Once more, MJ is away on her travels, this time frolicking in the fields of Scotland like a dappled deer. She’ll be gambolling around making contented whinnies, as she dreams of the pecan groves of her youth. Bless her heart.

So, left unsupervised once more, I resorted to a quick Lunch Quest solo, today, and took inspiration from those delightful darlings at Lunch Quest: London, and went for a walk on the grease-side.

Snax is a hidden gem of comfort stodge, carefully secreted behind Princes Street, near that famous vaudevillian haunt, The Penny Black. In my version of youth (involving less pecans than MJ’s), we used to get the folks at Snax to deliver us link sausage rolls (two with red sauce, one with brown) a couple of times a week, using a dear old fax machine to manage the transaction. “Fax Snax” was the cry of the hungover hoards.

I misty-eyedly digress.

Snax can be relied upon to provide no-nonsense grub for reasonable prices. All day breakfasts, hot and cold filled rolls, and a range of luncheon options are available to the hungry Horace on the hoof. You can even sit in on a high stool and eat your chosen items on the premises.

Today I chose chilli and chips.

I was rewarded with a good portion (more generous on the chips than the chilli) of hot sustenance. The chilli had just the right amount of poke for lunchtime, with a good mixture of textures, from soft beef mince and kidney beans, to crunchy peppers. The chips were crisp and satisfying.

Snax is not catering to the sophisticated palette, but its brand of hot and hearty comes in surprisingly handy on Scotland’s “scorching” summer days. It’s well worth popping in, saying hello to the ever cheery staff, and partaking of their warming wares.

Today’s Lunch Quester was: Blythe solo.

He wore: His fourth favourite Turnbull & Asser tie.

He ate: Chilli and Chips

He drank: Nothing (I had just had a cuppa before lunch).

Total Bill: £3.40

Snax

15-17 West Register Street

Edinburgh EH2 2AA