££££Prezzo: molto caro • Britannica • Newington
Minimalists and speed-eaters, avert your eyes. Rhubarb has arrived in all its opulent, theatrical, lingering glory. Set in twenty acres of gorgeous parkland yet a short drive from the Royal Mile, Rhubarb and its hotel home, Prestonfield, are the creation of James Thomson. Black-kilted porters escort you to Rhubarb's two oval Regency dining rooms decorated in baroque splendour, with giant chandeliers, silk wall coverings, and ancestral portraits. The menu, created by chef John McMahon, uses classic techniques and modern inspiration to transform ingredients into sublime grub. Popular dishes include the Gewurztraminer poached foie gras, the breast of Loue chicken on tarragon risotto, and the assiette of rhubarb desserts. There are more than five hundred wines to choose from, and more than one hundred malts.
