Dining at Surf & Turf.

During our recent stay at Macdonald Holyrood Hotel & Spa in Edinburgh, we dined at the hotel restaurant Surf & Turf* where the cuisine is described as ‘simple dishes, using only the finest in locally sourced meat & fish’. There is a well-rounded menu with plenty of steaks, seafood, vegetarian dishes and sharing platters on offer – I do like a menu which has something to appeal to everybody and there is a great variety to choose from here. The set evening menu is good value too, with two courses for £20 or three courses for £25.

We settled in at a spacious table on the mezzanine level of the restaurant, which gave us a great view of the bustling room. The interior design at Surf & Turf is contemporary and understated, with leather booths, marble surfaces and soft lighting which create a relaxing ambience.

We perused the extensive wine list before opting for a glass of Trebbiano Chardonnay, Terre Fort for me and a glass of Malbec, El Colectivo for my dining companion – a hearty steak deserves a rich glass of red to pair with it, after all! There is an impressive cocktail menu too, filled with classic favourites such as martini and bramble as well as champagne cocktails and more intriguing options like the black pepper and cherry Collins.

On to food and a couple of starters to share got the meal underway – a Surf & Turf charcuterie platter laden with smoked wild boar, smoked beef and smoked Scottish mussels really hit the spot.

We also ordered fresh bread accompanied by olive oil and balsamic, served with a side of olives - always a winning combination.

My dining companion chose to sample one of the steaks which Surf & Turf is renowned for, opting for the 32-day aged ribeye. All prime cut steaks are served with a choice of sauces and rubs, as well as roasted bone marrow and vine tomato. The tender beef was perfectly cooked, and the richness of the bone marrow worked well with the smoky peppercorn sauce.



The classic combination of a quality steak with chips never loses its appeal, but I was in the mood for something a little lighter, so I went for the hand-picked herb risotto with asparagus and samphire. Risotto is dish which restaurants sometimes get wrong, serving it either too stodgy or too watery – but this one was just right, with a creamy texture and plenty of fresh flavour from the herbs.

Seafood fans will be right at home dining at Surf & Turf too, with stunning catches on the menu including Scottish langoustines, salmon, lobster and halibut. Sadly, we couldn’t quite find the room for dessert on this occasion, despite the temptation of sticky toffee pudding and Tonka bean cheesecake. Instead, we rounded off the evening with a dram or two of Scotch whiskey, before retiring for the night.

Dinner at Surf & Turf was a very enjoyable experience all round, with excellent service from the helpful team, varied menus and an atmosphere which made us want to linger. Be sure to check it out next time you are in Edinburgh.

Surf & Turf 

The Macdonald Holyrood Hotel & Spa 

81 Holyrood Road

Edinburgh

EH8 8AU

https://www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk/our-hotels/scotland/edinburgh/macdonald-holyrood-hotel-and-spa/eat-drink/surf-turf-holyrood 


What do you all think, do you like the sound of dinner at Surf & Turf and which of these dishes would you like to try? As always I cannot wait to hear your thoughts and thank you so much for reading this post.

Until next time,

Camille 

xo

*I was invited to sample dinner at Surf & Turf, this meal was complimentary. All opinions expressed herein are my own and honest.