'.'niQ '.r8
,.52L5
tailii‘ii-c i. flit-iv.
4 ax xueeulent xtnoked \enixon.
While littl‘ ( itilltlillli laekx tlle more
\[ltteiotlx bootllx (ll. the ettle beltm. the hood l'urnixhingx created b_\ 'l‘im Stead link the [no the menu. 'l'he xpeeialx lixt ma} illelttde t'oaxt \egetable atld goal‘x eheexe tart \\ ith l'lak} paxtr}. or a light paxttt tlixll. Sen iee ix ll‘lL‘lltll}
the kind that doexn‘t axk il dinerx \xant ground pepper belore the} ‘\ e taxted the lood. btit lea\ ex the tall mill at tlte table. 'l‘he \\ ine lixt ix xtrong: 2t) are a\ailable b} the glttxx. \ltl} the (ittlltliillix earr) on another 25 _\earx.
ttx doex
Oko
JAPANESE/ASIAN
(Sit llltllitlll Shout. (Tl-ll fw'I’ tufttl \iV‘.‘ \‘J.()lx()l()i$l£ltllélllltitI()ltl
ltl(} llltl noon Lipni. t3 ilpi't;
i ll Sill noon iiiiilnitiht; Sun
hilt) itiltttpiti. (Zloraxl Mon.
The interactive nature ol eating at thix bona tide xuxhi bar helpx to ereate one ol the moxt pleaxant tlilllllg‘ eqwrieneex ill (iltlxgim. (itiextx are xealed at their on n xtationx around a counter and can arrange eondimentx. dipping dixllex and Chop xtiekx ax the} like. Spie} gre_\ mullet. xol‘t roaxted eel and a xtirprixingl} tender euttle lixh are xer\ ed among more lamiliar ran xaltnon. tuna and Pl'il“ n optionx. \\'hi|e xtixhi ix ()lx'()'x trump eard. hot dixhex. xllL‘ll tlx xtiek} lL‘l‘i}tlkl beel. are cooked to order. .\'oodle bo\\'l\. tried riee and tetnpura are alxo a\ailable at the ptixh ol a perxonal 'eall' button.
Rab Ha’s
SCOTTISH/BAR & PUB FOOD
Rd lititt‘heson Street. Merchant (litu. (ll-1 1 5/7 tl-itit‘r
were..ittlilitt:;.t‘or~i
Mon Still :mo ‘itlpin [liar open: Mon Sttt noon midnight; Sun 19.50pm midnight].
.\liehelin'x other l'a\ourite pub iii (ilaxgon and otte ol ourx. too. Named alter the '(ilaxgon (ilutton'. Robert llall. Rab lla'x ix a welcome antidote to the man} Merchant (it) .xl_\ le l‘Lll‘x. \Vitll its open tire and attenti\ e stall. the bar ix a pleaxant plaee tor a la/_\ al‘ternoon ~ the \\el|-pi‘ieed luneh tnenu ineludex heart} t'ax'ouritex r or begin a night on the ton n. The downstairx rextaurant ol'let‘x a menu ix a mix ol traditional tare \x'ith oriental intruxionx.
120 THE LIST ‘5 \‘c. 3.1-.
EAT&DR|NK
Gaul next door
Donald Reid visits the French newcomer to Holy Corner’s neighbourhood.
ere at The Iix/ \\ e ha\ e a \(llil xptll l'tll' tl g‘ntitl
neighbourhood rextaurant. llix beeatixe lleigllllilttl'lltmtl rextaurantx ha\ e to nork harder to btiild up a lo_\al clientele. beeauxe being eaxllul bttt reliable ix “hat makex them tiek. lk‘etltlxe thefre xonien here eoinl'ortable and ine\penxi\e \\ hen a xpeeial oeeaxion ixn’t a\ailable ax an exettxe to eat out.
Though there are a le\\ reaxonable rextaurantx xprinkled around the llt'untxl'ield-Morningxide area ol' lidinburgh. it'x xtill ripe territor} tor a good neighbourhood plaee. \xhiell ix \\h_\ \\e \lere intrigued to notice dtii'iiig the xuinmer the low ke_\ arri\a| at llol_\ (‘orner ol‘ l.e llixtrot dex .-\t‘t.x. Behind tlte project are l’renehmen lirie ()I'll/. the ehel— proprietor and a .\liehelin xtar- “inning head ehel in hix time. and l’axeal lx'urth. \\ho dealx \xith the l-l'tllll ol~ llotlxe.
