Agua at Apex City Hotel

As the restaurant of an Apex hotel, Aqua is a distant cousin of Addendum in the City of London. But although it shares the same dark wood panelling, recessed lighting & chill-out-zone music, as yet there's no sign of a Scottish equivalent of talented Addendum chef Tom Ilic in the kitchen. A recent meal began somewhat disappointingly with a roast carrot salad, parsnips, beetroot & some oak leaf lettuce struggling under the weight of a large splodge of creme fraiche. Things picked up at main with a rib-eye steak of top-quality meat, properly seasoned & nicely charred from the grill. A decent herby bearnaise sauce made up for some very ordinary chips, which we were assured were not bought in frozen. A classic creme brulee was well executed with a perfectly crisp top. Service from the young & eager front of house team is charming if unpolished.