Provender
Melrose, Borders
The atmospheric abbey town of Melrose is an increasingly attractive food destination of delis, craft bakers and butchers, coffee shops and local produce. Provender – coming from the word for provisions in old French – channels this vibrant food energy into a seamless blend of Scottish/Gallic bistronomy. Tucked away beside the Co-op, the low wood-clad facade opens into a calm space; informal and airy to the front, with an open pass and more structured dining to the rear. Head chef Christian Edwardson has worked under top French chefs and his classic technique and Francophilia is evident in a tightly pressed wild game and chicken terrine inlaid with jade pistachios. Specials might branch out into Japanese-inspired tuna tartare spiked with spring onion on the savoury egg custard (chawanmushi) before returning to a perfectly seared John Dory fillet with lobster butter and a gratin of local estate leeks lifted by a pungent thread of truffle. Vanilla panna cotta with baked figs and Earl Grey jelly offers a simple but classy finish, while a popular triple-chocolate praline confection risks pitching the art of the pâtissier against that of the dentist. A lunchtime and early-evening set menu offers good value, and brunch (from mid-morning) confidently covers the bases from the contemporary avocado smash to the classic 'full Scottish'. This is solid and flavoursome cooking with great local ingredients but one wonders whether the evident abilities of the chef are perhaps tempered to meet market or economic expectations. Service is amiable and swift, while the short wine list has the odd unexpected offering of greater interest – perhaps cocktails and local brews pique the local palate more persuasively.
Dining Information:
Wheelchair access, Parking, Family friendly
West End House, High Street, Melrose, Borders TD6 9RU
01896 820319
