Usquabae! A wee hidden gem I've only recently discovered in Edinburgh. I'm pleased that I have--as a recent Scotch convert, Usquabae's West End location and surprisingly expansive Scotch menu had me at "whisky tastings." Good service and lovely meals top this one up to a place you can stop for either a nice dinner, atmospheric drinks and chat, or both!
Usquabae appears to be a newer addition to Edinburgh judging by its clean and modern interior, which is refreshing--old man pubs are great, but it's nice to see something new crop up in the city. It sits in the downstairs portion of Ryan's bar, which makes it easy enough to find, and because of its underground location it has the whole dimly-lit, atmospheric vibe going. It has normal tables and even a few "bunkers"--little booth seating areas where you can have a meal, which is nice if you're looking for some privacy.
For me, Usquabae ticked all the boxes for a fantastic evening. As my folks were visiting, and that lead to us deciding to check out Usquabae because they do whisky tastings. For a very reasonable price of around 17 pounds, you can sample the "Taste of Scotland" range of Scotch which allows you to try a Lowland, a Highland, a Spey, and an Islay whisky. All this while being guided through your drams by a knowledgeable whisky aficionado makes for a great night. My dad ranked it one of his favorite things done while over. Sure, it's no distillery experience, but when the nearest distillery (Glenkinchie) is 16 miles away and not readily accessible except by car, you make do. And Usquabae provided!
So chuffed with our whisky sampling experience were we that we decided to reserve the same bunker we'd sat in for dinner later. Upon our return, we were served promptly by a chipper young gal who was absolutely lovely. Our service was on point, even despite the fact that there was a party of around 60 youngsters keeping her on her toes most of the evening. As someone who used to be a waitress myself, I clap bravo to her for being giving such excellently friendly service on top of dealing with all that.
So let's talk about the foodstuffs. The food arrived quickly with steak mains for the parentals, and the two veggie options available for the hubs and I. All the food was excellently cooked and delicious, even, surprisingly, my husband's veggie haggis, neeps, and tatties. I don't normally care for veggie haggis, but Usquabae has some sort of magic worked there--it was surprisingly good! Not only that, but my folks' side of chips were perfect. I mean it. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, ugh. So good.
My own risotto was just fine, but there lies my only real beef with Usquabae, but it's quite mild beef if anything. As a veg-head (*queue audience groaning*), risotto is just not my favorite. I mean, come on, it's rice. You can get pretty creative with rice sometimes, but it's still rice. The menu pinned at the door of Usq does mention a veggie pasta alternative, but it isn't listed on the main menu, which gives veggies all of two options for mains, which hubs and I have now exhausted in one fell swoop. That said, the prices were reasonable enough and the food was good, especially according to the folks. I think if there was just one other option for veggies to eat and said veggie portions (and the chip sides so I could stuff my gob!) just a smite bigger, I'd upgrade my review to a solid 5 stars, no questions asked.
That said, I could see Usquabae being my new go-to restaurant to take visiting friends and family for a nice Scottish meal. I could definitely see myself going there for a nice, quiet dram or two if the desire so struck. Keep up the good work, Usquabae--you're a lovely joint!