FEST
IVAI.
FOOD
“IS
5 Catherine Fellows goes on a
round-the-cloclt wanderthrough the bars and restaurants of Edinburgh.
I Patisserie Florentin 8/10 St Giles Street. 225 6267. Open 24 hours seven days. The best croissants in town, and a perfect place to start the day. As you sit in Florentin‘s big
picture windows, girding your loins
with strong black coffee. you have a
' choice: either to watch the working
world go by and feel terribly smug that you are a holidaying Fringe—goer. or to gaze in wonder at the exquisite display of fruit tarts, mille-feuilles, ganaches and other petits gateaux in the patisserie’s display cabinet.
I The Grainstore 30 Victoria Street. 225 7635. Seven days 11am—11pm. Relaxed. attractive. centrally-located restaurant serving food that is ambitious and imaginative. but affordable. The chefs pride themselves on using the freshest, best-quality ingredients, and allowing these to speak for themselves. A set lunch — starter. main course and coffee — costs £7 and is available until 5pm: on Sundays this is traditional roast meat with all the trimmings.
I Spices 110 West Bow, 225 5028. Seven days noon—2.30pm,
530—1 1 .30pm (last orders). The latest enterprise of the team who originally established two of Edinburgh‘s most celebrated Indian restaurants. the Shamiana and the Kalpna. it is not surprising that this is offering Indian food at its richest. most varied best.
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I Negociants 45 Lothian Street. 225 6313. The closest thing Edinburgh has to a continental-style all hours cafe bar. Its light. pine-floored interior and table service give it an air of civilisation even in the small
'-..r,,..~v.
JONATHAN I.l'I'I'LIiJ()IIN
hours when most places have given
up the ghost. Just the place to wind 1 down over a last whisky, or to wind up those high level debates that
Edinburgh is wont to provoke — well .
what do Jack Dee and Jo Brand say to each other in the Assembly j changing rooms?
l
72'I'hc List l4 — 20 August I992
Westenders
In the first of three weekly ! round-ups of places to eat ; and drink in Edinburgh, Catherine Fellows picks out some of her favourites in the West End/Lothian Road area.
From the food and drink point of view, the move of the Traverse Theatre to Cambridge Street in Edinburgh’s West End is great news. Whereas in previous years patrons found themselves emerging from a show and having to fight for a table in packed central restaurants, or sip pints on the pavement. they now have the huge cafe-bar within the theatre itself, as well as a whole range of local pubs. cafes and restaurants to choose from. Because they are that much further out, these are often less busy and so can offer better service. The West End, including the Princes Street end of Lothian Road, has probably more Italian, Chinese and Indian restaurants than any other area of the city. It can also offer mouthfuls as diverse as the genuine, Spanish-prepared tapas of the Parador in William Street, the vegetarian wholefood salads ofThe Cornerstone Cafe under St John‘s Church, and sushi, at Yumi. Scotland‘s only Japanese restaurant. I Many places have special opening j hours and menu deals to lure Festival goers. The choice is yours:
I L’Attactte Rutland Place, 229 3402. Seven days 11am—l .30am. Very popular subterranean wine bar with what seems like endless tunnels and hideaway nooks. A pity the management saw fit to diminish the genuine cellar feel with fake stone work and carriage lamps. Still. good for a late night pint.
I Bar ltalia 100 Lothian Road, 228 6379. Sun—Thurs 5pm—midnight; Fri and Sat 5pm—3am. Lothian Road is awash with cheerful and relatively cheap Italian restaurants. This one can be relied upon to come up with very acceptable renditions of the classic pizza and pasta dishes. Also. probably the latest meal you will get in the city.
I Bar Home 39a Queensferry Street. 226 2977. Seven days noon—2pm. 5pm—midnight (Fri and Sat 2.30am). Run by the same people as Bar Italia, the food is equally good. Don’t be despondent if your
carbonara looks on the anaemic side — it’s tasty enough to get the Ragout woman doing Tosca.
I Cate India 29 West Maitland Street, 225 3199. Mon—Fri noon—2.30pm, 5pm-midnight; Sat noon—midnight; Sun 4.30pm—midnight. Reasonably priced tandoori restaurant.
I Cornerstone Cate St John’s Church, Princes Street, 2290212. IOam—6.30pm. Home-made vegetable bakes, crunchy salads and flapjacks in the church vaults. Ideally placed for lunch or tea after shows at the Theatre West End venue round the corner. Pop in to the One World shop next door for a range of fair trade teas and coffees. I Filmhouse Cate/Bar 88 Lothian Road. 228 6382. 8.30am—late (I or 2am). Despite its somewhat bland appearance. the Filmhouse bar attracts a varied and interesting crowd because ofits location. and though it is busy it is the kind ofplace where you can happily sit and read the paper or your Fringe programme at any time ofday. In the morning. there are bacon and egg rolls and coffee, and from midday until around 10pm there is a range of filled rolls, light meals and snacks, as well as more substantial meat and vegetarian dishes.
I Loon Fung Seafood Restaurant 32 Grindlay Street, 229 5757. Mon—Thurs noon—11.30pm; Fri noon—1am; Sat 2pm—lam. Particularly appealing this Chinese. Not only is it very convenient for post and pre-Traverse, Usher Hall and Lyceum. it is cheaper than many and specialises in seafood. In
DOUGLAS ROBERTSON
Traverse Cate and Bar
addition to the standard menu, dishes reflecting the day‘s catch are chalked up on a blackboard, and these are well worth splashing out on. Beware — the Loon Fung gets very busy.
I Lune Town Cantonese 38 William Street. 220 1688. Sun-Thurs noon—2.30pm, 6—1 1 .30pm; Fri until midnight; Sat 4pm—1am. Tucked away at the end of William Street, this Cantonese restaurant has a
civilised atmosphere and an
attractive menu: unlike many. it offers a good choice for vegetarians. I Phipps Grindlay Street. 229 8663. Noon—2.30pm. 6pm—midnight (no lunch Sun). This smart new
restaurant adjoining the refurbished LyceumTheatreismore
approachable than it may seem, with its carnation posies and starched white tablecloths. As well as a la carte. there are good set menu deals: three courses and coffee for £5.50 at lunchtime. £8.50 all evening. There is no objection to Fringe-goers popping in for a starter. or just a home-made pudding and coffee. The food is traditional — lemon sole. fillet steak — with exotic touches such as chicken rogan josh.
I Mr V's 7 Charlotte Lane. 220 0176. Mon-Sat noon—2.30pm, 6—1 1pm; closed Sun. Italian menu of fresh daily delicacies with Mr V himself in personal attendance. A pleasant terrace makes this an appealing place for warm evenings. Fixed two course lunch with coffee £9.
I Old Orleans 30 Grindlay Street. 229 1511. Seven days 11am till early hours. Happy hour 3—8pm. American-style bar and restaurant