As the daughter of a painter and decorator, I have many a childhood memory of visiting Lawson’s Timber of a Saturday, waiting around for what seemed like hours, when there’s was way more exciting things to be doing. Today, it’s much more up my street and I could pass away many an hour without complaint.
It’s super industrial, lots of bare walls, lighting flex and oversized shades, tables (from Atrium days gone by), vintage bits and bobs, comfy sofas and throws in case anyone’s chilly! Good toilets too, with a wine fermentation soundtrack to boot!!!
But what about the food? Overall, it was great. Tasty, locally sourced ingredients, simply put together but with much evident skill, showcasing that often simplicity really is best. They smoke their own, bake their own and even aerate their own water.
We opted to do bites as starters, so in the throws of Oyster season we decided on an oyster each and I opted for the raw beef fillet with pickled cucumber and wood sorrel. I am a big raw meat and pickle fan and this was a beautifully executed plate of beef, the pickled cucumber bringing a sweetness to an already very tasty plate. Sitting next to me the crab mayonnaise with fennel toast was being demolished by a very satisfied sister who, living in Leeds, loves coming up for a good ‘non chain’ restaurant meal. To follow was my fillet of mackerel, with caper and raisin dressing accompanied by a warm potato salad, the biggest mackerel fillet I’ve ever seen, perfectly cooked, and with a crispy skin.
Captain Fussy, the aforementioned painter and decorator, opted for the day’s special of Venison Stew and mash. A lovely hearty stew, tender chunks of venison and a mash that must have been cooked with some form of dripping, giving you that good ‘but you know it’s probably bad for you’ sensation.
I was a little underwhelmed by the cheese board but I think that has more to do with me eating too much cheese than anything else. My partner had the chocolate and salted hazelnut pudding, I managed to get a bit but found it hard to detect the salted part. We couldn’t stay for coffee but my sister sent me a picture of some petit fours in a cigar box (like) and she didn’t even save me one!
I don’t really concern myself with the wine list but we drank a South African Chenin Blanc which according to my partner has been on the Radford’s wine lists since the good old Blue days and very good it was too. We didn’t get a chance to sample cocktails, it being a lunchtime affair, but we’ll be back to try what promises to be an interesting line up.
I loved Timberyard, I really did! We had a mini tour from Andrew and there’s a load of space that they haven’t used yet, space for smokers, herb gardens, outdoor drinking and dining and a whole other floor, so plenty to look forward in 2013 I suspect.
Timberyard is a true family affair with the Radford’s utilising their children’s skills in kitchen, bar, marketing and management. It’s isn’t like anything else in Edinburgh, it’s brave and interesting and all quite exciting and I hope it succeeds. With the Radford’s behind it, I really doubt there’s any question.
