FOOD & DRINK RECENT OPENINGS
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RISING IN THE WEST Keith Smith reports on the opening of a small, but impressive restaurant in a less fashionable quarter of town
S ituated at the less glitzy end of Morrison Street from the Conference Centre, the Atelier is an unexpected find, a sense that’s confirmed by the procession of passers-by peering through the plate-glass windows and ogling the menu. Inside, the exposed brickwork, grey-blue hues and modern wooden furniture could easily be the mark of a relaxed bistro or smart, contemporary bar, yet the kitchen aspires to a level of presentation and technique reminiscent of many of Edinburgh’s swankier establishments. Certainly this is a newcomer with the potential to be a contender. Scallops, sweet and firm, contrast nicely with the earthy, salty combination of braised oxtail and smoked cauliflower, while cod with baby squid, chorizo salsa and sweet potato fritter is a delight, the yielding flesh and crunchy skin of the fish well served by piquant sausage and sticky tuber. Elsewhere, pigeon and Spanish black pudding comes with a variation on crispy seaweed that doesn’t quite marry, while pork three ways (perfectly prepared cheek, belly and fillet) is almost two dishes in one, accompanied by both girolles and lentils Provencal, as well as star anise-spiced apple puree and Chinese greens. It may still be a place that’s settling in, finding its feet and getting to know the neighbours, but there’s plenty to be impressed with.
THE ATELIER
159–161 Morrison Street, West End, Edinburgh EH3 8AG
0131 629 1344, theatelierrestaurant.co.uk Ave. price two-course meal: £20 (lunch/dinner)
The best of the new restaurant, café and bar openings in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Prices shown are for an average two-course meal for one.
Glasgow CAFÉ LOVESTRUCK CAFÉS
751–753 Pollokshaws Road, Southside, G41 2AX, £8 (lunch) The fellows who have been wooing Southsiders with home-made, New York-style, flavoured cheesecakes have now opened their own place in Strathbungo. On offer in this cosy parkside café, beside cheesecakes, are hearty breakfasts and a good selection of light lunches and snacks including chicken and coconut pesto sandwiches, Vietnamese pork with lettuce soup and a sticky marmalade cake. It is also serving Dear Green Coffee from the much-loved Glasgow roasters. With exquisite signature cheesecakes at only £2.75 apiece, and a seductively homey feel, the Bungo is sure to be struck with love for this new neighbourhood baby. Look out for evening openings soon.
INDIAN COTTAGE INDIAN
120 Dumbarton Road, West End, G11 6NY, 0141 339 2068, £4.95 (lunch buffet) / £12 (dinner) Formerly Rasoi Indian Kitchen, new management have taken over this tableclothed curryhouse near Partick Cross and created an enticing restaurant with quality food and eye-opening deals on offer much of the time. From occasional half price meals through
the week to buffet options every night, there are plenty of ways to enjoy their range of familiar dishes without a heavy hit to the wallet. Starters include pooris that go easy on the oil and light pakora, while mains include popular dishes such as bhoonas and biryanis, also various kormas including a creamy shahi dish thick with ground nuts and lightened by whipped cream, plus Goanese dishes and a range of fresh and vibrant karahi options.
NIKKI’S CAFÉ CAFÉ & TAKEAWAY 1160 Argyle Street, West End G3 8TE, 07786 737600, £7 (lunch) Nikki’s is a rarity these days, an unashamedly ‘caff’ café, with a menu offering breakfasts, toasties, baked potatoes and heartier specials such as home-made steak pie. It’s all reassuringly old-school – especially in Finnieston, populated more by trendy, upscale bars and restaurants. Personable Nikki can be found hard at work behind the long counter, cheerily chatting to the many regulars who frequently crowd out the few tables and tuck into the great-value breakfasts (under a fiver for the works – albeit with fresh coffee needing a supplementary boost up from the instant variety), or the well-presented sandwich options, fresh soups such as ham and lentil or Scotch broth and various home-made cakes and bakes.
Edinburgh MARY’S MILK BAR GELATO PARLOUR 19 Grassmarket, Old Town, EH1 2HS, 0131 629 6526, marysmilkbar.com It may have adopted the wholesome theme of an old- fashioned milk bar and assume the look of a quirky and tasteful wee café with its hints of art deco and pistachio colouring, but Mary’s Milk Bar harbours hedonistic temptations. Drawing together her background as an alumni of nearby Edinburgh College of Art, time served
as a professional chocolatier and a course of study at Carpigiani Gelato University in Bologna, Mary Hillard spends each morning churning enticing flavours of gelato and sorbet such as rose and almond or fig and honey. Around six options are available at any given time to takeaway or sit-in at one of three tables, and beyond straight-up cones and cups you can explore the menu of shakes, floats and sundaes, choc ices and hot chocolate drinks. You can even sign up for a tasting evening to discover just what makes gelato different to regular ice-cream, and how Mary sprinkles her magic into her home-grown Edinburgh version.
PICKLES OF BROUGHTON STREET LICENSED CAFÉ-BAR 56a Broughton Street, EH1 3QB, £10 (platter) Joining the merry and eclectic mix of food and drink operations along the Broughton Street strip, Pickles is part wine bar, part evening café, part victualer. Located in the basement space below L’escargot Bleu where Fred Berkmiller ran his Epicerie for a few years selling Gallic-themed specialities, Pickles retains the air of a connoisseurs corner by serving up cheese and meat platters along with a glass of wine, bottle of beer or a cup of tea or coffee. Later opening hours (it’s a late afternoon to late evening place) and the hideaway feel of the basement give it a clubbish feel, while blackboards, bar stools, leather sofas and walls lined with jars of pickles, preserves and chutneys emphasise the sense that this is a place that’s slightly off-beat but also unintimidating and friendly. If it had been around for decades it would be an institution. For the meantime, it just has to serve its time among Broughton Street’s curios.
Independent write-ups on all the restaurants worth knowing about in Glasgow and Edinburgh are available on our online Eating & Drinking Guide at list.co.uk/food-and-drink
36 THE LIST 19 Sep–17 Oct 2013