£15 for two courses until February 5th 2021
This afternoon I picked up a leaflet with the enticing title of “Experience The Best For Less” and a picture of a stainless steel knife and fork. This is a VisitScotland partnership with the Edinburgh Restaurateurs’ Association. And it basically means that during the traditionally quiet time for restaurants in January you can eat at some of Edinburgh’s best restaurants for just £15 for two courses!
On the list are the excellent Haldanes (reviewed here), Kweilin (the quality Chinese restaurant on Dundas St), Britannia Spice (for curry) and Creelers(for fish). However these are just four from a list of 27 Edinburgh restaurants. The Edinburgh Restaurateurs’ Association website has a full list: look for a link to “06 Dine Around Edinburgh’. From this page a link is given to a ‘subsite‘ on the 5pm website for this promotion.
Here you can book online for dining the same day or in advance. Although the 5pm website is not the most intuitive it gets the job done. For example having to search for restaurants in Edinburgh, when this ’sub-site’ is only for restaurants in Edinburgh is not the best, pretty much summing up this whole websites design.
You have to register first, then search for an advance booking and enter the usual details in. An e-mail confirming the booking is then sent to you. Of course the menu is limited - Haldanes had a choice of 3 starters and 3 main courses. Though the mains did include rump of Scottish lamb and fillet of Scottish salmon with mussels and crayfish. The Haldanes offer is only for reservations between 6.30pm and 8.30pm. Not all restaurants have the same time restrictions e.g. Skippers Bistro is 7pm until 10pm.
If you would prefer to book via telephone you should phone the restaurant up and quote ‘Dine Around Edinburgh 2021′ to get the special 2 courses for £15 deal. Don’t forget this is only until February 5th 2021… so be snappy!
Personally, I have already booked into Haldanes for the end of the month, although I think it will be to their new Dundas St location, and not their old Albany Street branch as the 5pm website states. I’ll be sure to report back; but on the face of it this seems an excellent way to experience some of Edinburgh’s better restaurants on a cheaper budget. Of course drinks and a desert, if desired, will be extra. Let’s just hope the quality and quantity of the food measures up. Watch this space!
