Despite a couple of short delays, Roy Brett’s first solo venture, Ondine, launches in Edinburgh tomorrow.
After years spent working with people like Mark Hix and Rick Stein, as well as helping to launch the Malmaison brand with Ken McCulloch, Brett was well known within the restaurant industry. However, it is only after the multi-award winning success of the restaurants in the Dakota hotels that his name started to become better known to the wider public.
Situated on George IV Bridge, Ondine is a seafood restaurant through and through. The first thing that diners will see when they walk through the door is a crustacean bar filled with three types of oysters, mussels and spoots. The maritime theme is continued on a mural which shows the various restaurants and chefs that Brett has worked with as well as his suppliers’ fishing boats.
Although there are dishes such as grouse pate and roast rib of beef on the launch menu, the emphasis is on the sea. Dressed crab served on walnut toast, hot roasted shellfish with aioli and risotto Nero with crispy chilli squid leap off the page. The menu is seasonal and depends on what the boats bring in but Brett’s shellfish platter is likely to be a permanent fixture.
Ondine is likely to be the talk of the town as it launches but, of course, it is not the only fish in the sea. Agua and Skerries, both part of the 5pm club, can also help with your seafood needs.
In Glasgow, An Lochan, Bouzy Rouge, The City Merchant, Gamba, Gandolfi Fish and Rogano are all 5pm members who serve seafood in style.
On a different tack altogether, I interviewed Brett last week and he revealed something unexpected but very relevant to Monday’s post about putting food heroes on film. According to Brett, one of the most authentic films ever made about working in a professional kitchen is Ratatouille.