Inside St
’9
Small wonder
A conscious lack of fuss, frills and inflated prices may be a welcome shock to the system for visitors to Italian cafe Sadivino
52 West Richmond Street, Edinbwgh, 0131 667 7719 Mon—Fri 9am-6pm; Sat 10am—6pm. Closed Sunday. Two courses are around £5
Sadivino pride themselves in the knowledge that over 75% of and ingredients are imported directly from Italy.
Lord of the
Impressionist
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THE MEAL .
n paper there shouldn‘t he anything particularly
special ahottt Sadiyino. :\ relatiyely anonymous
Italian cale/delicatessen. hidden away at the quiet end ol \\'est Richmond Street. it hardly cries out lor attention. prohahly lailing to register with the majority ol passers hy. 'l’he lood too hardly seems like head turning stull: a hasic selection ol paninis. salads and desserts. all seryed in lairly pokey conlines si\ alternoons a week.
Its proprietors .v\lessandro and (‘armen's keen - some might say ohsessiye attention to detail that. alter just three years ol trading. has seen it gather a diycrse and liercely loyal clientele how‘eyer. .-\n artichoke might just he an artichoke to you or I. htit unless it's heen imported specially lrom one oljust two pickings a year at San Seyero in the (largano region ol Italy. lor this hushand and wile team. it simply won't cut the mustard.
Remarkahle. really. when you consider their prices some ol which seem almost heneyolent hy comparison with other eateries in the area. Only a handlul ol main course options push the [4 mark: desserts come in at an ayerage ol
ELM). making Sadiyino popttlar with students and ACCENTS ARE
workers alike il a
relatiyely rough and
ready operation. Seating just 35—30
people at a compact
arrangement ol tatty
wooden tahles and chairs. seryice is hrisk. httt somehow adds to an
oy'erall husy. cosmopolitan hu// ol the place. I.ocal eyents posters. specials hoards and shelyes stacked with pasta and wine jostle around you lor wall space. Italian accents are always noticeahle among the steady llow ol customers as good an indication as any ol the cale's authenticity.
.\'ot that that could he laulted when you consider a ltill 75‘; ol products are imported directly lrom Italy. Quality is ahsolutely paramount: the heel hrcsaola and proyolone salad might he simple. hut each component is lresh. sprightly and hursting with llayour. Desserts are something ol a speciality: panacotta. creme hrulec and tiramisu are the lamiliar choices. although allogato a glass ol cold espresso. with a dollop ol yanilla or chocolate ice cream drowned in it (known as a “cold show er'I is a perlect lor perking you up alter a particularly la/y lunch.
Ilyou lancy sampling a little ol the Sadiy ino c\perience in the home. much ol the produce they Use is on sale in their shop. along with a selection ol ‘line wines' handpicked hy .'\Iessandro himsell. Since two courses and collce ayerages little more than a li\ er. howeyer. it's not hard to conyince yoursell to pop in and let them prepare the meal lor you. One that will he as they may modestly put it ‘no frills. no luss'. hut still lantastic yalue lor money. and thoroughly tlistittcliyc to hoot.
THE LIST 85