An exquisite, personalised and mouthwatering lunch experience: Restaurant Lyla (26. April 2024)

The Lyla was recommended to me by a friend, and I was quite looking forward to paying this lovely place a visit! I went for the “Tasting Menu” (GBP 65.00) because that’s the only thing you can get here – there is no à la carte, there is just the tasting menu, and I like that they actually personalise it for you with your name on it. Despite the many restaurants I have visited, I have never received a personalised tasting menu. Absolutely loved that to get started with.

The lunch started with “alp blossom cheese, onion, quince” and “lobster, kohlrabi, sake”, which were both absolutely delicious bites, which got your palate started, so you’d be ready for more to come.

Next in line was the “laminated brioche, caper berry & wild garlic butter”, which was delicious, but rather greasy, so you would need to clean your fingers (but luckily, you were given a wet towel to do so). The wild garlic butter, which was served with the bread, was absolutely delicious and definitely something you would want to dip your bread in over and over again.

The first real course of the menu, the “cured sea bass, radish, exmoor caviar” looked gorgeous, but at the same time it was also a bit too light in flavour for my personal gusto. I mean, I absolutely liked the smoothness of the taste, but it could definitely have been a bit stronger in terms of flavour.

The next bite, the “brill, shetland mussel, muscade pumpkin” was mouthwatering. Once you had the few bites it would account for, you would definitely want more – but of course, that’s not possible. So, frankly, the dish itself was just great. The slices of roots, the sauce, the fish – absolutely exquisite.

The “quail, ethical duck liver, morel mushroom” was an intensity of flavour, which was lovely. And frankly, the combination of the duck liver with the quail and the superbly intense sauce were just right down my alley. I mean, sure, it is rather on the intense side of things, but it was absolutely to my liking.

Then, it was already time for dessert, and the “Yorkshire rhubarb, red pepper, goats milk” was definitely something I enjoyed because it had a certain sweetness, but not that sugary overpowering kind of sweetness, but rather a good and light sweetness which, was balanced with the goat milk flavour.

Then, it was time for the sweeter version of a dessert, the “Xoco chocolate, barley koji, salted milk” was great. Sure, a bit too chocolatey for my personal gusto, but the salted milk ice cream was delicious and you definitely would want more.

The last two small bites, the “praline bon bon” and the “kelp & white chocolate financier” were both great finishers to a lovely lunch.

What is excellent about the whole thing is not only the quality of the food, but the same is true for the quality of the service and the lovely interior.

So, all in all, I can recommend you to enjoy your lunch at Lyla when you’re in Edinburgh. Just make sure to book your table sufficiently in advance as there is only a very limited number of tables available.

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Contact Details:

Restaurant Lyla

3 Royal Terrace

EH7 5AB Edinburgh (UK)

Tel.: +44 13 12 85 88 08

Homepage: http://www.lylaedinburgh.co.uk

About the Author: Sven

I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org. Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City.