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LATINO FOOD Spicy delights
As a result of the ongoing interest in all things Latin American, there are several places in Edinburgh and Glasgow that serve up the spicy delights of the region's cuisine - and some tambien, that distinctive Latino atmosphere.
At Edinburgh's (uhu Nm-nl(192 Morrison Street, 0131 221 1430) food is firmly on the agenda, plus drinking, dancing and general revelry. Lunch consists of filled Cuban breads and Cuban cigar-style wraps stuffed with a choice of fish, chicken, seafood or vegetables. There are also reasonably priced two and three-course deals “SSS-£7.95). Dinner is a more heavyweight affair with the emphasis firmly on meat and fish dishes served with a mixture of sweet and savoury accompaniments. Tapas, served all day, include sweet potato fries, olives and Cuban breads and salads.
For several months, there has been talk of Cuba Nnru‘coming to Glasgow, possibly on the site of the Cathedral House restaurant, but owners remain mute on their plans. In the meantime, the West End's Cntlfm's(93-95 Hyndland Street, 0141 357 5825) is helping to fill the gap with 'Everybody Salsa’ on Friday 22 September with music from Latino 2000 and Club Cubana. Proceeds from the £10 entry 90 to restoration of the Cottier Theatre. The food at Cottier’s steers towards South America with sizzling planchas, a Brazilian fajita, and other specialities such as Peruvian barbecued sirloin. And another dance party is scheduled for late October when the winner of the restaurant’s trip to Latin America contest will also be named. Also in Glasgow, the standard-bearing mwmm bar, restaurant and club (50 Hope Street, 0141 248 4466) continues to offer up Latin nights of food, drink and dancing til the wee hours.
Back in the capital, rustic and dimly lit Burm'rm (7 Victoria Street, 0131 225 5846), winner of Scotland's
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Glasgow and Edinburgh offer many tastes of Cuba
Style Bar Of The Year, deals solely in Cuban appetisers that supplement the wide range of drinks. All the dishes are priced at £2.75 and most are meat and fish based. Some taste more authentic than others (for instance, mixed seafood Creole and black bean rice sit alongside garlic bread and seafood cocktail with Marie Rose sauce). And newcomer i3 Emu: (104 West Port, 0131 229 8805) has begun to serve burritos as fuel for the dancing and live music, which are its main focus. Served with side salad and rice, the wraps cost an affordable £4.70 and plans to expand the menu are afoot.
If you’re eager to create a home-made Latin American feast, then Bruntsfield's tum "Ir-rm (24 Leven Street, 0131 228 6241) sells all the necessary ingredients. Specialising mainly in Mexican, American and Spanish ingredients, it stocks fresh and dried chillies, breads, beans and hot sauces. It also carries a decent selection of Mexican beers featuring staples like Corona and 0053 Que as well as lesser-known brands. (Dawn Kofie)
Its rntenor features magnolia coloured furniture, complemented by aubergrne walls and zrnc, and cherry wood fittings. ’The Idea was to create a contemporary lookrng bar but wrth cocktail servrce, so the focus lS flrmly on the art of bartendrng,’ says managing partner Narrn Robertson. The selection of alcoholic COTTCOCIIOTTS rs vast: some 200 cocktails to choose from, whether old fav0urrtes or qurrky new combinations. Any day now, lunch wrll also be served from noon—~2pm. Cooks from hit-Irsted The Rock restaurant rn Lerth are drrectrng the kitchen to hearty fare Irke steak pre, salmon and spaghettr bolognarse. DIShQS wrll change monthly, ranging In
NOUGHTIES BAR Tonic
The words ’cocktall har’ can bring to mrnd gaudrly decked-out venues where cheesy Tom Crtuse wannabes strut
116 THE “ST 2i Sep—S Oct 2000
Cocktails 90 chic
around the gantry blithely Juggling glasses and bottles of sprnts. Tonic, a new addrtron off the west end of Eclrnburgh's George Street, IS attemptrng to drag the concept Into the noughtles. Stylish and uncluttered,
pTICE‘ from £49S—f695. Bar snacks Irke nachos, chicken wrngs and potato wedges Will be available from 4pm—1am, and are Just the thing to go With a Woo Woo, Cocaine Lady or a Cow Catcher. (Dawn Kofre)
I Ton/c, 34a Castle Street, Edinburgh, 0737 225 6437.
Spit or swallow
It’s all done in the best possible taste So the story goes . . 30$ Amerrcan actress, MaTJOTIQ King, was guest at Rancha La Gloria In Tuuana. The owner, one Danny Herrera, was mrxrng her a dnnk and dISCOVQTGd that sand screen belle was allergic to every sprnt under the sun save tequila. Thus the 'manorre’, or 'marganta', was born. It's one of those drinks: at best rt’s an Ice COld, Zlngy aperitif full Of tangy, rntoxrcatrng Latino sprnt, at worst, It's weak Irmeade that tastes Irke a quurd takeaway from yOur local burger outlet. Margaritas seem to vary so much In quality, but when you taste a really great one, you won’t forget It. For such a popular dnnk, however, the exact Ingredients and quantities often get confused. The classrc recrpe rs as follows:
0 Three parts tequila
0 Three parts fresh lime juice (not cordial)
0 Two parts Triple Sec
Put Ingredients together In a shaker wrth some crushed Ice. Shake and strarn Into a glass, seasoned With a frne rrm of salt, and serve wrth a wedge of Irme on the srde of the glass. COCkldll umbrella If y0u want to Impress
Usually Silver TeQurla wrll SUffICC, but If you’re feelrng flush try Gold Tequrla, Wthh has been aged Ill wood and has slightly more breadth of flavour. Also try upprng the lC‘QUIIa dose: usually wrth lTllaTIOUS consequences
A great marganta substitute rs based on the Chilean spirit, Prsco. DISIIlled from grapes, rt’s srmrlar to a very young eau-de-vre. Just add fresh lemon leCG, crushed rce, a dash of sugar (but no more than that) and the \'Vh|i€ of an egg. Shake It about a but and get a good froth gomg, and serve With a parasol. Or a cherry, or whatever rs COTTSldeTGd tasteful. (Gordon Haggarty) l Tequr/a Wide/y available. P/sco avar/ab/e from Oddb/ns.