The Baked Potato Shop

As you may have noticed, I haven’t been paying too much attention to the notions of “dieting” or “detoxing” this January, but that doesn’t mean that I eschew healthier options entirely. Today, for example, we toddled along to the Baked Potato Shop, at the top of Cockburn Street. People inform me that it’s been there pretty much since the baked potato was invented, regularly providing tasty vegetarians treats.

We found the shop a little on the quiet side, today, so were quickly served. Soup of the day was Bombay potato, which sounded like a good option, so Gary and I both plumped for that. Imagine my horror when cold portions of soup were ladled in to a jug and stuck in a microwave, a similar show as I’d been treated to in Pasta Fresca, with overwhelmingly negative results.

Aside from anything else, this meant a big delay in our soup being ready, as opposed to if it had been ladled from a pot or cauldron. On a busy day, this could really impact on service, so just don’t see it as an idea with any redeeming features.

Our genial host highlighted one of their lunchtime meal deals, where we could team a roll and drink with our soup for the princely sum of £2.99. Having retrieved rolls, wrapped in cling-film from the drinks fridge (odd), we took his further recommendation and teamed a spicy hummus with some spinach and olive salad, and some mushroom and beans. He made sterling efforts to cram as much filling in the roll as possible, which was nice to see.

We completed the financial bit, then headed back to sample our victuals, at our desks.

I am very pleased to report that the soup was extremely good. It was thick, chunky, with lovely fragrant heat and satisfyingly bold flavour. Not to blow my own trumpet, but I make a soup that’s not dissimilar to this, and it’s a particular favourite with my mother’s discerning palette.

The sandwich was similarly good, with the hummus containing a nice fiery kick, and the veggies combining well. One of the dressings, perhaps from the spinach, was just a little too sweet for my palette, but the roll was still extremely tasty.

Overall, the food from the Baked Potato Shop was first class, and the lunchtime deal represented good value. I’ll certainly head back there again, and maybe this time I’ll go for one of their famous baked tatties. Now if I could just convince them to dispense with microwaving the soup…

Scores
Blythe scores The Baked Potato Shop:
4.5/5 for food
3/5 for presentation
2/5 for service
3/5 for setting
giving an overall 12.5/20

Gary scores The Baked Potato Shop:
5/5 for food
3/5 for presentation
2/5 for service
3/5 for setting
giving an overall 13/20

Today’s questers were: Gary, Blythe

We ate: spicy hummus, veg and salad roll (2), Bombay potato soup (2)

We drank: Coca Cola, water

We wore: Dr Marten’s footwear, lightweight racing tweeds

Total bill: £5.98

P.S. Just for Jemma’s sake, we paid them a visit to sample their baked tatties, today.

Gary ordered the large, which consisted of THREE baked tatties! My small was a perfect lunch-sized portion to my mind.

The tattie was good, but I wasn’t totally thrilled by the veggie haggis filling. It was a little on the dry and crunchy side for my taste, but had good haggis peppery flavour.

We’ve hopefully now covered all bases with this place