A Room in West End

Sunday night and I didn't feel like cooking. I didn't feel like ordering in. I felt like being cooked for.

After watching a fantastic 6 Nations Game with housemate S, I asked if the restaurant attached to the bar he managed would be busy. He said Sunday night's were quiet and I could come down anytime.

Teuchter's in West End is lovely. It's warm and cosy, and when it's not too busy (it's VERY popular) it's a great place to go for a quiet drink and read of the paper.

I walked down and after a peruse of the Sunday Paper and a glass of the house white, I headed downstairs to the restaurant: A Room in West End.

The restaurant is empty (which suits me just fine). The dining area is all in the basement, but feels comfy and welcoming without feeling enclosed or boxy.

It's beneficial knowing the staff and I ask one of the chefs for his recommendations. And I'm glad I did as I would not have ordered what I did otherwise. It's something I am going to start doing more regularly.

For starters I ordered the aubergine pate.

It it warm with the most wonderful lingering heat (I was told that it is almost a quarter jalapenos). Its texture is perfectly complimented by the crumbly oat cakes. The carrot and cumin side is the most morish, unusual flavour combination I have tried. I really interesting and taste-packed entree.

For the main I ordered the duck, with cabbage and a blue cheese sauce. More often than not, if duck is on the menu I will order it.

This meal was DIVINE. The sauteed cabbage and carrot was one of the most wonderful things I had ever tried. It was simple but oh so flavoursome. Chef came out almost immediately to make sure the duck wasn't too pink for my liking, it wasn't at all, it was perfect. While he was present I asked how come duck can be served pink but not chicken, and he told me it was because as many as two thirds of chicken contains salmonella. Fair call I say. But I really enjoyed how this duck was cooked, and it's flavour defined yet subtle. Look at the size of the breasts! This may have been the loveliest duck I have ever had. The creamy sauce added just the right amount of saltiness. And the jam was just the right amount of sweet and tartness.

The main was served with a bowl of vegetables.

My eyes lit up when I saw the boiled baby potatoes, they have become my favourite way to have tatties. All the veg were cooked perfectly, but in my opinion could have used a big lump of real butter.

After my first two courses I was quite full, but forced a look at the dessert menu.

For the first time (possibly in my life) nothing jumped out at me. I decided eventually on the pear and ginger-nut baked cheesecake.

To be honest, I'm not the biggest cheesecake fan in the world. This cheesecake was... nice. The texture was quite fluffy, but perhaps it was too grown-uppy for me, or maybe just nit sweet enough. The pears really added no sweetness, and unless i meticulously measures base to cheese to butterscotch ratio it was either a bit too bland or a bit to gingery.

In all, the savory portion of this meal was a 9/10, and I will most certainly be back. It may even become my Sunday night dinner haunt. And maybe my lesson learned was that if I don't really feel like dessert, I probably don't need it.