On a windy Edinburgh Sunday, a little stroll to Stockbridge seemed like good idea; well, an idea, anyway.
Exterior
After a decent buffeting, it was time to seek lunchtime solace in a suitably appointed cafe. Henri, the smart French cafe and deli, was our choice.
I’d been for a visit, previously, to sample their espresso, of which I hadn’t been overly fond, but I was very impressed with the look of the place, so made a mental note to visit again, soon.
Soup and bread
I was joined today by my mother, Anne, who’d recently been with me for a soup stop at Firth of Froth.
While I suspect the real treats of Henri lie with their charcuterie, cheeses, and tartes, we were in need of the cockle-warming goodness that only soup can provide. Their soup of the day was an intriguing sounding Thai spiced pepper, so we ordered two bowls that.
Tea
The interior is split between a front deli shop, and a cafe to the rear. A fair battalion of waiters and waitresses flit between the two, not least because a large portion of the cafe dishes feature items from the deli counter. The constant flow means that catching someone’s eye is a fairly straightforward business, allowing service to remain brisk.
The soup proved to be very good, with a wonderfully aromatic and chunky broth providing us with just the warming comfort that was required. It was served with lovely, fresh bread.
We followed with a couple of pots of tea, which were every bit as good as the soup. The orange oolong was particularly delicate and refreshing.
So overall, I was very pleased with Henri. Again, I feel that another visit is required, next time with a cheese and meat lover, as I imagine a very relaxing afternoon of nibbling on delicious morsels can be had. Their impressive selection of wines also look to be worth investigating. I’d happily recommend that you pay the place a visit, soon.
Scores
Blythe scores Henri
4/5 for food
3.5/5 for presentation
3.5/5 for setting
3.5/5 for service
giving an overall 14.5/20
Today’s questers were: Anne, Blythe
We ate: Thai spiced pepper soup
We drank: water, orange oolong, darjeeling
We wore: windswept and interesting apparel
Total bill: £11.90
