’ I— Chicken sandwiches
a ' . 3‘-
Fresssh
51-53 Cochrane Street,
Glasgow, £2.80
Sweet chilli sauce gives this sandwich a bit of oomph — something it probably needed given the bland cubed chicken and plain bread. The fire in the chilli is under control, which is probably sensible for a lunchtime snack. and overall it's a pleasant enough assembly. Where’s the chicken from? “I've no idea.‘ admitted the assistant.
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Prét a Manger
Various locations, £2.80
A better effort from the pick'n'go stable. with a good balance of decent ingredients including ripe avocado and a nice mix of salad leaves. although the chicken lacks the succulent moistness that distinguishes good breast meat. Where's the chicken from? The packaging explains Pret's Open Barn chicken sourcing policy although the staff seem unsure of what this is.
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14 THE LIST 22 May-:3 Jun 2008
Where The Monkey Sleeps
182 West Regent Street, Glasgow £3.70
The monkeys don't do things by half measures: their ‘Stoofa' is a crispy. hot panini with chicken, bacon, red onion. balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and way too much dried sage. Good ingredients. a bold approach. but ultimately imbalanced.
Where’s the chicken from? All chicken is free range.
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Marks & Spencer
Various locations, £3.25
While neatly presented. as you'd expect. this product illustrates the limitations of a package deal from the chiller: industrial bread that's not old but not fresh either, a bit too much mayo and salad that's not as perky as it could be. Not great value. considering the cost.
Where’s the chicken from? Assured UK chicken.
Globe Deli
42 Broughton Street, Edinburgh (also other Edinburgh locations), £2.25
Good bread gives any sandwich a head start and the seed-topped brown rolls at Globe are a winner. Integral to the sandwich‘s success are the leaves: sufficient rocket to offer a real crunch and tang. Great taste and textures. Where’s the chicken from? ‘Sorry, it's not free range or organic.’
COO.
FOODFOR y Jonathan Wilkes
Actor and musician
Cafe Renroc
91 Montgomery Street, Hillside, Edinburgh, £2.40
Gets most of the basics right: chicken with a bit of taste. fresh salad, a well- judged quantity of mayo and a bit of sweetness to stir the whole thing up: in this case raw chopped pepper. Well- filled too. but let down by bread that's just on the dry side.
Where’s the chicken from? “We ask our suppliers for free range.‘
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My eating routine when I'm working is shocking. When I'm on tour, I grab what
I can when I can. For breakfast I‘ll have a bacon sandwich, followed by a club sandwich for lunch. so it‘s bread after bread after bread. As much as I love my bread there's nothing worse for making you feel stodgy.
We have a thing where I'm from in Stoke—on-Trent called ‘lobby'. more commonly known as stew. My mum did great lobbies for dinner; it's one of those dishes where you can throw in whatever you like. I'm not a fussy eater. I'm one of those people that likes every kind of food bar anchovies and capers — they should be banned. When I'm at home. I'm a real fan of cooking. I love using the wok: I'm into anything stir-fry. curry or mixed vegetables.
I like a drink but I don't go out and get ratted every night. When we're on tour, after the show. we always go out to the local pub and have a few pints just to cool my larynx down. as I say. A nice pint of Foster's does me nicely. (interview by Allan Radcliffe)
I Jonathan Wilkes stars in The Wedding Singer, Playhouse. Edinburgh, Mon 79—Saf 24 May; King '3 Theatre, Glasgow, Mon 9—Sat 74 Jun.
SIDE DISH
News to nibble on
I III mus arrangements for a couple of institutional dining spots in Edinburgh. The attractive dining room on the ground floor of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society at 28 Queen Street is now fully available to non-members of the Society. Lunch menus are served from noon to 6pm and dinner from 7pm. Call 0131 220 2044 or visit www.smws.co.uk.
I fill MAY IAIK HOLIDAY weekend (24 8. 25 May) is always a popular time for food-related events. Places to go a-foraging include the Medieval Fair (with some special beers from the home brewery) at Traquair House by lnnerleithen (www.traquair.co.uk). the start of Feis lsle. lslay's Malt and Music festival (www.feis.stream Iinenet trial.co.uk). and the inaugural eatBute08 (www.eat bute.com), a celebration of the island's local food producers as well as local food initiatives such as school gardens and orchards.
I flil GALLERY Restaurant under the National Gallery in Princes Street Gardens has announced the arrival of new chef Andy Porteous. The restaurant will also be operating weekend evening opening hours throughout the summer in addition to their daily lunch and snack menu. Bookings on 0131 624 6580.
I A COUPLI of corrections to make to information published in our Eating & Drinking Guide 2008.
The Basement on Broughton Street in Edinburgh (page 19) is open every day from noon to 1am, serving food until 10.30pm. You can get a starter and a main for an average of £12. The address given for Rick Shaw’s takeaway and delivery in Edinburgh (page 91) wasn't quite right. We said 248 — in fact it is 248 Causewayside. Apologies.
For more food and drink visit www.list.co.uk/food