Ondine Restaurant Edinburgh launches Takeaway*

Situated high on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, Ondine Restaurant is pretty much the go-to spot for celebrations and special occasions. Jay Rayner has raved about the place since 2013, and for good reason. Along with some of the best views in the city, when you dine at Ondine, you’ll enjoy some of the best food on offer too. Obviously, in Scotland, all restaurants in the Central Belt, have, completely unfairly, been shuttered by the government until the end of the month. It’s absolutely crippling for the industry, and in response to the measures, Ondine have launched their takeout menu – a genius idea which lets you enjoy Chef Roy Brett’s incredible dishes at home.

I’m not the world’s worst cook, but there are things I definitely get a bit nervy about. I stay away from breads and I don’t cook as much fish as I should, as I tend to cook the life out them, and have been left with sad, crumbly little fillets in the past. Happily though, Ondine’s Takeaway menu is foolproof. Every day, from Wednesday to Sunday, just give Ondine a call or an email, pick your favourites, and boxes of delights can be picked up from the restaurant, or even delivered to your home. It’s genius, and it’s such a fabulous way to expand your cooking abilities too!

Some of the dishes require nothing more than plating – case in point, the Newhaven Smoked Salmon (£11). Thickly cut slices of salmon were perfect, with a rich, savoury flavour. Served alongside the traditional accompaniments of lemon, capers and finely diced red onion, this is old school dining at its best.

One of the runaway favourites from the meal was the Dressed Brown Crab served with Buttered Crumpets (£8). Again, the technical know-how for this dish ended at heating the crumpets in a little butter, but seriously, this dish was incredible. The crumpets themselves were light and slightly chewy – a far cry from the hockey pucks you sometimes get served up for breakfast. These, piled high with the sweet brown crab meat, a squeeze of lemon and dollops of the most perfect hollandaise sauce was perfection.

The main courses hovered either end of the effort spectrum – the East Coast Lobster (£30) just needed slid under the grill, but the Monkfish Curry (£24) was a little more involved. After seasoning the two fillets, I heated a little oil and butter in a pan and browned off the fish. As it sputtered away, I slid a perfect little dough ball into the oven for it to transform into a flatbread.

Once it was golden on both sides, I added a little water and emptied the sauce into it. At the same time, I popped the rice on to warm up. As someone with a past of really overcooking fish, I was diligent not to leave the stovetop, and I’m so glad I put a little effort in. The finished dish was incredible. The rich Bharta Aubergine sauce had a perfectly balanced level of spice, and it worked so well with the sweet monkfish fillets. Monkfish used to be known as ‘poor man’s lobster’ thanks to it’s texture and flavour, and honestly, it couldn’t have been lovelier. Paired with the Jeera rice and warm flatbread, I could happily eat this on a daily basis.

The East Coast Lobster (£30) sounded too good to resist, and honestly, this has to be one of the most perfect dishes I’ve tried. The lobster itself came split and smothered in the garlic and parsley butter, and just needed to be slid under the grill to heat up. The butter was a delight – bright green and full of flavour, it made the kitchen smell absolutely delicious! Paired with the sweet lobster, it was an absolute dream!

The desserts were similarly spectacular, and they only needed the briefest amount of assembly (crucial when you’re full of the delicious courses which precede it) and both of our choices were absolute showstoppers. The Mango & Passion Fruit Pavlova (£6) was full of the taste of summer. A zingy mix of fruit with a rich vanilla custard and whisper-light meringue, it was an absolute hit of flavour to end the meal.

I had been dying for a bit of a chocolate-y treat for weeks, so when I saw Chocolate Royaltine (£6) on the menu, there was no other option. A rich chocolate mousse, topped with a dark ganache and sitting on a crunchy bed of praline, hazelnuts and chocolate was an actual cream. The touch of salt within the crunch, really lifted the dish into a whole new level, and it was such an indulgence to be able to enjoy such a treat.

If you want to enjoy your own feast from Ondine, the Takeaway menu is available to view here.

