Today’s slightly challenging task was to get from one side of Edinburgh to the other, on foot, while grabbing lunch, coffee, and a farewell card for a colleague. The timescale: one hour. In the end, it proved entirely achievable, but that was in no small measure due to the speedy fuel I picked up on the way, at the entertainingly named Take it Away, Spud.

Exterior

As the name suggests, this is a takeaway baked tattie shop, located just through Stockbridge as you head towards town. With a Humphrey Bogart caricature in the window, the premises are a little cramped, but they do the job.

They have a range of fillings on offer with the organic lentil Bolognese taking my eye. A little sign on it proclaimed that it was made at the Garvald Centre, in Edinburgh. This is a local charity that offers creative opportunities and support for people with learning disabilities. I was happy to give their wares my support, so ordered a spud topped with that and a little cheese.

Spud

The friendly counter woman was quickly about the business of preparing things, and with minimal fuss I was on my way, to continue the cross-town trek.

The lentils proved to be very tasty indeed, with tasty tattie goodness lurking beneath, too. The potatoes at Rotato, with the extra-crisp skin, still rule supreme, for me, but this came in a close second.

So overall, I was impressed with the fare on offer at Take it away, Spud. It served my purposes, perfectly. It’s always good to see places offering direct support and opportunities to local charities, too, so well done them. I’d be happy to recommend you pay the place a visit.

Scores
Blythe scores Take it away, Spud
4/5 for food
3/5 for presentation
2.5/5 for setting
3.5/5 for service
giving an overall 13/20

I ate: baked tattie with organic lentil bolognese

I wore: big overcoat

Total bill: £4