Budding Chefs Pop-Up 2015

Posted on March 25, 2015 by BKR

Oysters

Oysters

While I languished in a pit of conjunctivitis despair, the wonderful events of the 2015 Budding Chefs programme, which I wrote about over on the Scran Salon website, reached their conclusion with a pop-up event at the French Institute on Randolph Crescent. Fortunately, Eleanor was available to take up the cudgel and sample the delights from this year’s crop of young talent.

Eleanor’s Verdict

Catherine, on her first event for Lunchquest, and I arrived at the Institut Francais d’Ecosse ready for an evening with the Budding Chefs.

Promised a Franco-Scottish dining experience, we weren’t disappointed.

Scallop

Scallop

Shown to one of their big reception rooms upstairs, round tables were laid out to one end of the room, with a wine bar to the right. Straight ahead of us were starter dishes of oysters and gravlax, while main courses of scallops and beef were set up on tables and hobs at the other end of the second hall, ready for cooking to order.

The Loch Fyne Oysters were served with fresh lemon, vinegar and shallots or bread (baked by Edinburgh Foody’s Danielle) and butter in the simplest and most traditional and tasty way. The salmon gravlax was well-smoked and served with a lovely dill mayonnaise.

Cheese and chutney

Cheese and chutney

Ready for the mains, the scallop sauté-minute was soft and juicy served in a fresh pesto sauce, and the Highland rump steak from Glengorm Estate was cooked before us in a flash with expert precision. The wine selection offered perfect companions to each dish and we chose a 2010 Bordeaux and a 2011 Odyssee.

We rounded the experience off with Isle of Mull cheddar and sultana chutney and a lemon curd dessert served with crumbled Breton biscuit.

This rounded out a thoroughly enjoyable evening; we could certainly have gone back for more! Thanks go to all involved in this fantastic initiative. We look forward to welcoming back the brigade on their next visit.

Posted in French, local produce, West End | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Khartoum Cafe

Posted on March 24, 2015 by BKR

Wrap

Wrap

My organisational skills have become increasingly haphazard, of late. One example of this is that I had long been meaning to pop over to Tollcross to visit the Khartoum Cafe for an age, and aside from one quick coffee stop, a few months back, I hadn’t been able to make it happen. I was glad to rectify that, today.

I was joined by regular guest quester Iain, who most recently joined at McTaggart’s. He works in this part of town, so is a regular patron at this rather lovely little Sudanese cafe.

Sudanese coffee

Sudanese coffee

The heart of their menu is a selection of wraps, with a strong emphasis on vegetarian options. We both settled upon a falafel wrap, opting for baba ghanoush and hummus as additional fillings. Given the wraps were presented cut in half, we each tried half of both varieties.

The wraps were very tasty indeed. The lightly smoky baba ghanoush was my marginal favourite, but both packed in loads of flavour and considerable charm.

Wrap

Wrap

We accompanied things with Sudanese coffee, which was new to me. The very friendly and welcoming counter men brewed us up a traditional pot to share. Heavily scented with cardamom, it was right up my alley, so I enjoyed it muchly.

So overall, I was highly impressed with the Khartoum Cafe. The busy little cafe space is a rather splendid place to lunch. I look forward to visiting again and would recommend you do the same.

Scores
Blythe scores Khartoum Cafe
4/5 for food
4/5 for presentation
3.5/5 for setting
4/5 for service
giving an overall 15.5/20

Today’s questers were: Iain, Blythe

We ate: hummus falafel wrap; baba ghanoush falafel wrap

We drank: water, Sudanese coffee

We wore: striped scarves (2)

Total bill: £10.20

Khartoum Cafe on Urbanspoon

Posted in African, Coffee shop, Edinburgh Cafe, Sandwich, Tollcross | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Troy

Posted on March 23, 2015 by BKR

Exterior

Exterior

Along with many other observers, I’d kept a close watch on the progress of Troy, on Dalry Road, as it edged towards opening over a number of months. As Gaby Soutar pointed out, given that it looked like it had been built out of individual matchsticks, it was little wonder that it had taken so long to reach completion.

But complete it finally is, and after an abortive visit shortly after it had closed, the other night, I timed it right for a breakfast visit, today.

Breakfast

Breakfast

It’s fair to say that the remarkable interior was entirely worth the wait. The amazing beam work is quite an achievement and the shelf they’ve built to proudly display a moped is remarkable. As Edinburgh restaurant interiors go, it’s out-there in its own crazy world. I loved it.

