+5

+5 ponds that is - I'll be lucky if that's all I gain on this trip.
Whoever said the food in the UK is bad, should be shot.
The food here has been EXCEPTIONAL.

Dinner on Monday night was at a place called The Shore, in the section of town called Leith. I actually ate there the last time I visited Edinburgh. It is a charming little place, consisting of a beautiful hardwood bar, and probably 5 tables in one room, and a smaller room off the side, with 4 tables and a beautiful ceiling, which probably was white at one time, but now is blackened from cigarette smoke; smoking is no longer available inside establishments in Edinburgh.
I'd post the website, but unfortunately it is under construction, and has been since I last visited in 2005. But who cares about that, lets get to the food.
I had a steaming, big bowl of fish stew to start. It was piping hot, a golden-green broth, filled with an array of herbs and huge chunks of fish. That's it. It was AMAZING!
Some crusty bread, and butter, YES, butter, accompanied the stew.
Oh, did I mention that the butter over here is WAY better than the butter in the US. It's true, really.
The main course was a big thick piece of roasted cod, perfectly melting away into a pile of butter beans and smoked bacon. It was delicious.
No dessert for me....too much dinner. I also had a glass of wine, a white that I can't recall, from the Cote d'Rohne. It too was delicious- softer than a Sauvignon Blanc, and lemony.

Dinner on Tuesday night was at a restaurant called Stac Polly - website StacPolly
I haven't had a meal like this for a loooong time - think Radius good. Really, it was amazing.
I had a glass of Sauvignon Blanc to start, and the waiter brought out an Amuse Bouche, or gift from the chef. It was a sleek demi-tasse cup filled with a sexy, creamy carrot-ginger soup that was velvety and bursting with ginger.
My appetizer was a gorgeous tower of crabmeat, and the thinnest sesame crackers, swapping levels between the 2, probably about 5 rows high. Flanking the bottom of the dish was a sweet tomato jelly. Unreal. The sesame wafers were so thin and crispy, just a hint of sweet to them. The crab was lumpy and delicious.
My dinner was out of control good. By this time, I am stuffed anyways, but couldn't contain myself and at almost everything.
It consited of 2 fillets of lemon sole, delicate and delicious, over a mash of peas and marjoram, pureed cauliflower, green beans, and smoked mussels. The peas and marjoram had the most amazing flavor. The flecks of marjoram throughout the peas lended to little bursts of minty, lemony flavor. The fish was moist and again, melting in my mouth.
I couldn't stop eating!!!!!
Oh man, I did pay for it last night. My tummy was full, and aching, and I could NOT get comfortable to get to sleep.
It was worth it though!

Sleep on friends - it's 2:36am in Boston, 7:36am here in Edinburgh, and I'm going to get some fruit for breakfast, and some fruit to bring with me to the lab, because, unfortunately, the food there is UNexceptional! :)

More tomorrow!