EAT&DR|NK
Heavenly hosts
Local environmentalists, writes Friends of the Earth’s Michelle Lowe, have taken a shine to Edinburgh’s Urban Angel and so should you.
rban Angel is an ethical
restaurant. But don’t let
that pttt you off: this place ayoids the worst stereotypes of a right-on restaurant
'l‘his smart thl'C/bistro~ which opened last summer in a llanoyer Sreet basetnent proves that yott don‘t lime to sacrifice on taste. choice or .s'ery'ice. It is decidedly not a scruffy dreadlocked greenies. although most of the charities in lidinburgh seem to hay'e had their (‘hristmas parties here. The tables are not stained. no incense burns in a corner and the menu is not exclusiyely Vegetarian. l’rban Angel’s become the ideal place for green-leaning folk to take tnore mainstream friends (without terrifying them at least).
:\n uninformed passer-by would. in fact. be forgiyen for assuming it was simply another trendy New Town restaurant. giy'en the modern. minimalist graphics of the exterior. But closer examination reyeals a mission statement that ticks all the right boxes for any ethically- minded foodie.
lt sets ottt their aims of ‘sourcing the best natural ingredients. paying a fair price to all of our suppliers~ and using ‘only the best local. organic. free range and fairly traded produce ayailable‘. In sum. to proyide ‘hungry city- dwellers with the freshest. tastiest food possible'. It all sounds very
place fttll of
good: both iii the ethical and taste— bud satisfying meaning of the phrase.
Inside. the whitewashed walls and polished floors proyide a simple. fresh look and the space is flexible. The front room. which faces on to the street. is designed to sell fair trade coffee or light lunches to take away. while two back rooms proyide a relayed setting for diners to enjoy a proper sit-down meal.
The menu is also Versatile. Brunch options include porridge and heather honey. banana pancakes with honeycomb and
THE IDEAL PLACE FOR GREENIES TO TAKE MORE MAINSTREAM FRIENDS
(ireek yoghurt. There‘s also an incredibly tantalising chocolate and ha/elnut brioche toastie. For lunch there's a range of salads and sandwiches. Then there’s a tapas selection that includes marinated oliyes. patatas bray‘as. chargrilled artichoke. slow-roast yine tomato and Gorgonzola bruschetta. and roast pork belly with fennel seed crttst (£2.50 each or three for L'bl. Additionally. daily specials (ayailable in small or large
portions) might include scared
tuna with sauteed potatoes or
cottrgette tortilla.
'l‘hc goat cheese salad tlcliyct‘s a combination of w artn. soft cheese on top of cool fresh baby spinach lcayes and roasted beetroot. while a plate of tasty roast \cgctables are garnished with a tangy salsa yerdc and winter lcaf salad with green lentils. 'l‘he \egetarian haggis is crunchy and spicy. serycd with a generous helping of creamy clapshot. While the \egetarian options are plentiful. l'rban .-\ngel also seryes tneat dishes using produce that has been ethically reared. such as sausages and ham from Ballencricff farm where the pigs haye liy ed a free range and 'stt'css frce’ lilc.
You can top any meal off with a wide choice of tlcssci’is. .-\i tlte recent liriends of the liarth ('hristtnas gathering. guests were diy ided as to whether the fair trade chocolate brow nics with ice crcatn or the ('hristmas pudding with cttstard was tnore delicious.
l'rban Angel is open frotn lllam to lllpm during the week. until 10.30pm on Saturday and (ipm on Sunday.
Michelle Lowe is Media and Communications Officer for Friends of the Earth Scotland. Urban Angel, 121 Hanover Street, Edinburgh, 0131 225 6215
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