Chop House: an evening of cocktails and snacks

Chop House is already one of Edinburgh Foody’s favourite destinations for steak (we’ve reviewed both the Leith and Market Street locations). But there’s more to them. Amy and I went to Market Street for an evening of cocktails.

Cocktails and snacks on a cold night: half the Edinburgh Foody team relaxes.

It was a vicious evening so it was pleasant to be inside with warming, boozy concoction. I stayed true to my love of hard liquouer by starting with the Smoked Salt Negroni, a Negroni with a deliciously avoury twist. Amy stuck to a rum theme for the evening. She started with a long Roasted Pineapple Cooler: a fruity rum-based concoction with a nice caramel hint from the roasted pineapple.

Amy’s second, El Cantinero, was very interesting: coffee, mint, lime and rum. Not things we thought would work but it did. Strange at the first sip this is a grower. We’re told it’s a love/hate sort of cocktail. I had the Wild Cherry, a highly quaffable bourbon and Maraschino cocktail.

The bar: imagine what you can make with all that.

You can’t spend an entire evening just drinking so we also had snacks. The charcuterie sharing board had sourdough crisps, salami and chorizo, both soft and delicious, and lovely olives. In need of more snacks, we shared half a dozen oysters. Plump, delicious, and as good with Martini as they are with champagne

To warm the cockles, I had a Bone Dry Martini. The vodka has been fat-washed with bone marrow so has an almost sweet aftertaste, and was served with a blue cheese stuffed olive. Oh yeah. It was very smooth and mellow, and interesting change of pace to the gin Martinis I usually drink. Amy went for a Thorns & Roses. Rum, rosé vermouth, lemon and mandarin bitters made an orange-pink drink that came served with a slice of dried fig. Pretty and delicious.

The Bone Dry Martini. That cheesy olive is wonderful with the smooth vodka.

If you’re looking for somewhere to start your evening, or even meet up, remember that Chop House has a bar as well as a restaurant. The service is great, the cocktails are gorgeous and if you’re not there for dinner, the snacks will keep the wolves of hunger at bay.