Their food is rather more conventional, but the centrepiece of the menu is a slightly unusual buffet set-up, which showcases Mediterranean dishes. I stuck to more esablished breakfast fare, but chose a Turkish breakfast over the more traditional full English combos that were also offered.

Interior

Interior

Included with the price is a coffee or tea, so I sampled their espresso. It was a new one on me, roasted by Planteur des Tropiques. It was one of the best continental roasts I’ve sampled in the city.

The breakfast dish soon arrived looking mighty impressive. Each element, and there were many, was of really good quality. The poached eggs were spot on, as was the sucuk, and the sigara borek was the best I’ve been served in Scotland.

So overall, it was great to finally see Troy unleashed on the public. It’s worth a visit just to see the truly bonkers design of the place, but I was mightily impressed with the breakfast, too. I hear middling reports about the rest of the menu, but I am still keen to see what delights their buffet holds.

Scores
Blythe scores Troy
4/5 for food
3.5/5 for presentation
3.5/5 for service
4.5/5 for setting
giving an overall 15.5/20

I ate: Mediterranean breakfast

I drank: espresso, water

I wore: full questing stripes

Total bill: £8

Troy Cafe-Bistro on Urbanspoon

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Pinto

Posted on March 22, 2015 by BKR

Exterior

Exterior

Pinto’s arrival in Edinburgh’s West End, a few weeks back, was heralded with their usual mass burrito giveaway. This guaranteed plenty of press coverage and lengthy queues. I let the frenzy die down a little, visiting once they’d had a chance to bed in.

I’d visited their Glasgow stores for breakfast and been quite impressed. When they opened their first Edinburgh shop, in 2014, I was a little disappointed not to see their good breakfast selection on offer. For my visit to their Shandwick place branch, I popped around mid-afternoon for a quick burrito.

Burrito

Burrito

The interior is rather smart in the informal cantina style, with a strong emphasis on wood and exposed stone. Service at the counter was via a little production line of assemblers, somewhat in the Subway style.

I opted for their barbacoa beef burrito with their standard toppings. I chose a sweetcorn salsa ahead of the fiery hot sauce options. With money exchanged, I was soon on my way, eating as I walked.

Interior

Interior

Much in the same way as the Mighty Mexican, the burrito was quite poorly wrapped and was leakily thin in places making for very messy eating.

The beef had good flavour but was rather dry. The corn salsa was good, but the rest was rather routine stuff. It was fine, but lacked the expected freshness and zing.

So overall, it was another rather mediocre burrito experience, which was a shame as I rather like Pinto’s schtick and had enjoyed a couple of visits to their Glasgow branches. It all just felt a bit formulaic, so I think their offering needs a little pepping up to impress the Edinburgh audience. If you visit you’ll be decently served in lively surroundings, but I doubt you’ll be overwhelmingly thrilled.

Scores
Blythe scores Pinto
3/5 for food
2.5/5 for presentation
3.5/5 for setting
3/5 for service
giving an overall 12/20

I ate: beef burrito

I wore: action footwear

Total bill: £5.95

Pinto on Urbanspoon

Posted in Mexican, Take Away, West End | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Annanwater

Posted on March 21, 2015 by BKR

Pie sign

Pie sign

It feels like I’m finally getting into a routine again, which is good considering how far into the year we are. The cornerstone of this has been getting out and about for a good wander on a Saturday, with the Edinburgh Farmers’ Market once again becoming a regular stop.

After a wee chat with Elaine from Union of Genius, who was on Dumbo duty, I stopped at the Annanwater hogget and pie stall to sample their wares.

Pies!

Pies!

It was one of their much-praised Scotch pies (£1.50) that I was aiming to try. With both cold ones to take home and heated ones ready to eat on offer, I opted for the latter and was soon munching as I walked.

Katey from Edinburgh Etiquette caught me with my face stuffed full of pie. It was lovely to run into her and her husband Gordon.

After a wee chat, I was soon tucking in once more. I really enjoyed both the pie casing, which was light and crisp, and the flavourful filling. It was very good stuff.

Pie!

Pie!

So overall, I was highly pleased with Annanwater’s pies. Give them a visit next time you’re at the market. I think you’ll be as impressed as I was.

4 stars 2

Posted in pie, Street food | Tagged , | Leave a comment