Conveniently situated in Leith, Malmaison boutique hotel is as fashionable as you would expect, but its location only paints part of the picture. Here, in the hotel’s brasserie, you’ll find the finest produce crafted into a tempting variety of delicious British dishes. The private booths are essential to the ‘looked after’ feel conjured by the comfortable dining room, so your only option is to sit back and be pampered.

From our fresh rustic baguette with tapenade to our shot of crystallised sorbet and coffee, everything we sampled simply screamed of the inherent quality of Malmaison. To start, my cauliflower risotto with Strathdon Blue beignets was a delight, but the mussel, saffron and leek tart was a superb competitor. The Donald Russell aged entrecote steak was worth every penny, arriving cooked exactly to my preference and full of flavour. The delicacy of the smoked haddock and black pudding fishcakes was testament to the freshness of the ingredients, and as for our desserts, the apple and hazelnut crumble and pear and apple tart made abandoning the diet absolutely necessary.

From London to Aberdeen, Malmaison ‘dare to keep it local’, and with first-class Scottish produce and fantastic service, their risk is certainly our gain.