REVIEW: A touch of luxury with Harvey Nichols

Harvey Nichols. The name alone is synonymous with all things decadent and indulgent.

Ever since I walked over the threshold of Harvey Nichols’ Edinburgh store, just off St Andrew Square, any mention of their luxurious offerings conjures up visions of sparkling display cabinets showcasing the best of fashion, cosmetics and homeware, not to mention an exquisite selection of food and drink from producers across Scotland and the UK.

This, of course, frequently comes with a sizeable price tag to match, leaving many of us to enjoy an exclusively window-shopping experience, which is why I was intrigued by their new HN @Home menu – costing £32 per person (with an additional £5 for deliver per order). In these days of takeaways and eating at home, £32 seems reasonable for a Harvey Nichols treat. Locked away at home for a few more weeks while we await the reopening of the hospitality industry, this seemed the perfect fix for a special occasion.

Lamb with spiced Moroccan couscous, mint yoghurt and tomato chilli jam.

Opening the box that was delivered straight to the door, I unearthed vegetarian and meat-based options, packaged up carefully with cool-packs. Everything was present and correct, and the Harvey Nichols team had done a wonderful job keeping everything fresh for consumption.

Customers can choose from two starters. First up was a hot and cold smoked salmon roulade with black garlic, goat’s cheese, a carrot, cardamom and orange marmalade, and pickled fennel and beetroot which is best eaten on the day of delivery. The sweet marmalade against the very tart, earthy pickle was a divine pairing. The second option – a tomato, celeriac and garlic velouté, served with a mini brioche bun – was thick and velvety.

The meat-free main course dish consists of chargrilled halloumi with Moroccan spiced couscous and toasted almonds, served with tomato chilli jam. My opinion of halloumi may be a controversial one (particularly among millennials who appear to live off the stuff), but I have often been underwhelmed by this squeaky, rather bland cheese. To my surprise, the halloumi was savoury, limey and buttery, having benefitted from being marinated in a vacuum-packed bag for transportation. The only preparation required was to pop the cheese in the oven for a few minutes.

Grilled halloumi with spiced Moroccan couscous and tomato chilli jam.

The Scottish lamb rump, which was rich with garlic, ginger and lemongrass and served with couscous, tomato chilli jam and mint yoghurt, was the second main course option. It was a beautiful cut of meat, and incredibly generous. Again, it was marinating in a vacuum-packed bag, meaning all the flavours had time to mellow and intensify. My cooking of the lamb left something to be desired (leaving meat to rest is not a forte of mine when tasty aromas are filling the air), but a more talented home cook would no doubt do it justice. My only minor gripe was that there was more couscous served with the lamb than there was with the halloumi.

The lamb is delivered in a vacuum-packed bag, sealing in the garlic, ginger and lemongrass flavours.

I am all for sweet and salty combos, but I am a bit of a purist when it comes to pudds. I did enjoy the salted caramel and Valrhona chocolate tart with Kahlua Chantilly cream, but I believe the sweet chocolate base layer alone would have been a show-stopping end to the meal. That said, in these testing times, restaurants are becoming masters at adapting, and Harvey Nichols is no exception. Having seen the Forth Floor restaurant’s stunning views of Edinburgh, I cannot wait to sit on their balcony once more with a cool, refreshing cocktail in hand.

Salted caramel and chocolate tart for dessert.

This month also sees Harvey Nichols’ Champagne Afternoon Tea for Two menu make a reappearance. From £30 per person, customers can enjoy everything from vegetable and cheese quiche and pastrami sandwiches, to chocolate brownies and summer berry tarts.

Head to the Scottish Field Instagram page to enter our competition to win a free Afternoon Tea for Two. See below for full T&Cs.

Competition Rules

Entrants must follow @scottishfieldmag and @hnedinburgh_forthfloor on Instagram, like the post and tag the person they would like to share this champagne afternoon tea with.

Terms and Conditions

*Terms and conditions for Champagne Afternoon Tea for Two ‘The Decadent Gift Experience’. In terms of the first T&C it will be valid from the date the winner is announced. Naturally this experience can also only be redeemed once Scottish Government guidelines have allowed us to reopen Hospitality and non-essential retail, and also when we are permitted to serve alcohol in accordance with said guidelines. Gift Experiences are valid for 24 months from the date of purchase. Gift Experiences are non-returnable, non-refundable and cannot be exchanged for cash alternatives, in whole or in part. All dining Gift Experiences are subject to availability and only available at selected Harvey Nichols stores. Please contact the individual Harvey Nichols Restaurant, Bar or Brasserie to make your booking. Menus will vary at all Harvey Nichols stores and are subject to change. Any additional items, not included in the Gift Experience, will be charged separately on the day of the Gift Experience visit and a discretionary 10% service charge will be added to the dining bill. Harvey Nichols reserves the right to provide an alternative Gift Experience of equal or greater value in the event of unforeseen circumstances. All prices are inclusive of VAT.