It is a particularly dreich midweek evening in February, rain pounding off black tarmac as a high wind howls down the High Street. Inside Wedgwood, however, is a welcoming atmosphere of convivial buzz sprinkled with the perfume of light jazz and it’s testament to the skills of chef Paul Wedgwood and his front-of-house team that, on such an appalling evening for venturing out, the restaurant is at near capacity.
Seated at a corner table in this elegantly furnished room with its red and white décor, my glamorous assistant Harriet and I are first given glasses of champagne with amuse bouches to occupy ourselves while we choose from the extensive menu. The simple tasting treats are the perfect canapés, consisting of smoked salmon with beetroot as well as a robust mouthful of rabbit terrine. Superb ciabatta with a garlic-infused olive oil is equally palate-tingling.
For evening service at Wedgwood, starters range from £8-£10 while mains hover around £20. The menu itself is very much 21st century Scottish, with the best of the country’s ingredients and dishes given a modern spin. By sheer coincidence, Harriet chooses seafood options for both her starter and main while I go down the meaty route.
Cubes of confit pork belly are deliciously fatty and full of flavour while the accompanying pairing of black pudding with tartly pickled apple cohere to make this dish a traditional winter warmer brought into the realms of fine dining. My main course of rabbit wrapped in pancetta is even better, tender white rabbit meat perfectly counterbalancing its salty pork coating. Served with spinach, wild mushrooms and a carrot and vanilla puree, this plate is like a beautifully rendered 3D Miro painting, splashes of colour simply leaping up at you.
I’m more than satisfied with my turf, meanwhile the glamorous Harriet is getting stuck into the surf. Lobster thermidor crème brulee is silkily smooth and comes with parmesan shortbread and a particularly terrific bloody mary sorbet, while to follow come mounds of risotto with fillets of sea bass balanced atop, clams and chorizo on the sides.
These dishes are all perfectly balanced and the cooking itself is refreshingly straightforward and perfectly executed. There is nothing here which sets out to confound or provoke the diner, rather Wedgwood’s blueprint is based around the best ingredients turned into exceptional tasting dishes which are also pleasing on the eye. It’s not rocket science, but can still be something of a rarity.
Anyway, full as we both are, there is always room for puddings. The desserts cost no more than £6.50, terrific value for what we receive. My chocolate and peanut butter mousse (a flavour combination of which I am quite the connoisseur) is heavenly and works perfectly with banana and honey ice cream. My glamorous assistant, meanwhile, has decided to take the night off any notion of dieting and goes for the sticky toffee pudding, a huge confection which arrives at our table with steam pouring from it, looking downright decadently inviting.
It’s been an excellent evening of food with friendly and efficient service in a busy room in which it’s clear everyone is having a very nice time indeed. Paul Wedgwood and his team are doing it right and they deserve your patronage.