EAT&DRINK
Life Style ’ — Dishes
News to nibble on . . .
Diaspora digs
Paul Dale checks out two welcome new cafe
additions to Edinburgh’s Leith Walk.
s I’olisll \yol'k‘el’s answer
l‘inancc Minister II‘UIII
.\lc('ahe's recent. Warsaw- announced l’resh 'lalent driy'e to attract them to work in Scotland. the burgeoning presence ol more than 20.000 new l’oles across this fair nation oyer the past two years is beginning to let itself on the cosmetic make up oi our cities.
l’ollowing on from a recent
explosion in the l.eith area ol
lidinhurgh of excellent l’olish delicatessens selling such queasin traditional delights as jellietl carp. stul‘l'ed eggs and a seemingly unending selection of sausages and bread. comes a classic no thrills l’olish cafe. Bigos (277 l.eith Walk. 0770‘) 5640M) is commendable for its simplicity. Based in the site of a long standing artery clogging greasy spoon. wedged between a once famous. now dilapidated 2—1 hour bakery. tenements and a grocers. the owners oi Bigos (the name of a cahhage and sausage hased dish) seem to he courting hoth notice and assimilation. The interior is an o\'el'load of Quaker- ish puce and simple wooden furniture (including for some hi/arre reason a wagon wheel). lilementary is the key here. with just six. hiin carbohydrate main
courses. a small selection oi
desserts. soft drinks and coffee on offer (there is no drinks licence. hut BYOB could he an option. though it is not adyertised). liither way. the mains are excellent. Bigos (the dish) is sweaty and yinegary and
positiyely el‘l‘cryescent with the tang of smoked sausage. 'l'he pierogi (dumplings) filled with sauerkraut and mushrooms satisl‘y in their huttery warmth and reassuring ohcsity. While the golhaki (stul‘l'ed cahhage lea\es).
ELEMENTARY IS THE KEY HERE, WITH JUST SIX MAIN COURSES
kotlet schahow'y (l'ried pork loin chop) and lilet / kurc/aka (chicken l'illet). hoth served with copiotis amounts of mashed potato and salad. are as good as any I hayc tasted on my travels from (idansk to the '/.akopane mountains. While
George Square. Glasgow. Fri 8 8. Sat 9 Sop
Whisky Live is the premier tasting event of the season, presenting some 75 different brands of Scotch under the big top erected in Glasgow’s George Square.
Some of the Highland’s heavy hitters, whether the Balvenie or Glen Grant, will have their
malt.
of Benromach, the first certified organic single
This is the third year that Whisky Live, which was first held in Tokyo in 2000, has come to Glasgow. That puts the city on a par with a clutch of metropolises internationally — for
the desserts and coffee are nothing special. the mains are such e\ceptionally good \alue at £4.50 — £6.50 that. if you like this kind of thing. Bigos is not to he snee/ed at.
Back up l.eith Walk. towards the gastronomic hchcmoth that is Valyona and ('rolla is (iaia. a new Italian/Sicilian cale/dcli that ol‘l'crs the lirst sei'ioiis competition \'&(‘ haye laced in this area for a long time. Boasting an em iahle selection ()l' cured meats (the Sicilian sourced pancetta and proscictta in particular are fantastic). cheeses (the gran padano and mo/Iarella are to die for). home made pestos which make the mainstay ingredients of the paninis and many other dishes on ol'l‘er. (iaia is a place of intenser sourced quality amongst the decrepit
selection of cafes on this stretch of
l.eith Walk. The deli part of the cal‘e offers a wide array of Italian pastas. sauces. hiscuits. col‘l'ees and fruit drinks that e\ en includes a few items not ayailahle at \"&(‘s. Best ol' all. the coffee in (iaia is from 'l‘rieste’s mighty llly company. Long a mainstay of New 'l'ow n and Morningside cafes. the brand's presence in these enyirons seems positiyely pioneering.
tastings, Whisky Live offers cooperage and cocktail making demonstrations, while separate admission (£12.50) is charged to attend a whisky masterclass, which includes a tutored nosing and tasting. For more details log onto
own stalls, of course. But look out for a few of the independent bottlers, such as Gordon & Macphail. Hopefully it will be offering samples
example, Paris, Toronto, New York, and London - that host the event. Tickets are not particularly cheap, but exhibitors tend to be
generous in offering a variety of samples to those keen on getting to the nuances of various malts.
In addition to the
www.whiskylive.com. I single day tie/refs are €29.50. WYOMOO/T tickets
are i‘ 72. 5t) and comic day
passes are $349. Ca// 07603 633 808.
98 THE LIST 7—21 Set) 2006
I Demijohn, the liquid deli, has opened its new premises on Byres Road, Glasgow. Similar to the Victoria Street, Edinburgh, flagship, the shop Specialises in flavoured oils and Vinegars - such as a strawberry-infused one (pictured). Everything can be sampled before purchase, and customers are encouraged to return bottles for refills. Additionally, Demijohn offers a range of single malts, rare spirits and liqueurs, including a recently released gooseberry gin. Demijohn Glasgow is at 382 Byres Road, next to Heart Buchanan.
I Gourmet Glasgow‘s main event in the Old Fruitmarket may be over but the ‘El 5 Dine Around' promotion at a slew of the city's restaurants and brasseries continues until the end of the month. The list of partiCipating restaurants includes No Sixteen. The Sisters. Cafe Mao. Dragon-i, Gamba and Michael Caines. Depending on the location. the offer includes two or three-course meals, typically with a complimentary glass of wine. Serving times may be limited. Some operators are offering other special events. such as cookery demos at the Sisters. For more details log onto www.gourmetg|asgow.com.
I Polish Taste is the latest new Polish delicatessen to open in Scotland. This one is at 21 Hyndland Street, Glasgow, opposite Mansfield Park, with a range of Eastern European delights such as sausage or pierogis.
I In Edinburgh, Sideways Wine Store is a new outlet next to (and owned by the proprietor of) Calistoga Restaurant, Gordon Minnis. As you might expect, the shop's expertise is with Californian wines — the only one of its type in Scotland. Highlights of the selection include chardonnays. cabernets, zinfandels and even a few noteworthy merlots. Sideways is at 91 St. Leonard Street.