Mussel Inn, Edinburgh Review
Mussel Inn
Edinburgh
Reviewed by Gemma Gough
As the name would suggest, the Mussel Inn is a seafood restaurant in Rose Street, Edinburgh. There is also a Glasgow branch. My husband and I took the train as the restaurant is just a short walk from the station so no need to worry about city centre parking.
First impressions were very good, we received a warm welcome and were shown to our table quickly. The restaurant isn’t huge although big enough for a bit of atmosphere and there were plenty of staff serving quickly and efficiently but also taking time to chat to diners. There is a seating area outside too and this was well used on the night we visited as it was lovely and mild outside.
Our waiter Matt took our drinks order while we perused the menu and we were spoilt for choice with what was on offer. After much deliberation I opted for the hot smoked salmon starter (£6.90) and my husband went for the fish cakes (£5.80). Bread was brought to the table while we waited for our starters to arrive which didn’t take long. The hot smoked salmon was served with a Caesar salad which was very fresh and full of flavour. The portion was just enough for a starter especially with the addition of the bread on the table. The fish cakes too were packed full of flavour and served with a lovely salad and an interesting lemon mayonnaise. The menu didn’t state what was in the fish cakes but after checking with the chef, Matt informed us that it was a mixture of coley, salmon and smoked haddock.
There are mussels a plenty on the menu here, served with a variety of sauces and in ½ kilo or 1 kilo pots. Neither my husband nor I are particular mussel fans so we decided not to go for these and instead chose from the wide variety of other main courses on offer. I went for a crab pasta dish (£12.50) and my husband chose pan fried king scallops (£18.10). Again, these were served quickly and definitely did not disappoint. The crab pasta was tasty with a lovely lime and coriander sauce and a good kick of chilli. I was glad there were some decent chunks of crab which did manage to stand up to the sauce and added a good bit of texture. The king scallops were amazing, served with a basil pesto, mashed potato and a parmesan crisp. My husband enjoyed the Italian flavours and the sweetness of the tomatoes with the scallops.
Almost every table were having mussels, served in lovely big steaming pots, and despite being full from our starters and main courses we couldn’t help feel a little disappointed we didn’t try them! Matt recommended we try a Kiddie Pot (£4.95) to share just so we could give them a try. He enthused about their Moroccan sauce so we went for that. With chillies, garlic, ginger, coriander and cumin it is not for the faint hearted and certainly got our attention but it worked surprisingly well with the sweet, juicy mussels. The mussels were clearly very fresh and we liked how the specials board included where today’s catch were from.
Almost fit to burst by now, we decided to share dessert. We went for the mango parfait (£4.80), again recommended by Matt. It was lovely and fresh and just enough to finish off our meal.
This is a lovely place to eat. It is relaxed and informal with delicious food, friendly staff and a great atmosphere. Prices are decent too given the city centre location and freshness and quality of the ingredients.
We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the Mussel Inn to anyone and hope to be back in the near future to sample more of the same.
Rating: 5/5 
For more information, to view menu or to make a booking visit www.mussel-inn.com.
Mussel Inn Seafood Restaurant. 61-65 Rose St, Edinburgh, EH2 2NH | 0843 2892 481
