Apex International Hotel

Entering the contemporary boutique-style Apex International Hotel at ground level from the city's historic Grassmarket area, there's nothing to give away its best secret: up on the fifth floor, a full-length wall of windows in the Heights Restaurant opens onto some of the best views in town of Edinburgh Castle. Textures of wood and marble, glass and chrome make for setting of stripped-out modern minimalism, while the kitchen delivers some well-tuned and original cooking with a sound appreciation of the importance of top-notch seasonal Scottish ingredients. Flavours are deep, and textures clearly defined in a labour-intensive deconstructed venison pot au feu starter, the perfectly-timed meat served in a glass with shredded Savoy cabbage, venison jus jelly, and juniper vinaigrette, and in a main course where braised Ayrshire pork belly goes perfectly with spiced apples, black pudding, crackling, and cider foam. The good ideas keep coming all the way to an assiette of apples: sticky toffee apple, apple pie ice cream, and a Granny Smith crème brûlée.