Clik here to view.
Situated in the heart of Edinburgh's West End
Kyloe – Edinburgh’s first gourmet steak restaurant
By Chiara Pannozzo
There is no shortage of eateries serving steak across Edinburgh. Some aren’t worth noting, while others set out to stand head and shoulders above the rest, and in Kyloe’s case, they succeed.
Situated on the first floor of the Rutland Hotel, the warm welcome and alluring decor screamed gourmet, before we’d even sat down to deliberate over the menu. But this was not before an education on steak. Kyloe prides itself on using only the best in Aberdeen Angus beef, hence the name, a word our ancestors once used to describe cattle. Each cut was displayed on a board, while we were told where each steak came from and how it was best cooked. This demonstration really helped us to visualise, as we wrestled over which steak to order. To help us make our decision, a warm loaf of bread served with butter and pesto only whetted our appetite for our first dabble with the new summer Kyloe menu.
Knowing what was to come, my dining partner and I opted for lighter starters. Although there was a fantastic range of starters on offer, and some irresistible looking shellfish, I couldn’t see past the salt cod and potato croquettes (£6.50), served with remoulade sauce, red onion salad and crisp fennel. Three sizeable and delicious croquettes helped to keep my hunger at bay, while my dining partner raved about the grilled British asparagus with hollandaise, rocket salad and parmesan (£6.00).
Clik here to view.
Impressive steak board
Starters aside, we were now ready for the main event, and clearly the reason why Kyloe was almost at full capacity on a rainy Monday night – steak.
In a manner of speaking, sampling an array of steaks rather than a whole one each, secured Kyloe its gold star on our visit. We opted to share the Kyloe steak board (£19.50), home to three unique cuts, with equally diverse flavours: bavette, onglet and marinated feather steak. This was an opportunity for our seasoned steak palettes to try something entirely new, and one we would highly recommend.
Our sampling didn’t stop there, as we also conquered a 45 day aged rump steak (£25). Cooked medium rare and served with a side salad and tomatoes, this really showed why Kyloe is a gourmet restaurant.
To accompany our steak selection, we sampled both the béarnaise and cafe de Paris butter sauces (£2.00 each), creamed spinach (£3.00), grilled Portobello mushrooms (£2.75), hand cut chips (£2.50) and beef dripping chips (£3.75). Well cooked and very tasty, these were excellent side dishes. All of this was washed down with a crisp and fruity bottle of Pinot Grigio (£19.00).
Clik here to view.
Bavette, onglet and marinated feather steak
Clik here to view.
45 day aged rump steak
It’s hard to believe, but yes, we still had room for dessert. Another hard decision from a truly tempting menu, my dining partner opted for the Valrhona dark chocolate pot, served with pistachio and raspberry macarons (£6.50). Decadent and delicious, this dessert is a must for chocolate lovers. I pandered to the perfect wobble of a vanilla panna cotta with roasted peaches, biscotti and an amaretto and peach smoothie (£6.95). The panna cotta had an enviable texture, while the peaches were sweet and sticky.
Clik here to view.
Valrhona dessert
Our trip to Kyloe will be hard to beat. Over and above perfectly cooked steak and delicious accompaniments, there was excellent service from knowledgeable staff, who were clearly advocates of their trade. This only helped to make the experience even better, and one we would happily repeat.
You can look at the menus for Kyloe here.
Information
Kyloe Restaurant is on the first floor of the Rutland Hotel, 1-3 Rutland Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2AE.
Telephone 0131 229 3402. Tables can also be booked online.
You can like Kyloe on Facebook and on twitter @Kyloe_Edin and be kept up to date with their news and offers. You can also follow the head chef David Haetzman on twitter - @DavidHaetzman