Oh crumbs! By the time apple crumble arrived to finish my meal at Element, I realised I’d somehow managed to achieve the seemingly unachievable. From a fairly extensive menu, I’d successfully ordered three courses in a row which featured either a ‘crumble’, a ‘crumb’ or ‘crust’. The menu phrasing was perfectly fine, something jumps out, on this occasion I was seduced by the key ingredient, paying less attention to the overall description.
So, did the food at Element jump out at me? Well, let’s rewind back a little. It’s a bar and bistro in a great spot on a corner of Rose Street offering a mix characterful period details such as panelling and fireplaces, comfy furniture and a few modern bling lighting accents. From the wallet-friendly drinks list my friend Emily and I partook in a couple of pre-prandials, Bellini for her, and a fresh Spanish Sauv Blanc for me.
The menu offers a good mix between pub grub, and a few more imaginative dishes. Starters were an easy pick – steamed Isle of Eriska mussels in a white wine, garlic and shallot cream sauce (£ 6.75) for Emily, and the stuffed Portobello mushroom with a Dunsyre blue and herb crust (£5) for myself. Both dishes were spot-on, the mussels were some bonny bivalves, and the tasty liquor great with the chunk of fluffy bread. On my side of the table, full-flavoured plump mushrooms showed that great ingredients can make a simple dish taste so satisfying.
My main course was a bit more of a conundrum, perfectly baked fillet of Shetland hake (£9) topped with a savoury tomato and leek crust. The hake however rested on a flavourless slab of fondant potato, and bafflingly the dish didn’t feature any moisture. A fresh salsa-type sauce would have made all the difference visually and would have excited the palate. My co-diner fared well with her braised Ayrshire pork cheeks (£9) slow cooked in a rich gravy, and served with spring onion mash and chunks of roasted root veggies.
Bringing us back to dessert, where things sadly did crumble and fall. Chunks of mostly crunchy apple,some blackberries and simultaneously hot and cold from a presumed rotation in the microwave. There’s clearly some good direction in the kitchen, but more work’s needed to get the basic ‘elements’ right.
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