Last week I was very kindly invited along to Cannonball to try their June tasting menu. We arrived and after a very warm welcome from the team, firstly we were shown around Cannonball House to view the private dining room, this space is perfect for intimate dining experiences, special celebrations, weddings, graduation and VIP dinners for up to 40 guests. We were then shown to our table which boasted incredible views towards the castle, which even under construction for a summer full of concerts was a pretty unrivalled view.
We started off with a glass of prosecco whilst we browsed the menu and took in the impressive surroundings of the restaurant. I decided on the vegetarian taster menu whilst my partner had the standard tasting menu which allowed us to try almost all the dishes on the menu between us.
The meal started much like any other with bread and butter, but with a special Cannonball spin with the freshest rye bread either of us had ever had with delicious butter from the Edinburgh Butter Co. At this point, we were also offered our seasonal amuse bouche which was Findlay’s of Portobello haggis cannonball/vegetarian haggis cannonball served with pickled turnip and whisky cream, this was served with a 12 year old Glengoyne whisky as our aperitif.
The Cannonball team were not only friendly but also extremely knowledgeable, offering up lots of information about the local ingredients in each dish and the flavour profiles of each wine which only added to the full experience.
It was then time for our starters, the Cannonball tasting menu includes two starter dishes, I was served a watercress soup topped with roasted hazelnut served with a sweet and smooth 2019 Riesling, followed by an asparagus dish with a delicious chive crumpet served with a light Shaw and Smith Sauvignon blanc. My partner was served seared rose veal with kohlrabi remoulade alongside a Rioja Reserva. His second starter was a Rainbow trout with a Vinho Verde. All four starters were presented impeccably and were the perfect-sized portions not to mention incredibly tasty.
At this point in the evening, we were offered some time to digest before our main course. We took this opportunity to finish off our wines and take in the views both inside and out. During this time we chatted about special occasions coming up that we would like to return to Cannonball to celebrate with another special meal, so it was fair to say Cannonball had already won us over and we were only halfway through!
After around a half an hour break, we were served our mains, my dish was the Elrick goats cheese served with new potatoes, peas, broad beans and an absolute favourite of mine thinly sliced black truffle along with ‘O Rosal’ Albariño wine. David's dish was the St. Bride’s duck breast with fondant potato and rainbow chard served with Morgon ‘Corcelette’, Beaujolais. Both mains were delectable with perfectly balanced flavours.
The tasting menu truly was a dining experience, with us there for three and a half hours, many tables around us having the A La Carte menu came and went whilst we were still eating and drinking our way through the menu, this only added to the experience.
Our second to last dish was a mini cheese board with Loch Arthur Cheddar, chutney and mini oatcakes served with vintage port. With bellies almost fit to burst at this stage, it was time for our last course, dessert. I had the Chocolate Cannonball, a mousse chocolate dessert with tart passion fruit passionfruit jelly and a sweet Recioto Della Valpolicella dessert wine. My partner had a meringue Amalfi lemon tart with a sable base with a Domaine Laguilhon, Jurancon Doux dessert wine. Halfway through this course, we swapped to try both of the tasty dishes.
I found it extremely hard to pick a favourite dish as everything was delicious but overall, the Watercress soup was hard to beat. Soup is something I would never normally pick on a menu but this was light but also creamy and the roasted nuts on top added a great texture. Thank you very much to the Cannonball team for inviting me along, I’m sure I’ll be back very soon! The monthly changing Tasting menu is designed to celebrate Scotland’s Artisan suppliers and producers and the very best seasonal produce. Everything is made fresh in-house and dictated by what is locally in season. Luxurious and modern Scottish fayre served in a beautiful traditional setting.
egg members can enjoy a free glass of fizz when they book the A La Carte or the tasting menu at Cannonball.