eat©list.co.uk
:Food Drink
1 : Eat out, drink up ‘
’ough.
You need to use your loaf at the bakers. We enjoyed a slice of life in three of Edinburgh’s best. Words: Mark Fisher
VALVDNA AND CRDLLA
(1) Campagne £1.50. A g od .‘.‘Orkaday Sial‘G-D‘, wtl‘ a hard Crust and a heavy '.-.ih.te dOLgh. 6/10 (2) White sourdough E‘ .95. A se'iOuS. heat}. lllO‘uSi'lal-lCOkir‘ig beast with a hard. dny crust. riCh taste and Smell of beer. yeast and te'mented vinegar. One tOr the hungry 7/10
(3) Sundried tomato focaccia 85p. One Sundried toinato sits On top 0‘ a light crust wit". hints of "ore tomato mixed mto a simple. cendecsed and Crti'ilCN, dotigh. WOuld be ideal tOr a tomato sandy/sch 6/10 (4) White pistole 27c. A thury — perhaps too fou'y — Italian rOll. both light and Cherry good value and ideal for mopping up s0up. 7/10
(5) Chocolate brioche 80p. Youd need a lotig latte to enliven th:s rather dry briQChe — nicely presented but low on cnocolate. 5/10
(not pictured) Fruit brioche 800. A tad more
mo st than -ts Chocolate COunteroart. this 's a little more yellow and creamy. 'I think this is delicious] said One of Our panellists. 6/10
AU GOURMAND (6) Wholemeal £1.30. A hard, nutty crust With a dense. heavy and Slightfy dull dOugh. It's healthily xthIemeal Without being too brown-sandals and beads abdut it. 5/10.
(7) Germagrain $1.80. An amazing grey. malty COIOur and a texture that manages to be Chew. tasty and light at the same time. Sold in a fetching wooden bOx. it tastes soecial. 9/10. (9) Sourdough £1.10. Despite good presentatIOn and Smell. =ts dense Crust is .mpossibly hard and its flavour indistinct. 5/10.
(10) Traditional baguette 700. This is more like the Cruinbiy white baguettes youd get in France
itself - and all the better tOr
it. 8/10. ‘4
(11) Old style baguette (35c. You can see it .ve'tt but of stye Its 'OCk-t‘ard Crust and g'ey-l.>r0‘.'."t co our s as unappealvtg as ts snaro taste 4/10 (12) Pain au chocolate 650 A high butter content t“ a crisn CLiTSide — a little greasy. but that‘s o‘te". ,L.st ‘.'/".a‘. 1.0.. .va'tt. 7/10.
(13) Pain au raisin 55o N'ce encugh. but not a .'.~."r‘er, The frut Eightens the bread. but doesn't dute reSCue it from. being on the dull side. 5/10
(14) Brioche 650. Light and egg, .-.-th a sight
burnt taste. tnzs would be deficious .'.':‘." iart‘ and butter 6/10.
(15) Sugar coated brioche 05b. The texture 's 'ight. but the coating of sugar is overbox-xeririg. 5/10.
OLD FASHIONED BAKERY (16) Chala £1.30. This JesuiSh kosher egg bread. made wt." no animal tats. :8 a dream. It's
gorgeoitis to no open. almost like a brzoclte. with a str~ngy sweet and Substantial dough beneath a ight Crust. Inored ble vaue. 10/10.
(17) Russian Rye £1.30. Cherry and host. this heam, loaf is we 0‘ the best we breads we've tasted WOuId be ideal with soup. 9/10.
(18) Polish sweet and sour £1.30. Heavy. delicious and distnct. this :s a t bread aunt": real rye and caraway ‘lawours and a Subtle SOur aftertaste. 9/10.
I l/alvona and CrO//a. 79 Elm Row. Edinburgh. 0737 556 6066; Au GOurmar‘id. 7 Brandon Terrace. Edinburgh, 0737 624 4666; Old Fashioned Bakery. 82—84 East Crosscauseway Edimurgh. 0737 667 7406.
Side dishes
{49,9¥i’?_h?’p’"9_9f’l?fl§
I PREGO is THE NEW rustic ltalian restaurant on St Mary’s Street, Edinburgh, which has replaced Ortega's. Pasquale Pavone has brought the tormula across town from the now-shut Bisi (see below). He's not interested in introducing another pasta and pizza joint to town. Nor should diners expect the latest in design. Instead, he says he's emphasising ‘a little pride' and ‘simplicity’. The menu includes dishes such as tagliatelle with pancetta and asparagus tips or ossobuco all Milanese: a braised veal shin served with saffron risotto. Prego is at 39 St Mary's Street, 0131 557 5754, and serves lunch and dinner Monday to Saturday.
I THE LONG PROMISED shake-down in the restaurant trade appears to have OCCUrred in earnest. While the Signs in the Window usually hedge bets with the expreSSIOn ‘closed until further notice'. the recent casualties include Bisi. Nicholsons (Harry Potter's 'birthplace') and Ortegas in Edinburgh. while Glasgow now does Without Yes (a landmark for many). Axiom and the Pitcher & Piano.
I BUT THE
difficulties of one business can sometimes prove another's opportunity. At least. that is the feeling at Lux in Glasgow’s West End. Given that several restaurants are dark on a Monday, it has decided to open on that evening to meet demand for fine dining.
I THE HOWARD. Edinburgh, will feature a taste of Venice during March. It will recreate Cafie Florian of St Marks Souare and make available examples of its food and drinks Tuesday to Sunday.