Tipped

Great stuff, but veggies take note!

February 28, 2008

Boisdale have been around for years, offering good food with a Scottish slant, in a dimly lit, warm, tartan-clad, comfortable setting.
Seemingly as popular with couples as with corporate entertaining, you should really book ahead, which you can do via the Boisdale website if you don't want to phone.

The a la carte menu changes from month to month and always includes a good selection of meat and seafood dishes. Whilst vegetarians will struggle to find much choice in a sea of haggis (they never have veggie haggis), venison, scallops and steaks, in my experience, the dishes that *are* included are incredibly tasty. A Caesar salad (sans anchovies) was so well done that had it been socially acceptable to lick my plate, I probably would have.

The meat and seafood are of a very high standard and always well-presented, but where Boisdale really excel, is on the alcohol side of things.
The massive selection of whiskies span everything from precious single malts, to smooth, soft, blends. Prices vary considerably according to the distillation process, age, rarity etc and a special menu guides you through the regional variations, flavours and aromas.
If whisky isn't your thing, fear not! There is also a lovely wine list, impressive selection of spirits and even cocktails, which were very well prepared on my last visit.

So you've had your meal and you've moved on to post-dinner drinks... Perhaps you'd like to listen to live jazz in the bar? The resident Boisdale Blue Rhythm Band play from Monday to Saturday between 10pm and midnight (Mondays 9.30-11.30pm) and there are other 'guest' jazz listings dotted throughout their calendar.
After 10pm, a jazz charge of £4.50 is payable by non-members who are already on the premises, whilst an admission charge of £12 is payable by non-members arriving after 10pm.

Not in the mood for Jazz? Ok, whilst you're there, you might as well have a cigar! As well as stocking a good selection, Boisdale even have a cigar club. Thankfully, you don't need to be a member of that to make use of their swanky new cigar terrace, where you can cosily tuck yourself under one of the cashmere blankets and pretend that you're a Bond villain.

Great place for a special occasion, or if you're lucky enough, to bring a group and stick on the company's credit card!

Tags: scottish, meat, fish, whisky, cigars, jazz, cocktails