Eleanore restaurant review: Indulgent and fun
Scottish dining is getting an ambitious makeover in this luxurious new Edinburgh haunt
Eleanore has had a glow-up, though in such a compact dining room the changes are subtle. This sister venue to The Little Chartroom and Ardfern boasts new cabinets, warm wool curtains and a lighter palette that brightens and visually expands the space. The more significant shift is on the menu, with a simplified two or three-course format featuring a trio of choices at each stage. Judging by the packed tables at an early midweek sitting, it’s a smart move, proving diners’ desire for ambitious cooking at broadly accessible prices.
Flavours are bold from the outset. A starter of ruby-red trout, cured in blood orange, arrives gleaming on the plate, sharpened by crisp caramelised slices of candied jalapeño. Pork rillettes spread generously over toast come with julienned kohlrabi and a lively kale sauce that cuts through the richness. An added snack of oysters serves up huge creamy Lindisfarne oysters with a punchy nori hot sauce or a brighter rhubarb and ponzu dressing. Mains are hearty, with a distinct Eleanore elegance: it might be confit duck leg with lentils and radicchio, gloriously green watercress gnudi with purple sprouting broccoli or hake in a rich buttermilk sauce. The hake is tender and sweet, served with buttery mash and meaty oyster mushrooms. An extra side of spinach with Spenwood cheese is probably unnecessary, but delicious.
Desserts are unapologetically indulgent. Rice pudding with a burnished brûlée crown, studded with pops of sharp rhubarb and chewy nuggets of ginger cake, or sticky toffee profiteroles with a jug of warm sauce: decadence delivered. Drinks follow the same pared-back logic. The wine list has been trimmed to around 25 bottles, with an easy-drinking Italian chardonnay at £5 a glass. Eleanore’s refresh is modest in appearance but confident in intent: thoughtful cooking, fair pricing and a dining room that’s clearly found its rhythm.
Eleanore, 30 & 31 Albert Place, Edinburgh; set-price dinner £38 for two courses.