Small. intimate and unl'laxli). l.e Bixtrot ix l‘reneh to itx lingertipx. peppered \\ ith 'l‘oulouxe l.autree l‘oxterx. '.-l//H '.-l//U aeeentx tilltl more xtirring elaxxiex on the tnenu than a (‘l) ol lidith l’iat't”x greatext llll\. lll thexe tl;l_\x ill‘ modern interpretationx and t'tixion liddling it'x quietl} reaxxuring to lind a lireneh rextaurant that‘x Hill) a lireneh rextaurant. xer\ing xoupe de poixxonx. xteak in a trutl’le xauee. roaxt raek ot' lamb and xomething patronixing tor the \egetarianx. lt' .\ou‘re ti litlll Ul‘ thexe toreh xtllig‘x then tune in: tno xlieex ot' t‘oie grax for £7.50 or nine rexpeett‘ull) treated xeallopx lot L‘ l 5 ain‘t bad at all.
llix l‘eilxstll'lllg‘ [0 we e\ iLlellL‘e (ll.
loeal xotireing going on. ax \xell ax plent} ol xealood on ol'l'er and realixtie prieing l'or eutx ot meat
the xleak ix llallk lbu\ettel on the
eheaper lunehtime tnenu iL'h'HS lor
t\\o eotirxexl. bttt Zl-da} matured lillet on the exening a la earte.
(hi it reeent \ ixit \\ e eneotmtet‘ed ti xitnple btit pleaxing endi\e xalad. a
homemade ham terrine lull ol'
t‘uxtie reaxxuranee attd a deeent
enough ehoeolate mouxxe. Rather
lexx eon\ ineing \\tlx a bouehee a la Reine ipull p;lxll'} \xilh ehieken-ixh
‘IT'S QUIETLY REASSURING TO FIND A FRENCH RESTAURANT THAT'S TRULY A FRENCH RESTAURANT
nhite gloup. like a mutant l‘)7llx \ol-au—\entl and a ereine earamel
tlL‘\\L‘l'l. \xlllell \lltlllltl be it banker
on xhorter ltineh menux but xer\ ed onl_\ to pl‘o\e tlltll gloop ettll come in man} l'ormx.
.ludging b_\ the xlightl} older. xlightl} tneed} .\lerehixton xet n ho are ol'ten xeen dining here. l.e Bixtrot ix making inroadx ax a neighbourhood place. But a good neighlmurhood plaee'.’ 'l'hat ix rexered xtatitx )Ct to be cont-erred.
Le Bistrot des Arts, 19 Colinton Road, Edinburgh 0131 452 8453, open Mon-Sat for lunch and dinner.
I Rogue restaurant is at it again: new menu at same low prices. Recent additions include cannelloni with pumpkin, green beans and sage butter sauce; halibut wrapped in eggplant with cauliflower puree and pinenut and raisin dressing; Thai fish burgers in a brioche bun with red chilli jam; and open pie of roast venison and bacon with mushy peas. As before, all starters are less than £5 and main courses run between £6 and £11. Rogue is at 67 Morrison Street, Edinburgh, 0131 228 2700.
I People interested in the local Slow Food movement might consider the next event planned for the evening of St Andrews Day at the Marlins Wynd in Edinburgh's Old Town. The four— course dinner is expected to include dishes such as vegetable. leek and spinach soup With Dunsyre blue cheese: pan-tried venison with a port jus; and an apple and brarnble critmble with cream. Meat-tree options can be substituted for vegetarians. The price is £35 for members and £740 for non-members. Email lionariclimond_836@hotmail.corn or telephone 07762 772014.
I In Glasgow, the restaurant in Cul de Sac, the Ashton Lane institution in Stefan King’s G1 Group portfolio, has been refurbished and relaunched. The revamped menu has an eye towards ‘going back to the roots’ of Cul de Sac, with an emphasis on more traditional dishes whether croque monsieur, bouillabaisse, or coq au vin. Cul De Sac, 44/46 Ashton Lane, Glasgow, 0141 334 4749.
I Finally. a new food enterprise called Caledonian Connoisseur. or Caleyco, has been set up by celebrity chef Nick Nairn, businesswoman Gillian Bell and wine expert Hamish Martin. The website - www.caleycocom — gives a full run down on all the various products they offer — mostly Scottish produce in season. And judging from the items we spied. at a premium price. too, although it may well be worth it.