There’s food and then there’s seafood. I’m a huge an. A friend of mine – similarly huge fan – sent me a message a few weeks back saying “white horse – have you been?”. At the time, my answer was “not yet”. Then I got an invitation to #WhiteHorseLaunch. Bliss!
The unit that houses The White Horse Seafood and Oyster Bar on the Royal Mail has had a shiny facelift. It looks lovely: exposed brick work, dark walls, funky booths and intimate tables. A group of us colonised the tall tables in the bar last Friday. We started the evening with glasses of the house cahmpagne, Pere Boucher, a toasty, spritzy champagne that fills the heart with joy. It goes very well with oysters, of which we had many. There wre three types of raw: Loch Fyne with red chimmichurri, Caledonian with apple and thyme relish, and Irish. We also had luscious tempura oysters with yuzu soy sauce and grilled oysters with kimchi butter. Yes. Oh yes.

Warm oysters with kimchi butter, Irish oysters with classic Tabasco, shells and monkfish satay skewers.
Let’s eat all the seafood
With house Martinis in hand – Edinburgh Gin Seaside Gin with a touch of vermouth and a pickle of samphire – we sauntered into the dining room where a long table was set for us. Dark wood, long-stemmed glasses, shiny cuttlery.
We were brought lashings and lashings of seafood goodies: seared tuna, monkfish satay skewers, tempura chilli squid, scallops, grilled king crab legs (to die for!), heritage tomato salad with pickled samphire.
Then the full house seafood platter appeared. Half a lobster, pickled mussels, clams, more king crab legs, oysters, Scotch bonnet cured salmon, tuna tartar and dressed crab. All very good. WE also had skinny fries and Hasselback potatoes.
It’s not all molluscs and crustaceans
When we’d cleaned the kitchen out we have desert and after desert came cheese.
I had sorbet and icecream for desert, wanting to keep it clean and simple. The sorbet was seabuckthorn, peach in colour, subtly tangy in flavour. The salted caramel was creamy and delicious. The chocolate delice was popular around the table as was the burnt lemon creme bruleé.
In the past, I’ve written about the sadness I feel (food gets me emotionally) when served a dull cheeseboard. The WHite Horse, luckily, serves a lovely cheeseboard. They get their cheese from J L Mellis. I particularly enjoyed the Baron Bigod, a Brie-style cheese with a lot of flavour and creamy texture. And Shropshire Blue is always a delight.
They have a great range of interesting things to drink with desert and cheese. I tried a new amaro: Amaro Montenegro. It was light on bitterness and big on rounded caramel flavours. A perfect drink for rounding off your meal.
It was late when I left. I was thoroughly content and looking forward to returning to The White Horse for another feast at some point. Next time, I won’t have everything on the menu. If I can control myself.
White Horse Oyster Bar and Seafood Bar
266 Canongate
Edinburgh
EH8 8AA
Telephone: 0131 629 5300
Book by email: shucks@whitehorseoysterbar.co.uk
Instagram: @whitehorseoysterbar | Twitter: @whitehorseedin | Facebook: WhiteHorseOysterBar
Caroline dined at the invitation of The White Horse.
My word this looks good! Hoping to visit over the weekend.
Why are there only 3 meals a day?!? We need 5 or 6 to get caught up on Edinburgh’s new eateries!