Cramond Brig: Great for Steak

Guest reporter Graham Faulks returns this week to Edinburgh Foody and sets off to review the Cramond Brig.

Chateaubriand at the Brig

Many a time I have driven in and out of Edinburgh along the A90 towards the Forth Road Bridge, and each time I hit the outskirts, I’ve often wondered what the Cramond Brig restaurant would be like. Curiosity never actually got the better of me before it closed last December, and I never pulled over to stop there for a bite to eat or a pint or two. However, when my partner and I were given an opportunity to find out first hand on a reopening night under new owners, I let my inquisitiveness take over.

Miller & Carter Cramond Brig Steakhouse.

The new owners, Miller & Carter, are an already established chain of steakhouses south of the border, priding themselves on their steaks which are “matured for at least 28 days, hand-prepared by our master butcher and expertly cooked by our chefs”. I was virtually sold on their “unique steakhouse” philosophy before I even set foot in the building.

Having never ventured inside the Cramond Brig previously, I can’t comment on what a transformation the interior has undergone; but it looks freshly revamped and refurbished throughout. The interior is certainly modern but welcoming, and you are constantly reminded of the beef theme through all manner of horned bull pictures and silhouettes hanging on the walls. The restaurant is vast and you can meander your way through the main dining areas, past the bar and down to a lower level where private dining is available and the kitchens reside.

Tasting the steak

The whole place was crammed with curious mouths, eager to try out what this addition to the Edinburgh restaurant scene had on offer. Waitresses and waiters holding aloft busy serving plates mazed their way around the people and the rooms, and we picked off various canapés and slices of meat as they passed with their rapidly emptying dishes. We were able to sample chateaubriand with a blue cheese sauce, prawns in batter with sweet chili dip, barbecued ribs, lime cured salmon ceviche, beef wellington and what we thought was the top food of the night – lamb with a béarnaise sauce.

Succulent Steak

To say the chargrilled meat was near perfection would be an understatement. The ethos of Miller and Carter is plain to see for all on the plate as the meat is so succulent, juicy and delicious and the sauces were so rich and flavoursome that my partner, who doesn’t even like lamb or any meat not thoroughly cooked, mmmmmmm’d and aaahhhhh’d before pronouncing herself a convert based on what she tasted that night.

Dessert at the Brig

We only touched on the depth of the main menu, and there is a cheaper daytime menu, a nibbles menu and a separate kids menu so really the range of choice is considerable and no-one should have any trouble finding something they like.

Of course though the beef is the star of the show here, you can have various cuts, with various accompaniments and various side dishes to compliment your attentively produced and perfectly cooked steak. Based on what we tried, at some point in the near future the draw of those succulent steaks will be pulling me off the tarmac, and through the doors of this very welcome stop off for journeys north of the city.

Plenty of beef-related imagery at the Brig

Miller & Carter Cramond Brig
Steak HouseCramond
Edinburgh EH4 6DY
Tel: 0131 339 4350

Miller & Carter on Twitter

Read Graham’s review of GQ Eats Cookbook

Photos are copyright Miller and Carter and Gary Doak Photography.

Last updated by Bread Baker Danielle at February 15, 2017.