My friend Alexi and I have had a loose dinner date in the diary for months. We both have busy jobs and young families so finding an evening when we were both free was a rare treat. Alexi hadn’t seen Apex Waterloo Place since the refurb so she was very excited. The £2 million ground-floor renovation was completed late last year and combines the brasserie restaurant, a private dining area and 1819 cocktail bar.
We arrived at 7pm and were immediately shown to our table with a lovely view of the historic Waterloo Place behind us. We treated ourselves to a glass of Prosecco to celebrate our long-awaited dinner.
The atmosphere was perfect for a catch-up. There was a nice buzz about the place which made it comfortable to belly laugh – which often happens when out with a good friend – but it wasn’t too loud that we couldn’t hear the latest gossip from each other.
On to the food. I went with the Balvenie Smoked Salmon with Lemon Crème Fraîche & Herring Roe to start and Alexi chose the Farmhouse Terrine with Celeriac Remoulade, Apple, Mustard & Watercress.
The salmon was a great example of the exceptional Scottish produce used in the kitchen as it was melt-in-your-mouth delicious and infused with single malt Balvenie Whisky.
Alexi's terrine was just as delicious - I had a bite - and we both cleared our plates.
For my main, I chose the Ox Cheek in Red Wine with Potato Puree, Bacon & Gremolata. The Ox cheek in red wine is one of the most popular dishes and it's easy to see why. The meat was amazingly tender and paired perfectly with potato puree, bacon and gremolata.
Alexi went for the Fillet of Cod with Sea Vegetables, Crayfish, Mussels and Brown Butter and was not disappointed. She commented on the freshness of the seafood and again, both plates were cleared.
We wouldn't normally indulge in dessert after so much food but we were so tempted by the menu that we couldn't resist. Sticking with the European twists, the homemade waffles are a real favourite so I decided to try them with banana and caramel and Alexi had the sticky toffee pudding.
The waffles were the best I've ever had and I was looking up recipes on the way home to replicate this dish at home. Alexi's sticky toffee pudding didn't last long and we both ended our meal feeling very full.
With soft lighting and gentle music, this is such a lovely spot for a catch-up with friends or a romantic meal. And with Valentine's Day on the horizon, head over to Liberté's social media page for a chance to win a romantic meal for two worth £150 plus a spa treatment at Yu Spa Edinburgh just downstairs.
On our way out, we popped our head into bar 1819 and were pleased to see it packed. With small plates, drinks, and signature cocktails to dive into, this cocktail bar is the place to be on a Friday night in Edinburgh. We'll be spending the evening there next time for sure.
