NOTO, EDINBURGH

Noto is the second opening from Stuart Ralston, chef patron of Aizle in Edinburgh. Located in the city’s New Town, Noto offers all-day casual dining with New York style, Asian-inspired sharing plates, and is named after Stuart’s late friend and well-known New York man about town Bob Noto. Bob took Stuart under his wing when he first arrived in the Big Apple to work for Gordon Ramsay, introducing him to the vibrant restaurant scene. Noto pays homage to the cuisines that Stuart experienced – mostly after hours – in the city.

There’s a cool, long concrete bar where you can enjoy a preor post-dinner drink – cocktails are made using locally foraged ingredients – while the wine list features lesser-known producers but many are purse-friendly and unavailable elsewhere in town. Décor is minimal in the dining room with some botanical wall art from local florist Pyrus.

Stand-out dishes include a creamy whole burrata, brightened with peas and green chilli; and North Sea crab, which comes in its shell bound with warm butter, served alongside moreish, locally baked sourdough. We can’t mop it up quick enough.

Lobster, XO and koshihikari rice is a silky, spicy seafood risotto topped with katsuobushi – it’s heaven on a small plate, which you’ll want to lick clean. Gone-all-too-soon fried buttermilk chicken bao with umami mayonnaise is followed by dessert of Michel Cluizel chocolate, miso and hazelnut. It’s a combination of rich chocolate mousse with salty, syrupy miso – bringing a fitting close to a magnificent meal. notoedinburgh.co.uk