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SIDE DISHES NEWS TO NIBBLE ON
SURPRISE AND SADNESS
fell over the Edinburgh restaurant scene last week with
the news of the closure of Andrew and Lisa Radford’s Atrium and blue restaurants in Saltire Court, above the Traverse Theatre. From their stylish, avant-garde beginnings 18 years ago, to becoming committed contemporary champions of local producers, the restaurants were regular award-winners and Hit Listers in our Eating & Drinking Guide. They nurtured many successful chefs and hospitality careers, and were fondly regarded by many Edinburgh residents and visitors. After struggling through four years of Usher Hall renovations, the Radfords describe the closures as ‘pragmatic’, and, optimistic about the future, tell us that ‘something new will come about’.
HAWKE & HUNTER, the club, occasional arts venue, bar and lounge on Picardy Place in Edinburgh, has just opened a new signature dining room, Restaurant Mark Greenaway. The chef, trained in Australia, plans to create a splash with ‘progressive British’ food, ‘using seasonal local produce and the best of head-to-tail cooking’. www.hawkeandhunter.co.uk
BAR CRAWLER SKY BAR Point Hotel, Bread Street, Edinburgh
No, not the shoogly restaurant on a crane during the Festival last summer, but a penthouse suite in the re-energised Point Hotel that turns into a pop-up lounge bar on the last Thursday of every month. At the top of the elevator you’ll find a blockbuster view, live music, snazzy BoConcept furniture and sky- high cocktail prices. Next date: Thu 24 Feb.
Golden Brown The long-standing chef from the Ubiquitous Chip has gone Southside to set up his own venture. Fiona Anderson went on his trail
N estled in an affluent Southside enclave, Ian Brown Food and Drink is a small and thoughtfully formed new restaurant. Inside the refurbished former Greek restaurant, wooden topped tables are arranged in a close and cosy fashion. Scottish landscapes and Glasgow scenes adorn the walls including a representation of Ashton Lane from the vantage point of the Ubiquitous Chip – a fitting nod to the Glasgow institution where chef-proprietor Ian Brown spent the past 20 years as head chef.
Of course, eyebrows are being raised at the opening of a new fine-dining establishment in an economic climate where restaurants are closing and prospective diners watch their pennies, but Brown and wife Sheila have embraced the challenge with an enthusiasm that radiates throughout the restaurant. Brown has struck free from the stalwart Scottishness of the Chip and, as a result, the menu has a more contemporary feel.
26 THE LIST 17 Feb–3 Mar 2011
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One of Glasgow’s best chefs now out on his own Small capacity means it can be a squeeze
The less formal setting also allows the personalities of the proprietors to shine through. To start, a plump pig’s cheek balances on herb-peppered polenta and is so meltingly tender it’s a wonder it can hold its shape at all; the intense rich and meat set against the sweet roundness of a madeira jus.
For an impressive main, ruby red slices of pigeon breast top a generous puddle of bacon-salted lentils surrounded by velvety cream sauce with morel caps. Juicy-pink collops of venison, accompanied by a dense white
pudding and anise-scented red cabbage, are similarly substantial. A rice pudding with baby figs gives a caramel comfort to the end of the meal while the smooth yet zesty lemon ‘dream’ is an uplifting alternative. With an impressive mid-priced à la carte, and a set price menu at an unbelievably good £11 for two courses, the restaurant has caught the attention of Clarkston locals. Brown wants people to be able to stroll along midweek and enjoy a good meal without fuss or breaking the bank – a worthy ambition, but given that they have been full to their 40-seat capacity every night since opening in November (despite the snow that paralysed the city), a bit of pre- planning and booking is pretty much essential.
IAN BROWN FOOD AND DRINK www.ianbrownrestaurant.co.uk
55 Eastwoodmains Road, Southside, Glasgow, 0141 638 8422
Tue–Sun noon–2pm, 5.30–9.30pm Ave. price two-course meal £11 (set lunch) / £21