Emma Mussel in and steak your claim to good food!
Mussel & Steak Bar on the corner of West Bow has been in this central Edinburgh and tourist-friendly location since 2005 and just celebrated their 20th birthday, so they must be doing something right.
We arrived on a day interspersed with showers, so were thankful that we’d booked a seat inside! The restaurant was busy, especially with American and Chinese tourists.
Mussel & Steak Bar menus
The main menu presented to us inside at dinner time.
The main draw is their ‘world famous sharing platter’. While we both eyed it up (the couple next to us ordered it) we decided that even with our appetites we would struggle to finish it as it comprises a whole lobster, whole crab, langoustines, mussels, scallops, prawns and oysters steamed in chilli and garlic butter and served with a house salad. The price varies, and on our visit it was £170, which is a lot of money but it would be ideal for a table of four or more, between four it would be £42.50 each, which for a mammoth amount of seafood actually is good value.
The lunch menu.
Kids menu (apologies for rain)
What we ate and drank
A couple of chilled oysters to start, these were complimentary and offered to every customer – a nice touch! Plump and saline oysters, we added some tabasco for a kick.
I decided to skip on a starter as I’d seen from other tables that the portions were healthy, however, Mr gannet was hungry, so chose a Haggis Wellington (£9) to start.
Three slices of haggis wrapped in puff pastry with a peppery whisky sauce and side salad. The haggis was both moist and dense and retained its shape well in the crisp pastry. You can also order this as a main course for £20.
For his main, he had lemon sole with capers, baby shrimp, parsley butter sauce, and fried baby potatoes (£32). This was a full fish, well-cooked with a little charing that was served on the bone with a decent amount of capers and tangy flavour from both these, and the sweet drop peppers in the salad. A full fish is a mighty portion but he managed to devour it all in the end. Special mention to the potatoes that were perfect. He’s salivating just thinking about them again.
The Shellfish platter (£34) was calling my name – king scallop, mussels, clams, North Atlantic prawn, squid, oyster, garlic, mangetout, house slow braised chunky bouillabaisse. This provided a good variety of seafood at a sensible price and portion for one, but there was still a surprisingly massive amount of mussels that were plump and filled with the delicious tomatoey bouillabaisse sauce. I was glad I’d ordered a cheeky side of beef dripping chips (£6), as they were perfect for soaking up the base sauce but I then couldn’t finish it..I think with the chips, you could happily share this platter between two with a starter each, just sort out who is having the scallop, oyster and prawn as there is only one of each!
To accompany our mains we had a glass of wine each, firstly Sand Boy Albariño (£13) – this had prominent aromas of gooseberry and freshly cut grass with an apple and lime taste. It was dry but not too acidic for an Albariño. We consider it a ‘fresh and fruity’ white.
Secondly, Clara Benegas Chardonnay (£10.50) – we ordered this for the novelty of trying an Argentine Chardonnay but it didn’t really have much going for it on the nose. It was fairly acidic with a crisp, green apple taste. The Albariño was definitely the better of the two.
After finishing our mains, we took a look at the dessert menu, just for research purposes, as by this point we were burst.
Verdict
Massive plates of food abound – this is not a place to visit it you’re snacky but somewhere to skip lunch for, so that you can properly feast as the main courses are huge. If you’re in a larger group, the sharing platter is absolutely worth considering. They also have a tomahawk steak for £110, again ideal for groups. They have a wide ranging menu which keeps visitors to Edinburgh and locals happy. The complimentary oysters were well received (by everyone, not just us), and service was quick and friendly, considering how busy it was. We would happily return to Mussel & Steak Bar to try steak main courses next time.
The Mussel & Steak Bar Questions
Is there disabled access / a disabled toilet at ground level?
Yes, and yes.
Are there vegetarian and vegan dishes on the menu?
There is one main, teriyaki noodles and a variety of sides.
Is there outdoor seating?
Yes, outside the main entrance.
Is Mussel & Steak Bar dog friendly?
Yes, outside only.
Is Mussel & Steak Bar child friendly?
Yes, there are high chairs available and a kids menu.
Book a table
Click here to book a table at Mussel & Steak Bar, Edinburgh.
Where
The Mussel & Steak Bar
110 West Bow, Edinburgh EH1 2HH
