Chez Mal Brasserie & Bar At Malmaison Edinburgh

We've eaten here a few times now and by far the best value is their big Sunday lunch. The restaurant is set is dark, cosy surroundings. The night we visited it was to try out their house burger which turned out to be delicious and sample some dessert. The hot chocolate fondant was delicious. So melty in the middle and so moreish. Definitely worth a visit if you find yourself in the area.

Amazing cocktails

Excellent!

The highlight of, and luckily my, dessert was the Mal Hot Chocolate. Not as you would expect a drink, but it is served in a large cappuccino mug filled with vanilla ice cream topped with soft handmade marshmallows and served with a jug of delicious hot melted chocolate. This was poured all over the top to make a beautiful, delightfully messy and great fun dessert.

We started off in the Chez Bar downstairs, which is just beautiful. Very on trend soft furnishings of sapphire blue velvet couches, foliage walls and plenty of nooks and crannies to snap those picture perfect cocktails for socials. The restaurant is stunning. The attention to detail is second to none with the theme of the luxurious velvet seating carried on from downstairs. The decor is very contemporary with bold statement pieces displayed around the large dining area. You’ll not miss the painted mannequin body lamps, large pieces of bright artwork that adorn the walls and the overall lavishness of this restaurant. Malmaison's designers took inspiration from nearby Rose and Thistle Streets to create a garden of texture, light and style - you’ll notice this in lighting and the fresh flowers on the tables. Inspired with flavours both classic and French, the Chefs have created some magnificent menus and you'll find an energetic but relaxing atmosphere with knowledgeable service. First up was the Artisan Sourdough breadbasket with extra virgin olive oil and English butter (£4.50) and a little treat of hummus and flatbreads. The starters for me were all superb! This is Summer on a plate or several plates. Fresh, zingy and bright bursting with flavour and just begging to be eaten again. Thai sticky beef & noodle salad (£9.50) - with rice noodles, crunchy vegetables, spring onions, red chilli, sesame and toasted peanuts. The sticky beef can be substituted with tofu. Chicken karaage (£8.50) - buttermilk fried chicken thigh, roasted sesame and sriracha mayonnaise. Buffalo mozzarella & tomato salad (£9.00) - Isle of Wight heritage tomatoes, pickled red chilli, pesto and basil. For vegetarians, the mozzarella can be replaced with feta cheese. A nice array of dishes, but for me some lacked seasoning and could easily have handled a heavy flavour injection. Chez Mal katsu curry (£15) - crispy marinated chicken breast, curry sauce, sticky rice & pickled vegetable salad. Swop out the chicken for a Cauliflower steak for vegetarians. Pan-fried hake picata (£15) - capers, Kalamata olives, parsley, cavolo nero & brioche Summer green vegetable linguini (£14) - peas, broad beans, broccoli, mint & Pecorino Sardo. You can add in Tiger prawns for an additional £4 supplement. A nice not overly fussy wine menu is available with knowledgeable staff on hand to guide you through what’s best suited with your meal or to pair your flavour profiles with a specific wine. I chose the Riesling, Rag & Bone, Smalltown Vineyards, Eden Valley, Australia which was clean, fresh, floral, zesty and spritzy. Desserts most definitely pack a wow factor. Press that big golden buzzer for the the Pineapple Carpaccio (£6.50) with lime, chilli, mint syrup and coconut ice-cream. Sublime! Fill your boots and every other wee space remaining after dinner with this big bold sundae. Strawberry Eton mess sundae (£6.50) - fresh strawberries, Chantilly cream, sorbet and meringue. And if you are after a lighter, not overly sweet dessert try this - the Steamed lemon pudding (£6.50) - with blueberry compote and crème fraîche. Overall, a wonderful menu served with super friendly staff in a gorgeous restaurant. My ideal order would be the Chicken Karaage, the Thai Sticky Beef Noodle Salad ordered as a main course with the Pineapple Carpaccio to finish. Chez Mal has outdoor dining and is a glorious sun trap late afternoon, early evening. Great views out across St Andrews Square. I dined here a few months ago so the menu may very well have changed.

Stopped in for dinner and drinks one night before returning to the room. Food was served hot and full of flavor. Waitstaff was very friendly and enjoyed talking with us as we asked questions.

Nice, nice elegant place. Food was very good and service was top notch.

Agi the bartender/bar manager was delightful and witty with exceptional skills! 10/10

The Malmasion is a gorgeous boutique hotel in Edinburgh, located on the banks of the Forth in Leith. I visited the brasserie for brunch recently and it was amazing. It started with the soup of the day, self service from the chefs table, a lovely creamy spicy parsnip soup. Then we were invited to select something from the chefs table. There were loads of options such as omelettes, waffles, cold meats, salads, bread, pancakes, pates and terrines. From past experience I suggest booking your table earlier in the day, as the second time I visited for Brunch the options were limited due to it being busy early on. Also, pace yourself! There is so much lovely food on offer, don't over do it on the first two courses, because you won't have room for the rest! Next was the mains, a selection of six options from the menu, I can recommend the roasts and salmon. Finally if you have any room, you can order a dessert, don't worry there are lighter options such as sorbet and fresh fruit salad. All that for a tasty £19.95, marvellous and you won't need to eat for the rest of the day. The Sunday brunch is very popular and it can be very busy. Sometimes it feels a little too busy and the neighbouring tables are a little too close for comfort. When personal boundaries come into it, I feel that they have tried to pack the customers in far too much. Alas, the brasserie does serve great-tasting cuisine, prepared with incredible local ingredients, so enjoy! If the weather suits, you can even enjoy some alfresco dining or drinking on the terrace. Also if you are lucky enough to be staying and the boutique hotel there is a hotel gym, Gymtonic to work off that heavy brunch!