New kid on the block – Noto
Edinburgh eaterie Noto is a stunning addition to the capital’s buzzing restaurant scene
This gorgeous little restaurant is the brainchild of chef Stuart Ralston, who is already well known to Edinburgh foodies as the patron-chef of the southside’s outstanding Aizle.
His second venture, Noto, is a city centre restaurant that is on Thistle Street, and while it has a slightly more conventional ambience than the Newington mothership, it is equally superb and worth exploring.
Where Aizle has no menu, just a list of ingredients, and dishes just arrive, at Noto there’s a list of 12 small plates (effectively starters) and three mains, which we sideswerved.
The advice was to have five or six small plates, so we agreed, starting with an oyster each (£2). The highlights were the beautifully dressed crab (£8), an inventive partridge sausage roll (£8), and a plate of some of the best beef tartare I’ve ever eaten, although it was brutally expensive (£14). The fried potato with egg yolk and bacon (£6), pork bao with teriyaki and spring onion (£12) were good, although the chicken skin with gem lettuce, parmesan and anchovy didn’t push my buttons (£8.50).
We rounded off with an excellent fried apple pie with tatin ice cream (£10), and a memorably rich chocolate, miso and hazelnut concoction which disappeared with indecent haste.
The wine list is good but pricey, as indeed was the meal, which came to £125 including service and pudding, but no coffees. The decor is pared-back so it’s noisy when all 68 covers are full, but all in all, this was a towering success and much recommended.