A close to perfect experience and it doesn’t even hold a Michelin star or the like: Restaurant Fhior (12. October 2024)

When I entered the Fhior, I was not entirely sure what to expect because at first it looked like the place would consist only of three tables and was rather small. Turns out that there is much more space in the back, but if you’re lucky you get to be seated in the front near the entrance, which is much nicer, since it is also much calmer. Once you’re seated, you’re served the drinks menu and I decided to go for the “Sunrise on Leith (Orange and Hogweed infused vodka, triple sec, sour cherry)” (GBP 11.00), which was rather refreshing and a good start into the dinner.

I went for the “Tasting Menu” (GBP 115.00) with the respective “Wine Pairing” (GBP 110.00), where I found – in terms of price comparison – the wine pairing quite a bit expensive compared to the menu. The evening started then with “sika, lardo”, which was interesting since the deer was smoked and rather intense in flavour, despite the slight alleviation by the shallots. But, to be honest, it wasn’t my favourite start.

Luckily, the “Koji cake with pancetta and parfait” was something surprisingly good. The texture was interesting since you had to chew quite a bit to ‘process it’ in your mouth, but the combination of flavours and texture was absolutely interesting and I felt ready for the rest of the evening.

Then next course was the resemblance of a cheeseburger, i.e., the idea of the chef was to combine different ingredients that they would add up to the flavour experience of a cheeseburger in your mouth, but actually the dish consisted of “wagyu, cheese rind, Swede” and while it looked a bit funny, and I was not really persuaded that it was going to work, I must admit that the combination of the ingredients in your mouth would really resemble the textures and flavours of a cheeseburger. Fascinating.

Then it was time for “bread, butter, and spread”. The bread was good, the butter was lovely, but the spread was not entirely to my liking.

The next course was “beetroot, langoustine head, nasturtium” and despite the fact that the dish almost looked a bit ‘boring’ at first, it turned out ot be a blast in terms of flavour combination. The thinly sliced beetroot combined with the intense dots of langoustine head worked a charm. And the – hidden under the sliced beetroot – pickled beetroot made it even better. So, all in all, I was absolutely happy with this simple dish.

Then it was time for the “Scallop Skirt Lasagne”, which looked a bit non-eventful, but I was so wrong with that reading. The artful combination of these ingredients made it a truly succulent dish. There was a perfect balance between crunchiness, smoothness, flavour, and excitement when it comes to triggering your taste buds. Absolutely loved it!

Unfortunately, the “crab, Daikon, citrus, XO sauce” didn’t entirely work for me. I think it was mainly due to the XO sauce, which was applied too generously overwhelming all other flavours in the dish, so you would really not taste much of the crab any more, which was a pity. I think if the XO sauce was left out or applied less generously, you would have more of the flavours of the original ingredients.

Luckily, the “trout, tomato, furikake” fixed it. Although the reduction in which the trout was served was rather oily, it turned out to be delicious all in all. The trout was easy to cut apart with your fork and the combination with the dried fish skin, the furikake on top, and the intensity of the tomatoes at the bottom made for a great bite when you were able to combine all of these elements on a spoon.

The main course, was, again, lamb. The “Shh’annu lamb, courgette, stovies” and I must say I liked it, but it was definitely something, which isn’t for everyone. The lamb piece was delicious, the pulled lamb was even better, and the haggis really worked a charm. The little dish you can see at the top of the plate was a combination of mashed potatoes as a foam with lamb stew, so it was light and yet flavour-heavy at the same time. So, to sum it up, the main course was interesting, but a bit too “lamb-intense” for my personal gusto.

I think I would have enjoyed the “plum mar-granita” more if it didn’t have the “mar” in it. Somehow, the alcohol didn’t really add to the dish, since it was somehow overpowering and ruined the flavour profile a little.

The “chocolate, gooseberry, rose” was – unfortunately – not really ‘my dish’, since it was too intense on the chocolate side, although I liked the baisser pieces.

Last but not least, it was time for some “friandises”, which were not only tasty, but also looked lovely. Especially the little mushrooms. They were ‘copied’ so well that they even imitated a little soil at their stems. So, frankly, this was executed truly artfully.

Besides the absolutely amazing experience when it comes to the food, you could also see that the sommelier absolutely his job, which was great, because great service comes a long way, and they really do a good job here at Fhior.

What I found super hilarious when I had to go wash my hands was the “toilet paper” (which I found again the next day), respectively that it had the brand “who gives a crap”.

To sum it up, book the Fhior in advance, and make sure to go for the full experience (not that you have a choice since they only offer a tasting menu), but it is most definitely worth it.

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Contact Details:

Restaurant Fhior

Broughton St 36

EH1 3SB Edinburgh (UK)

Tel.: +44 13 14 77 50 00

E-Mail: info@fhior.com

Homepage: http://www.fhior.com

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.