FOOD
lunchtime menu (£8.50 for two courses. £1 1 .50 for three) and a la carte dinner. Both menus change from day to day; they are enticing and more traditional than many gimmicky contenders. With starters such as Tagliatelle with mussels, saffron and cream and Crab with ginger and lime in filo, sauce hollandaise (around £4.50 each). it is encouraging to know that you are free to compose a meal from these alone. A full evening meal would be around £20 a head. excluding wine.
Out of Town
I The Drover'e too or Inverarnan Hotel. near Ardlui. 03014 234. Open all day. lunch noon-2pm. dinner 6-8pm. seven days. Wonderfully located at the top of Loch Lomond. this is a place for invigorating walks. open fires and four-poster beds. Dishes between £2.45 and £6.50; beds £16 a head.
I Houston House Uphall. 0506 853831. Open all day. lunch 12.30-2pm. dinner 7.30—9.30pm seven days. This 16th century mansion-house is rather sumptuous. If you are going to splash out this is a wonderful setting in which to enjoy cuisine of a high standard. Table d’hote menus. lunch £15. dinner£26.50 per person.
I Cremond Inn. Cramond. 031 336 2035. Noon—2pm. 7-9pm Tue-Sat. Ancient waterside bistro an easy bus ride from central Edinburgh. A la carte menu less than £20 a head without wine.
I Open Anne Hotel Dirleton. 062085 241. Open all day. lunch noon—2.30pm. dinner 7-10.30pm. An aptly named inn to sink into after the roaring waves of East Coast beaches. Four course table d'hote evening menu £18.75.
FOOD NEWS GLASGOW
I Johnny Scoble’e 26—30 London Road. 552 3204. A new venture by the proprietor of Babbity Bowsters. Scobie's aims to provide a similar convivial atmosphere. but a with a fresh emphasis on live music. In time. manager Conal O‘Gallchoir intends to have folk. jazz and blues musicians on a regular basis and to establish his bar as a venue during Mayfest for folk groups in particular but maybe also small theatrical events. Another speciality is cask-conditioned ale. at least seven of which should be available. as well as a wide range ofmalts. Food is basic good home cooking: steak pies. mussels, always a vegetarian special. and ‘a super roast beef sandwich for £1 .45.‘ Scobie‘s is very much a pub,
FOOD
but one which it is hoped a woman would feel happy to enter alone.
EDINBURGH
I Cate Society George Street. 220 2341. Every detail of this new designer cafe has been meticulously thought out. from the taps in the loo to the solid tables and chairs all hand crafted from renewable wood. The talents of Edinburgh artists have been poured into this place as has an awful lot of money. The result is attractive and reminiscent of some of Glasgow‘s deliberately stylish eateries. The cafe offers breakfast. light snacks. ambitious lunches and dinners and specialises in patisserie. A three course lunch of vegetable terrine. halibut with cider and cheese would cost the best part of £20 without wine. All food is organicor free-range. but unless the cooking is really superb. this may not be enough to persuade people to part with that kind of money.
I The Hanover Hanover Street. With its blackboard menus. scrubbed kitchen tables and assortment of chairs. this aims to be much less formal than its near neighbour. Its capacious rough cream rooms hope to attract shoppers. lovers. mums and dads. children. the odd intellectual. A flexible attitude to eating extends this broadly welcoming approach. with dishes ofvarying quantity and complexity available throughout the day. A range of pies playing on a theme of pie and pint sound tasty. but I am not sure about cabbage parcels stuffed with avocado and tied up with spring onions. I Michelin 1991 Red Hotel and Restaurant Guide
La Potinlere in Gullane. tel 0620 843214. receives a coveted star. joining the Peat Inn by Cupar amongst the top 38 restaurants in Britain and Ireland. Chef Hilary Brown has already acquired a formidable reputation with Scottish gourmets. who are prepared to book weeks in advance for a table at one of1.a Potiniere‘s infrequent openings. and to eat whatever is put in front of them: the menu offers no choice. though vegetarian food is available by prior request.
Lunch. 1pm. Mon. Tue. Thurs. Fri and Sun, £14.50. Dinner. 8pm. Fri and Sat. £21.50. No credit cards. Private parties can be arranged at alternative times.
I The Vintner’s Room 87 Giles Street. Leith. 554 6767. If the ambience I have already described is not enough to lure you into The Vintner's Room. perhapsa new Red M will do it. These are awarded in recognition ofexcellent food of a less elaborate kind than that ofthe starred
shrines to the culinary arts.
DOUGLAS ROBERTSON
Edinburgh's The Vintners Room. recipient ot a ‘Hed '0’ euro.
Cafe/Bar & Shop.”
THE WORLDS END BAR I. "
“ e,
znuoraoimxd
0 HIGH STREET, EDINBURGH ALL BAR NO, CAFE
2—8 HIGH STREET. EDINBURGH. 031 556 3620
Le SEPT
7 OLD FISHMARKET CLOSE EDINBURGH
brasserie
51”- open seven days food served all day iri 8: sat
restaurant
tuesday- saturdoy i900 - 2200
5343i}
PIZZA YOU WISH
l_’_0__QB_ MAMMA COULD MAKE
30 THE GRASSMARKET
EDINBURGH
- 225 6464
The List 8 - 21 February 1991 73