FOOD & DRINK SUPPORTED BY
RECENT OPENINGS
TACO TIME
It’s been a while, but one of Edinburgh’s modern-Mex pioneers has finally re-opened their doors. James Teideman takes a wander down Leith Walk
L ucky Leithers have their Bodega back. Since the cult choice for modern Mex left Leith Walk, those in need of pretty-as- an-Insta tacos and marvellously mixed Margaritas have had to trek over town to their sister restaurant, Bodega TollX. But no more. Bodega Leith is back with a bigger, brighter branch and the same taco-focused formula, just a wee bit down the Walk from their former home (now occupied by Lucky Yu, from the same team). In Edinburgh’s cool climate, a jalapeño beer and a Ponche de Leche cocktail add a warm hue to the banana palms plus pastel pink-and- mint décor that conjures a (kind of) Miami-esque vibe. But whatever the weather, warm the taste buds with homemade guacamole or black bean dip and chips, or Korean wings with lime and sesame. Then it’s taco time. Take your pick from a tempting suite, like crispy tempura avocado with horseradish mayo, pork carnitas with red onion and feta, or sticky rich beef barbacoa with tomatillo salsa. Round off the Mex fun with their crocodile pie in lovely lurid lime or a palate-polishing blueberry and lemon sorbet. And just maybe another Margarita?
BODEGA
14–15 Albert Place, Leith Walk, Leith, EH7 4AQ
0131 555 1423, ilovebodega.com £20 (dinner)
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 FEIST BRUNCH CAFE
192 St Vincent Street, City Centre, 0141 221 6228, feist-cafe.business.site, £11.50 (lunch) The minds behind Finnieston’s Roast and Seb & Mili saw a city centre dearth in the breakfast-brunch-lunch scene and opened this semi-basement café in the heart of office land. The roomy space features red leather booths, stone walls and plenty of greenery, giving a homely DIY feel. There are morning rolls and full-on breakfasts, eggs on eggs on eggs, and a sandwich selection including burgers and toasties. A highlight is the croque madame, a hefty dish of in-house sourdough bread, melted gruyère, honey roasted ham and fried egg on top. The baked goods are another wonder to behold and partake. A great spot, whether on lunch breaks, shopping stops or business breakfasts.
stuff. That’s followed by a stream of popular Med dishes – falafel, keftedes, parmigiana – with all sorts of oily, garlicky, tomatoey interplay and a very high standard of cooking. The ingredients list is mighty for such a wee place. Only langoustines forego olive oil, instead served halved down the middle, and outrageously finished in ’nduja butter – incredible value, and perhaps the best dish of all. EVOO’s great value at lunchtime, too. Great overall, in fact.
SUISSI VEGAN ASIAN KITCHEN EAST ASIA
494 Dumbarton Road, West End, 0141 339 9331, fb.com/suissiveganasiankitchen, £14 (lunch) From the calm, contemporary interior where east meets west to the startling vegan food and charming service, Suissi is a revelation. Sharing and tasting is expected of diners from an extensive menu where dishes inventively criss-cross pan Asian boundaries. A myriad of mushrooms and freshly prepared tofu give heart to mains, which bring new zest and delicacy to familiar favourites, such as rendang and Thai curries. Carefully handled vegetable broths – be they Japanese, Szechuan or Malay style – ensure there is depth and flavour to the noodle range. Smoothly delicious ice- cream with pancakes or jackfruit fritters are unmissable.
EVOO MEDITERRANEAN BISTRO
112a Cowcaddens Road, City Centre, 0141 332 4032, evooglasgow.co.uk, £8 (set lunch) / £18 (dinner)
Edinburgh CAFÉ INK ARTS VENUES
Just round the corner from Scottish bistro Ardnamurchan, the same team have opened this delightful Greek–Italian small plates place. It’s EVOO (that’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil) by both name and nature, as warm bread arrives with rosemary and garlic-infused varieties of the
Edinburgh Printmakers, 1 Dundee Street, Tollcross, 0131 557 2479, heritageportfolio.co.uk/ cafes, £10 (lunch) Edinburgh Printmaker’s new home in Fountainbridge, is a cool space drawing on the Union Canal’s industrial vibes. Café Ink, on the first floor with a sunny courtyard, merges the edgy artiness of its home base with the friendliness and laid-back quality of a local café. The bacon roll combines a generous heap of salty, smoked bacon, steamed spinach and fresh greens, and a sharp
chilli sauce for the ultimate luxury twist on the breakfast butty, while the everyday avocado toast is similarly transformed by the addition of smashed, savoury edamame beans and succulent, smoky chorizo.
DAMM27 BARS & PUBS
27 Causewayside, Southside, 0131 667 6693, damm27.com, £7.50 (set lunch) / £18 (dinner) It would be downright churlish to mourn the loss of another traditional boozer when the update is as good as Damm27’s, where dark green tiles, leather booths and exposed brick work create a contemporary, luxe atmosphere. The food is unashamedly European: coq au vin, mussels and charcuterie, with small plates featuring squid tempura, cauliflower kale croquettes, and bone marrow mac and cheese. But this is a bar first and foremost. The cocktail list positively encourages daytime drinking, beers are approachable and there’s a weekly pub quiz too.
RAZZO PIZZA NAPOLETANA ITALIAN
59 Great Junction Street, Leith, 0131 554 4748, razzo-pizza-napoletana.business.site, £11 (lunch) / £11 (dinner) Clean and bright, Great Junction Street’s Razzo Pizza Napoletana’s menu offers a modest selection of starters including a delicious trio of arancini, which gently break open to reveal rice, peas and gooey mozzarella. Mains are exclusively pizza and pasta based. The pizza is excellent with a plentiful covering of quality toppings and thin, lightly charred bases. Penne all’arrabbiata calabrese also exceeds expectations, with ’nduja affording a spicy kick. The dessert range is tiny, but generous portion sizes mean the odds aren’t good on you getting that far.
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
46 THE LIST 1 Sep–31 Oct 2019