EDINBURGH
Barioja
Spanish
19 Jeffrey Street. Old Town
0131 557 3622
Arguably the most stylish tapas bar in Scotland. it has slightly eclipsed its elder sibling lggs next door. in line with the public mood for more casual dining. The menu changes regularly and newly sourced house wines from the Somantano region include a quite delicious tinto.
Chop Chop
Chinese
248 Morrison Street. West End
0131 221 1155
Owner and chef Jian Wong is a prize- Winning dumpling maker with her own factOry in Liberton. So Chop Chop. with its bright yellow and red facade. naturally specialises in dumpl:ngs With an array of fillings: pork With celery. coriander or chives. beef and turnip (Surprisineg good). There are also five types of noodles dishes.
David Bann’s Vegetarian Restaurant
Vegetarian
66» 58 St Mary's Street. Old Town 0131 5:")6 5888. wwwdawdt)anri.com The experience of eating meatfree here is as far removed as possible from the mung bean carpet and hemp wine stereotypes. Subtle lighting at night is
To broaden the conversation, how does the public ensure getting value for money?There are so many ways to skin a
cat. What the public should be looking for is some confidence that the food being offered at that low price point is at least fresh produce. I can say, with my hand on my heart, that at The Outsider and The Apartment, all the food is fresh. There is a ruthless principle, almost unnecessarily in my opinion, of never using anything frozen.
Bigger cities seem to offer more
opportunities for money-saving
meals, as long as you know where to go. Relatively speaking, it exists in the
CHEAP ©
Top tips for eating out well on a budget
Dine out in early evenings for pre-theatre options Like fixed price lunch menus at leading restaurants. the set—price options served before 7pm can offer deep discounts.
perfect for a flirtatious meeting of herbivore minds and the food is distractineg good should any romance go sour. La Favorita Italian 325—331 Leith Walk. Leith 0131 554 2430. www.la-favorita.com Brightly lit and spacious. the atmOSphere is convivial. Dishes are notable for their innovative melding of
' ingredients. La
' Favorita's major
selling point. however, is its pizzas. whose the crispy bases are enhanced by an delightfully smoky flavour from the wood-fired oven. First Coast Bistros 8. Brasseries 97-7101 Dalry Road. West End 0131 313 4404. wwwfirst coastcouk We recently got word that the pre- theatre menu throughout January will be available all night long. But the normal a la carte costs won't break many dining out budgets. either. The Lunch Box Indian 50 Potterrow. Southside No phone Not the most likely place for quality
same percentage here. But what we are seeing is a tangible movement towards value. For example, if you look at Gordon Ramsay’s latest foray, it is into pubs. They may be glossy and shiny, but it shows there is quite a lot of diversification down the market chain. One of the remarkable success stories of the recent past has been Leon. I hesitate to give anyone else a name check but it has been such an eye opener. It is putting main courses on the table in central London for around £5. That’s all about down scaling and accepting that the best market to go for is the value for money market.
dining as this is located around the
back of Edinburgh's Central Mosque. but it is one of the city's hidden gems for extraordinary inexpensive midday
meals. The choice of dishes is generally
limited to two meat and two vegetarian options. such as mild chicken or lamb Curries. a dense spinach and potato dish or lentil dhal. Wrap up if planning a pit stop prior to Spring. however. as seating is outdoors (albeit covered). The Outsider
Bistros & Brasseries
15/16 George IV Bridge. Old Town 0131 226 3131
Maybe it's the views towards the castle. the eye-candy waiting staff or reasonable prices. but there can be few places offering Such laid-back dining in central Edinburgh. The main menu offers a selection designed for sharing. whether as informal starters and main course mix-ups.
Shushiya
Japanese
19 Dalry Road. West End
0131 313 3222. wwwsushiyacouk Pop in for sushi or a bowl of edamame (freshly steamed green soya beans). washed down With a Japanese beer. The fish is sourced daily from the market in Glasgow. so the raw ingredients in sashimi are ultra fresh. A shining Eastern star come to light up the west.
Here are the fixed-price lunch prices at some of the top rated restaurants in Glasgow and Edinburgh, offering significant savings over standard a la carte meals.
GLASGOW
I Brian Maule at Chardon d’Or French
176 West Regent Street, City
Centre. 0141 248 3801.
www.lechardondor.com
Two courses for $214.50
I Gamba
Fish 225a West George Street. City Centre. 0141 572 0899. www.gamba.co.uk Two courses for 215.95
I Michale Caines at ABode French
129 Bath Street. City Centre. 0141
572 6011, ww.michaelcaines.com
Two courses for $12.50
I Ubiquitous Chip
Scottish 12 Ashton Lane, West End. 0141 334 5007. www.ubiquitouschip.co.uk Two courses with coffee and sweetmeats £22.80
EDINBURGH I Atrium
Scottish 10 Cambridge Street. West End 0131 228 8882. www.atriumrestaurant.co.uk Two courses for 213.50
I Kitchin
Scottish 78 Commercial Quay. Leith 01315551755. www.1hekitchin.com Two courses for $215.50
I Plumed Horse
French 50—54 Henderson Street. Leith 0131 554 5556. www.plumedhorse.co.uk Two courses for $19.50
I Restaurant Martin Wishart French
54 The Shore, Leith, 0131 553
3557. www.martin-wishart.co.uk
Three courses for £20.50
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