Update: R.I.P. The Wine Barrel. It was tasty but has become another establishment to fall victim to the curse of the corner.
The Wine Barrel Steakhouse is in the cursed corner of Salamander Street and Elbe Street.
The curse is simple; a lovely corner venue, first rescued by the experienced team behind The Compass, but just three minutes too far from the beaten track. As a result of the curse there is this charming venue with no one walking past to discover it by chance. Without this “pass by” traffic everyone who’s attempted to run a business on this corner has struggled. They’ve dodged the bullet and moved on.
It was the weekend when we popped into the Wine Barrel and to be honest I fully expected to find an Out of Business sign on the door. What I didn’t expect to find was a steakhouse that was so busy we only got a table because of a cancellation. That’s exactly what happened. I recommend booking.
Granted, I don’t think the Wine Barrel is as busy during the week but the reason why it so popular during the weekend is clear to me. The food is smashing.
I had a lovely steak. It was one of those melt in the mouth steak perfections. I could have eaten twice as much as and when I go back I’ll order a larger portion. In terms of comparison; it was better than the steak I had at The Witchery.
My partner had a burger. We both like it simple and often ask if we can skip the salads or other non-meat stuff that people like to shove in beefburgers and we asked the same of the Steakhouse. I did wonder this was a request too far for a place with a straight-forward menu and a strong specialism in meat. It wasn’t. The waiter didn’t even flutter an eye. When the burger arrived it looked basic but tasted superb. One of the best burgers in Edinburgh, I’m told.
Okay, about that straight forward menu. You can find it online at their site. It’s not “straight forward” in the sense that it is limiting. I think you know what you’re getting into when you enter a steakhouse. Don’t go if you’re a veggie, for example, although there are veggie options. The Wine Barrel’s menu is true to form. The focus is on the steaks and then there are a few mains and starters to help mix things up.
Then there are finishers. I recommend not skipping these. Tasty treats to finish off.
In summary; I really hope The Wine Barrel Steakhouse survives the Curse of the Corner and thrives. If it does it’ll be the much needed replacement to E.S.I. in the area which I still morn.
