals we had. but i won't. i'd be spoiling it by thinking i could write something to justify the exceptional food here and the service.

let me just say that coming here with my partner for our christmas dinner felt like we stepped into a very well decorated basement hidden restaurant, an enchantment. i was so surprised and really had no clue what to expect. secondly, every moment was spectacular. every meal that came out the kitchen door was sensational. every plate we had we cleaned right off with our spoons. every wine paired we drank deliciously.

this is the place. my best hidden away gem. where i simply can't stop shouting out about it. worth every moment to tingle your tongue in with an outrageous spectacular meal. tasting menu~ is a must try!

stockbridge hides a number of gems in cellars along st stephen street. purslane is a recent addition to the area. the owner, paul gunning, and his head chef, craig smith, feel strongly about using seasonal ingedients and presenting them at their very best. the dining experience they offer is one they call ‘casual fine dining’. i went along, with a glamorous companion, on a thursday night, to see what that means.

i discovered a comfortable restaurant that offers excellent cooking in a relaxed atmosphere. it was quiet when i was there – it was one of those evenings when it’s threatening rain and sunshine in equal measures – but i expect the restaurant will be busy in the festival. it certainly deserves to be.

i like a restaurant that gives you extra and have been a huge fan of the amuse bouche since i first encountered one (a hot, salty, tomato soup slicked with basil oil) at the atrium many years ago. purslane kept me happy by offering not just a selection of small loaf-shaped rolls, but also a deliciously smooth and rich butternut squash velouté.

it’s great to eat with someone who likes food as much as i do and is willing to share so i vouch for the flavour of every dish we had. i enjoyed my rabbit terrine with textures of carrot (smooth purée, soft new carrot and crispy flowers of lightly picked carrot). the meat was rich and soothing, the textures of carrot making a vegetable we often take for granted interesting. it was maybe not as pretty as my companion’s cod check wrapped in parma ham and server with a lovely pea soup. the food really was beautiful. a pretty plate is a delight and it is always great when the food tastes as good as it looks. at purslane it does.

for mains, i had rock turbot with mash and a warm tartar sauce. i have to admit that i’m not usually a fan of tartar sauce but warm, with chunks of caper and gherkin, it was really nice. it was rich yet tangy and balanced both potatoes and fish beautifully. my companion’s guinea fowl was cooked just right and had a deep and savoury flavour. it came with mushrooms and a sausage roll that was crunchy and tasty. 

there was pre-dessert too! a deep red scoop of raspberry sorbet with a flavour so clean, you know there’s little but raspberries in it. craig told us that he’d made the sorbet that afternoon by simply churning ripe berries and powdered sugar. it was tremendous.

and it whet our appetite for desert. my companion had the cheese which was very tasty indeed, and i had the strawberry soup with vanilla ice cream. summer on a plate. we finished the meal with coffees and petite four. the latter were handmade by a local confectioner. my favourite was the rosemary jelly. it tasted of the mediterranean and for a little while, the sun came out between the clouds. the chocolates were good too: the salted caramel was shiny on the outside, creamy on the inside, the bailey’s truffle true to its name.

with our food we had a pinot grigio rosé which worked well with the wide variety of flavours that we were tasting. it was as cheerful a wine as the evening we had. the atmosphere at purslane is relaxed and friendly. the food is well thought out, well presented and well balanced. if you want an evening of great food in a chilled but in no way slap-dash environment, visit purslane. you won’t regret it.

hidden in a basement in st stephen’s street this little restaurant is a real treat, but make sure you’re good and hungry before you go because there are little extras along the way, including a delicious amuse bouche.

as a starter i chose the perfectly seared scallops with a watercress puree, roast celeriac and samphire - a delight to the eye as well as the mouth.

my dining partner, who's a vegetarian, had a chicory tart tatin with a red pepper and shallot dressing. chicory can be quite a bitter leaf, but the red pepper and shallots balanced out the flavour beautifully.

i was obviously in the mood for seafood and chose the monkfish as a main course. this is a fish which can easily become very tough, but as you’d expect from such an experienced chef, the fish was firm but moist with not even a hint of rubberiness.

my vegetarian companion chose the butternut squash risotto. she spends hours in her own kitchen lovingly preparing one of the best risottos i’ve eaten so i was interested to hear her opinion. the dish was thick and creamy, beautifully seasoned and the pine nuts added the textural element that risotto so often cries out for. according to my friend, a masterpiece!

pudding was a step too far for us, although it sounded (and having had a good old nosey at other people’s tables it also looked) amazing, so we settled for a cup of coffee and petits fours. the coffee was strong and cut perfectly through the silky smooth richness of the petits fours.

we’ve long raved about purslane and everybody we’ve recommended it to has absolutely loved it!

meeting a local foodie, we went on his recommendation for a lunchtime destination. purslane was his suggestion and as soon as i get the chance to pass on the favour, it'll be mine too.

great scottish ingredients are one thing. simple but imaginative cooking another. excellent personable service helps yet further. but you fork out £12.95 for the two-course lunchtime privilege and you've got yourself a very fine package indeed.

eschewing the wine, sadly, i ordered mullet and chick peas as my starter. the mullet was a lovely piece of fish that could not have been cooked any better, the skin crispy and tasty while the meat was delicate but substantial. the chick peas had been dressed beautifully, with a hint of chilli and a vinaigry zing.

the main was pave of beef (embarrassed to admit i can't recall what cut but it was superb). with curly kale, parsnips, and a gorgeous purée, it was a really fine piece of work, delivering big flavour by the forkload.

having first encountered edinburgh as a fringe flirter a decade ago, my major recollections are of piemaker and pecuniary constraints (the two go hand in hand, of course). back now with the intention to see what square meals the capital has on offer for someone a little more discerning if scarcely better off, purslane has left me wondering: just how good might this city be?

happy to go for every meal. i love this place. i feel as though i'm going into someone's house for dinner, the dining room is small and intimate. the food quality is excellent and the choices are not huge, but excellently executed. it's reasonably priced, so i can go much more often. the front of house staff are super friendly and very well informed on wine and food. i would go every week if i could get a table!