FOOD & DRINK RECENT OPENINGS
SUPPORTED BY
FLYING HIGH In Edinburgh’s Newington, Paul McLean finds the former Café Metropole soaring to success as The Apiary
T o avoid any confusion, an apiary has nothing to do with hairy mammals: it’s all about the bees. In fact, it’s really about the birds and the bees, as this Southside newbie is the younger sibling to Bruntsfield’s Three Birds. Their popular take on modern British grub has been successfully transplanted to this former bank building on Newington Road, its grand proportions softened by cosy booths, a chunky wood counter and playful bee-patterned wallpaper. Alongside some good options on the vegetarian and gluten-free front, lunch deals are cracking value at less than a tenner for two courses and there are some tempting share platters covering seafood, meat, ribs and curry options. A ham hock hash cake, crowned with hollandaise and a soft poached egg, is comfort food manna, while mini parmesan-crumbed pork schnitzels are given vinegary oomph from caper-studded gribiche sauce.
A simple pan-fried fillet of cod could do without its slightly tasteless crayfish bedfellow, but it’s a minor quibble. Make a beeline instead for the achingly moist warm coconut and cardamom sponge, bathed in dreamy Malibu and lime syrup.
THE APIARY
33 Newington Road, Southside, Edinburgh, EH9 1QR
0131 668 4999, apiaryrestaurant.co.uk Ave. price two-course meal: £9.50 (set lunch)/£22
The best of the new restaurant, café and bar openings in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Prices shown are for an average two-course meal for one.
Glasgow JUAN CHIHUAHUA
MEXICAN CANTINA & TEQUILARIA
373 Sauchiehall Street, G2 3HU, 0141 333 3940, juanchihuahua.com, £6.95 (set lunch); £14 (dinner) Don’t be put off by the nightclub look of Juan Chihuahua or the name; the fresh and flavoursome Mexican food quickly dispels any reservations. Owned by the same group that has The Garage on its books, the cantina and tequilaria is colourfully decorated and relentlessly lively. The menu, presented in the form of a newspaper, offers affordable prices for its steaks, fish dishes, tacos and burgers, plus enjoyable fajitas. For dessert, churros with chilli chocolate sauce are the indulgent option, or you can round off your meal with a top tequila tipple.
THE BUTTERFLY & THE PIG WEST BAR & TEAROOM
2 Partick Bridge Street, G11 6PL, 0141 337 1200, thebutterflyandthepig.com, £7.65 (set lunch); £12.50 (afternoon tea); £16 (dinner) TB&TP’s new West End venture combines a cosy pub and restaurant with a wide, sunny tearoom upstairs. Behind the modern buff-brick, plate-glass façade they channel the same shabby chic vibe as the city centre original. Afternoon tea features dainty cake-stands with doorstop sandwiches, fancy cakes and topped oatcakes with a wide range of teas. The bar area has huge saggy sofas, while off to one side a more formal
restaurant area serves the same menu as the Bath Street bar, including the much-craved Butterfly and Piglet burger, with those thick, crunchy chips.
INDIAN COTTAGE INDIAN
42 Albion Street, G1 1LH, 0141 552 4754, indiancottageglasgow.com, £6.99 (set 3-course lunch); £13 (dinner) This quirky Trongate restaurant, with adjacent takeaway, showcases the culinary skills of chef-owner Manoj Singh. There are no real surprises on the menu, but prices are more than reasonable and traditional favourites are individually created and well crafted from fresh ingredients, with the dal makhni a notably luscious, creamy concoction. Chicken bhoona sauce is thick and plentiful, while lamb saag is infused with dark and delicious spinach. Service is eager and efficient, and it attracts a lively crowd at weekends.
Edinburgh
THE BASEMENT BAR & MEXICAN BISTRO
10–12a Broughton Street, EH1 3RH, 0131 557 0097, thebasement.org.uk, £14 (lunch/dinner) Long-acknowledged as an atmospheric wee hideaway for a late-night drink and a Mexican- flavoured bite to eat, The Basement’s recent purchase and refurbishment by the Signature Pubs group (whose portfolio also includes The Huxley and 99 Hanover Street) has been a breath of fresh air, even banishing the bar staff’s tacky Hawaiian shirts to the dustbin of history. A fresh, modern redesign includes quirky features like a wall of suspended plant pots, complemented by a similarly fashionable but adventurous Tex-Mex menu. Among the highlights are a fresh, fruity ceviche of sea bream, chilli and pink grapefruit and a pot of cochinita pibil (a thick stew of pork belly and pulled pork), while the familiar fajitas, enchiladas and tequila cocktails are also available.
SUREE THAI THAI
42 St Stephen Street, EH3 5AL, 0131 226 5111, sureethai.co.uk, £9.95 (set lunch); £15 (dinner) Maneewan ‘Eev’ White named this new Edinburgh restaurant venture after her late mother. Simply furnished with dark tables and neutral wall colours, the small space is lifted by some attractive wee features such as the carved wooden cornicing. The menu largely sticks to the well-worn favourites of red and green curries and stir fries although those who are already familiar with Thai food are encouraged to ask for any old favourites ‘off-menu’. Larb salad of pork mince, ground rice and herbs is bursting with the vibrant tang of fish sauce, lime leaves and chilli while the fruity red duck curry successfully marries sweet and salty flavours and is attractively presented in a copper pot.
PIG IN A POKE TAKEAWAY
95 Rose Street, EH2 3DT, 0131 226 1616, piginapoke.co, £3.80 (standard roll) Owner Niall Middleton’s track record in providing hog roasts at festivals and other events means the pig is pretty much the whole point of this new place and the 18-hour roasted porker is proudly displayed in the window to tempt passers-by. It’s cheery inside with retro pendant light fittings, diner-style menu boards and a chunky wooden counter-top. Pork rolls come in two sizes, regular and with extra meat, and can be served in white or wholegrain rolls or wraps. Condiments include mustard, chilli, BBQ or apple sauce, with optional coleslaw or red cabbage on top. You can further pimp your piggy by adding or omitting proper crunchy crackling or stuffing.
Independent write-ups on all the restaurants worth knowing about in Glasgow and Edinburgh are available on our online Eating & Drinking Guide at list.co.uk/food-and-drink
34 THE LIST 20 Mar–17 Apr 2014