I had an exciting first look at what will be Leith's coolest restaurant
Things are taking shape down at the Shore
I need to procure a tent before June 19.
That’s because, if there’s any restaurant that I’d consider camping outside overnight so I’m first through the doors, it’s The Keelson.
This is the exciting new project from Michael Lynch and Kyle Jamieson of Edinburgh cocktail bar Nauticus, and James Murray, formerly of Michelin-starred Timberyard.
They already own Dogstar together, and that perfect Newhaven venue has proved such a hit that they’re now opening this spot, in the former premises of Mara at 58 The Shore in Leith. Apparently, they had their eye on this unit for ages, even before their other place opened back in November last year.
“We didn’t know how successful Dogstar would be then,” Lynch says.
The name of their new place, which is next door to Restaurant Martin Wishart, is a play on the word keel, for the spine of a ship, to suit the maritime location.
As Lynch says; “We’re playing on the history of Leith”.
When I visit the premises, at first I think they’re not opening until August, as that was the original plan. That’s changed and they’re now all hands on deck. The contractors have promised them that they’re going to get the job done, even if they have to work all night.
“This is a nine to 12 month job and we're turning it around in three months,” says Lynch over the drilling and sawing sounds in the background. “The initial plan wasn't a full strip out, but we had to build up around holes and there was a false wall and ceiling, so we just ripped it all out to see what we could do with it”.
If you can look past all the tools and sawdust, you can see the space taking shape.
At the front, there’s a smart curved wooden bar, with a step for your feet, which was inspired by Amsterdam pubs. They’ll be serving Scottish and European beers, and, of course, some of the amazing cocktails that Nauticus and Dogstar are known for. Expect classics, like old-fashioneds, spritzers and gimlets, but with a twist.
There will be pews along one wall, and there’s plenty of room for seating in here.
Diners and drinkers can also spill out onto the large front terrace, where they’ll have the classic whisky barrel tables.
Up a few stairs, and the private dark green banquettes at the back of the 19th-century building, which are positioned beside the original crown windows that look out to Burgess Street, are still covered in dust sheets. Back here, there will be a semi-enclosed “darts arena”, as Jamieson describes it. They’ll also be showing sports, on a couple of tellies.
Even the toilets have been extended, and they’ve made them fancy.
The overall look, which is semi-inspired by Victorian pubs, was designed by their friends at interior architecture studio Significant Others Design, which is just based along the road.
However, the threesome have been involved with every single detail. Apparently, there has been a WhatsApp group, which chimes at all hours of the day and night as they bounce ideas around. As far as the menu goes, Murray has worked his magic. The focus is rotisserie chicken, and they show me the open tiled kitchen area, where they’ll be cooking these birds.
I get a peek at the actual food list on his phone, and it looks crowd-pleasingly amazing.
There are snacks including pork scratchings and brown sauce, oyster mignonette, tomatoes on toast, and smoked haddock beignet and tartare sauce. For mains, you can choose a half herb-fed chicken for £25 (serving one to two people), or a whole for £50 (serving three to four). Or, for the veggies, there’s spätzle with brown butter and Parmesan.
“It doesn't matter what it is we're making, we're going to make it excellent,” says Murray, who operated a fried chicken pop-up at nearby Swanfield about five years ago. He says they will be getting the best organic and free-range poultry available, and he is just finalising their supplier.
The all important side dishes will include hand-cut fries, seasonal salad, grilled summer greens and coleslaw. For pudding, expect soft serve and Scottish strawberries.
Things may change with time.
“I can see us doing something like porchetta on a Sunday. The opening menu is simple to get the systems and flow right, and then we can start expanding and having fun with the menu and changing it up,” Murray says. “We're making sliders from the leftover rotisserie with anchovies. It’ll have that feeling of eating in Spain - not pinchos and not tapas, slightly bigger”.
As the trio can’t be everywhere at the same time, they’ve appointed Pier Berretta, who has experience at The Pompadour, Fhior and Bonnar’s, as their head chef.
I’ve tried his food before, and he’s great.
They’ve also got their pal Scott Kirk as general manager.
“He’s got the exact personality we want, with a contagious laugh,” says Lynch.
The Keelson sounds like it’s made from a similar formula to Dogstar. It’s going to be a cool space, but also unpretentious and relaxed, with staff that create a rapport with the diners. The trio are super fun, and know how to do Scottish hospitality well.
Murray says Dogstar is mainly populated by regulars these days, and he wants to build a following for this place too.
It’ll be a great addition to the area, which is burgeoning with exciting places like Heron, Brown’s of Leith and Barry Fish, as well as old-school stalwarts including The Ship on the Shore and The King’s Wark.
“I love the restaurant scene down here,” says Lynch. “There is a gap for a good bar, and then having Jimmy obviously elevates that. I don't think anyone's done what we're about to do in terms of drinks and food in a pub setting. The place is going to be like the boys have described, but it's also going to be simple and in the vein of who we are”.
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