O’NDINA GIN AND HARRY’S DOLCE VITA BRING A TASTE OF THE ITALIAN SUMMER TO LONDON *

From Thursday 20th August to Thursday 1st October, O’ndina Gin and Harry’s Dolce Vita are partnering together to bring a taste of the Italian summer to London. The partnership will combine the glamorous style of Harry’s Dolce Vita and the authentic Italian flavours of O’ndina Gin to create a spectacular stay-cation feel. 

Running for six weeks, Harry’s Dolce Vita will transport guests back to the effortless glamour and carefree spirit of the 1950s and 1960s Italian Riviera with a beautiful external installation across Harry’s front terrace entrance, complete with a vintage vespa. The venue will be offering a limited-edition, bespoke O’ndina Gin cocktail menu, featuring six creative and delicious gin cocktails celebrating the traditional flavours and tastes of Italy including; ‘Basilica Sour (£10.25) – O’ndina Gin, Grand Marnier, lime juice, sugar syrup, egg white & basil leaves,’ ‘Fruit Of the Vineyard (£10.75) – O’ndina Gin, Rosé & grape juice’ and ‘O’ndina Vesper (£11.50) – O’ndina Gin, Vodka, dash dry vermouth & garnished with Nocellera olives & a lemon twist.’ Executive Chef Simon Gregory will also be serving up specials including: – ‘Courgette, Crab & Amalfi lemon Risotto (£19.50).

Running for six weeks, Harry’s Dolce Vita will transport guests back to the effortless glamour and carefree spirit of the 1950s and 1960s Italian Riviera with a beautiful external installation across Harry’s front terrace entrance, complete with a vintage vespa. The venue will be offering a limited-edition, bespoke O’ndina Gin cocktail menu, featuring six creative and delicious gin cocktails celebrating the traditional flavours and tastes of Italy including; ‘Basilica Sour (£10.25) – O’ndina Gin, Grand Marnier, lime juice, sugar syrup, egg white & basil leaves,’ ‘Fruit Of the Vineyard (£10.75) – O’ndina Gin, Rosé & grape juice’ and ‘O’ndina Vesper (£11.50) – O’ndina Gin, Vodka, dash dry vermouth & garnished with Nocellera olives & a lemon twist.’ Executive Chef Simon Gregory will also be serving up specials including: – ‘Courgette, Crab & Amalfi lemon Risotto (£19.50).

Oozing glamour and style, O’ndina gin is inspired by the spirit of La Dolce Vita. Full of fresh, herbaceous tones and distinctive Italian flavour, O’ndina is crafted with 19 carefully selected botanicals, including the famous Grande Verde di Genova basil from Liguria. The botanicals are distilled in small pot stills to produce a smooth, clear liquid and traditional methods which date back to the 18th century are used to then refine O’ndina’s refreshing and herbaceous flavour; for the perfect Mediterranean Gin & Tonic or ultimate all-Italian Negroni.

Campari UK’s Marketing Director Nick Williamson says of the partnership; ‘We are extremely excited about O’ndina Gin’s latest partnership with Harry’s Dolce Vita, celebrating the long summer evenings in style in the heart of Knightsbridge. With Harry’s Dolce Vita’s great location and glamourous surroundings, the partnership is the perfect brand alliance to bring to life the spirit of the 1960’s Italian Riviera that is so integral to the O’ndina brand. Having enjoyed previous partnerships with Harry’s Dolce Vita, we are looking forward to creating another authentic Italian experience and more delicious O’ndina Cocktails for customers to enjoy.

Customers are invited to come and enjoy the stylish surroundings at Harry’s Dolce Vita and embrace this all-Italian experience between 20th August to 1st October. 

Amid life’s everyday clutter, O’ndina transports you to the Italian Riviera with every sip.

Weleda Skin Food*

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Whenever the temperature drops, I can count on my skin drying out. This coupled with wind, rain and general British weather isn’t the most ideal of partnerships. To combat this, I’ve been regularly turning to Weleda’s iconic Skin Food.

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Lola’s Apothecary Lemon & Mint Scrub*

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If the weather is getting you down, I highly suggest grabbing this rather attractive jar and heading for the nearest shower – you won’t be disappointed! View Post

Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel*

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If you’re anything like me, you’re missing the glow that accompanies summer time skin. View Post

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