Image credit - https//food.list.co.uk
As the name conveniently suggests, Field is situated in Edinburgh's South Side on West Nicolson Street. I affectionately described it to a friend as being like the Room of Requirement in Harry Potter - it's nestled in between the neighbouring buildings, and you'll only see it if you're actively looking and hoping it will appear.
This place had been strongly recommended to me multiple times, both through Twitter and through the Michelin Guide for 2014, 2015 and 2016. Desperate to try it for ourselves, Mr Maggie May and I decided to pay a visit during our recent trip to the city.
The restaurant is small and intimate, with a sophisticated atmosphere and attractive, modern décor. We were shown to our, admittedly, fairly small table, and served a glass of mint-infused water as we decided which dishes to choose. The addition of a freshly baked bread roll, warm from the oven, was a nice touch.
Their menu is simply lovely; the variety of meat and fish creations range from the traditional {sea bass, served with new potatoes, peas, broad beans, asparagus, and a wild garlic pesto} to the slightly more adventurous {their roast fillet of cod is served with a wild mushroom and sweetcorn fricassee, and crispy chicken wing}. If I'm being critical, vegetarians may be a bit disappointed by their limited choice, with only one starter and one main being suitable, but perhaps communication with the staff prior to a booking could remedy that if required.
Excited and intrigued by the seasonal, Scottish produce, Mr MM and I both opted for the ham hock rissole to start, with parsnip puree, parsnip crisps, and apple. In a word? Delicious. The sweetness of the apple complimented the saltiness of the ham beautifully, and the textures provided by the crispy batter of the rissole and the crunchy parsnip crisps combined to create a wonderful starter. Smacking our lips, we were delighted by our first course.
It was not only food we were enjoying at this stage; Field pride themselves on their wine list as well as their menu, and the 2015 Chenin Blanc was a lovely accompaniment to my meal.
Image credit - fieldrestaurant.co.uk
Our main courses did not fail to impress either; my roasted breast of Gressingham duck, served with an Asian style spring roll, sweet potato puree and maple jus, was culinary genius. The duck was cooked to perfection - juicy and tender, with a tasty, crispy skin - and the flavoursome spring roll and sweet maple added a whole extra layer to the dish. Mr MM enjoyed his course as well, choosing the aforementioned sea bass. Although we agreed that his was perhaps not quite as exciting a creation as mine, both were fantastic.
Finally {and in my sweet-toothed opinion, most importantly}, it was time for dessert. Their descriptions in the menu read very well - a rhubarb and custard mille feuille, served with Birds custard ice cream sounded like the sort of pudding that would put a great big smile on your face. But I decided to go for the dark chocolate and banana cremeux {having not had cremeux before}, with caramelised banana and banana ice cream, whilst Mr MM ordered the stout ice cream, compressed apple and raisin crumble.
At this point, we were in danger of falling out in the middle of the restaurant, as I viciously swiped his hand away from my plate and declared that I loved this dessert more than anything else in the world.
Whoops.
Honestly though - the cremeux was divine. A cross between a ganache and a mousse, the two scoops as well as a scoop of ice cream meant it was a generous, rich portion - but I greedily snaffled the whole lot up with no complaints. My {slightly hurt} boyfriend's stout ice cream was a triumph too.
To sum up? Field is a very special place. With every mouthful, you can taste the thought and precision that has gone into creating each dish, from their careful ingredient selection, to their exquisite presentation and excellent flavour combinations. I would not hesitate to return on my next visit to Edinburgh, and as we sat nursing a night cap each {Highland Park whisky for me, Armagnac brandy for him} in the romantic, soft light, that's exactly what we were planning - when we'd next be back.
You can find Field {Southside} at 41 West Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9DB.
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