Rocks Dunbar - Dining Review

East Lothian Restaurant, Scotland: Review


Rocks Restaurant, Dunbar


15 Jun 2007: Rocks, Dunbar

Located on the seafront looking east over a cove to the ruins of Dunbar Castle the setting is poignant. The restaurant is within an old red sandstone building with a old fashioned feel about it, thankfully not done up and done over like some former East Lothian classics like the Goblin Ha’ (a brilliant way to ensure established diners don’t return). We were unsettled not to be greeted at the door and lingered in the hall for a while before being led through one of the two restaurant spaces to a cosy room at the back containing around five tables.

It was a while before we were asked whether we were ready to order, we were parched and the kids starving. I suggested we might start with a drinks order in the time-honoured way. ‘Tasty’ bread was promised too. Which made us salivate even more as the time ticked by. At last drinks and bread arrived and suddenly things seemed rosier: good quality wine and real ale, delicious bread.

The menu was good but didn’t really sparkle, however in gazing round the room we spotted the Specials board and the offerings looked superb: a diverse selection with an emphasis on seafood. For starters three of us went for crab fritters with sweet chill sauce. Nice, but not as good as crab cakes. Isabelle found a live ant perambulating around her salad so sadly had to skip the rest of it. For mains Isabelle and I went for T-Bone steaks with crab and tiger prawns. Daniel and Harriet both chose a golden-battered haddock which was straightforward fare. Plenty more bread arrived whilst we ate which was a nice touch.

For dessert Daniel and I went for chocolate and lime brulee, chocolate can be cloying after a few bites sometimes so the lime nicely prevented this. Isabelle went for cranachan with fresh raspberries, lovely. Harriet went for San Luca vanilla ice cream. A proper cup of coffee and mints rounded off the lunch. Overall we enjoyed the meal and suspect that we were maybe a little unlucky with the stumbling start and the slad-munching ant. The food is interesting and cooked well. Jim Finlay is the owner and he works the floor like a professional, polite and helpful. Previously he ran what were excellent restaurants, the Waterside Restaurant in Haddington and the Drovers Inn, East Linton.
Adrian Welch, Jun 2007

"Hello Stumbled across this place whilst watching rugby and needed to get out of the cold in February! Warming, friendly and decent food.
5 months later on, a beautiful evening, pleasing interior, very friendly staff and again decent food, worth a drive, we now regard this our favourite romantic restaurant (bar seating area our favourite)."
E.L., Edinburgh 2005

Address: Marine Road, Dunbar, East Lothian

Contact the restaurant: 01368 862287



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