The Stables, Prestonfield — Attraction in City of Edinburgh

Sporting a great location in the city centre, but very much like being in the countryside Prestonfield House is situated at the foot of Arthur's Seat and is worth a visit in itself. Prestonfield Stables, their main events venue, is perfect for a chance to dine with other guests and partake of a show which seeks to offer a bit of everything Scottish for the guests.

The food is really rather good, particularly since the valiant staff serve up to 500 people their meal in the space of an hour and a half. With a choice of starters and main courses, I heartily recommend the soup and the beef. The sweet is also acceptable. The must have haggis (it's among the better ones I have tasted, so that is saying something) also comes in a vegetarian option, so do ask! Tea or coffee, wine and/or soft drinks all included.

But it is the show which really hits the mark. It is a mix of traditional and modern Scottish music and dance, and the performers are all very talented in their own rights and never fail but to give it their all. Note that this is not your usual folk session, but aims to deliver a taste of all that Scotland has to offer, from soulful laments to rousing tunes for everyone to join in with, both in song and in dance.

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Dinner was held in a gorgeous venue, the lovely hall you see as the doors are opened is a very welcoming sight. Also greeting you are the host and the servers for the evening. The meal itself was comprised of four courses: starter, haggis, main and dessert. We also had bread rolls as an appetiser before the meal and coffee/tea with pieces of fudge after it. As a starter, I chose the goat's cheese which was delicious. The haggis, which I was a bit doubtful about, was a wonderful surprise... it tasted unexpectedly yummy! The main course of braised beef was a bit of a let-down, I'm afraid... it was a bit tough instead of tender and juicy. Dessert was also not a favourite, it consisted of a few raspberries in a mountain of cream with a sprinkling of oats on top. The show was entertaining and engaging with extremely talented dancers, singers and musicians. A favourite of ours was the fiddler, she was amazingly good! I thoroughly enjoyed all the singing, I loved hearing such beautiful voices. (A couple songs were very sentimental and brought tears to my eyes.) All in all, I enjoyed the experience and would recommend...

Skip the food.

The place was dark and too crowded. The wait staff was poorly trained. The food was terrrible. The entertainers were talented and the show was good. The wait staff were frequently blocking the show as they attempted to bring food or drinks. They didn/t know where they were going. Three waiters interrupted me asking me if I had ordered the drink they were carrying. Overpriced, burned food. This place needs a change...