Number 16 is a tiny restaurant with a few tables downstairs and even fewer upstairs. Windows to the street are mostly blocked by the back of a booth bench seat. The tables vary in design and the low ceiling is lined with wood beams. Logs are decorations on the painted brick walls as are small mirrors. At lunch they offered a 2 or 3 course menu as well as a la carte options. They also have a changing house red wine available. Service was friendly, helpful and efficient. Open for ten years, the food here is good and a real value.
Bread service was rolls served with garlic parmesan oil and butter. The rolls, sour dough and grain, were hot out of the oven. They had a lovely crisp exterior and light interior.
Burrata was served with summer gazpacho, confit cherry tomatoes, sourdough croutons, garlic and basil oil. The peppers were red and yellow and went well with the cucumbers, tomatoes, croutons and the slightly spicy broth of the gazpacho. The creamy burrata was topped with seeds and blended in with all the lovely flavors and textures of the dish. It was wonderful with a great back heat to the dish.
Saddle of wild rabbit was stuffed with black pudding and served with three bean salad, truffle dressing and tarragon mayo. The rabbit was slightly warm and the salad included wax, green and romano beans at room temperature. It was delicious with the rabbit moist and the black pudding full of flavor. The lovely fresh vegetables were a great accompaniment to the tasty rabbit. Another wonderful dish.
Rump of Borders Lamb was served with fermented wild garlic, Wye Valley asparagus, fresh peas, and Hasselback potatoes. Some pea purée was mixed with the tender fresh peas and asparagus and a green herb sauce. The purple potatoes were sliced and roasted. The lamb was pink, tender and juicy and all the vegetables were perfectly cooked. This was a winner plate.
Three cuts of pork – Belly, loin and cheek of Ramsay’s of Carluck pork – were served with Hispi cabbage, heritage carrots, onion, and star anise. Some grilled onion and purple carrots on yellow carrot purée completed the plate. All the vegetables were cooked perfectly and totally delicious. The pork belly was tender but did not have much fat. The cheek was really tasty and served in a fried ball. It was a tad dry but very flavorful. All really blended well.
Dessert was a chocolate and peanut butter crunch. It was good sized crispy chunks of the tasty peanut brittle with a creamy dark chocolate mousse that was smooth and lovely. The chocolate was topped with a thin sesame cracker that was sticky good fun. A white chocolate mousse was the third thing on the plate and this mousse was coated with a harder coating. Not everything blended in perfect harmony but it was a fine sweet fix to end a good meal.
