My last post - from Australia

This is a ridiculously delayed post. In fact, I haven't given this blog much of my time over the last 6 months at all. That's because I left Edinburgh to travel before returning home to Australia, and since this blog is about Edinburgh, well, I can't really keep this blog up. So, this is my last post, unfortunately.

I'd love to start a new blog in Australia, but at this stage, don't know what that blog would be about. I love both cooking and eating out, but there are more blogs in Australia about these topics than I can point a cursor at. So, we'll see.

Meanwhile, I'm missing Edinburgh like crazy and can't wait to get back for a visit. When I do, I hope my favourite places - Artisan Roast, Under the Stairs, Passorn (to name only a few; many of which I didn't get a chance to write about) - are still there.

If anyone reading this has any questions about Edinburgh - not just about eating out or finding good coffee - please post a comment. I'd be absolutely happy to help. It's a wonderful place.

Thanks for anyone that's either subscribed to this blog and given me helpful feedback, or who's just dropped by to see whether it's absolute rubbish or not. Hopefully those in the latter category concluded it wasn't all that bad!

:-)

Cosy salvation at the Westroom

The snow that's hit Edinburgh has really taken it's toll. I've been kind of torn.

The view from Princes St up towards the Old Town and the castle is spectacular, and there's a stunning sea of white all around, at least until you look a bit closer at the brown slush around your ankles and then you find that solid ice has formed overnight and any coordination you might have doesn't seem to make a difference. Walking on lumpy ice is bound to result in a fall at some point, or at least an awkward, goofy stumble - one of those ones where you're not sure whether to laugh at yourself obligingly; look around to see if anyone saw; or attempt to hold your dignity intact and continue to walk on, eyes forward.

This is unprecedented for Edinburgh (snow, not poor coordination). I've been told it does snow, but not this much and not this early!

The city hasn't really known what to do with itself. People have been stranded on the M8 (highway between Glasgow and Edinburgh), for 12+ hours, people unable to get to work and businesses shut as a result, and peoples' houses are crippling in one way or another. Our humble abode, for example, has had boiler troubles for months and being puny Aussies we can't really take it. Well, everyone's going to struggle in a freezing house with no hot water, but it certainly hasn't helped that we've not long been back from a visit to Australia where we basked in a handful of 30 degree days.

So, when we finished work to come home to a letter from plumber - who'd been in the house installing a new boiler (which we were thrilled about) - telling us that out of his control, the house's water supply had frozen solid and so, we had no water at all, all we could do was rock back and forth in our own patheticness. It's not really a big deal. I mean really. But it's a tad frustrating, depressing and bloody freezing!

After some time squatting in our lounge next to the one electric heater that we have, and rocking back and forth for a while longer, we sought refuge at the Westroom on Melville Place (same owners of Monteiths and Sygn). It's a slick, cute, little bar/cafe/restaurant with a Swedish feel to it, and, despite its very polished look, it's blended with warm lighting and some traditional Scottish touches (the stag's head for example - not sure if it's real or not). These soften it, give it a very subtle rustic touch and make it damn cosy. I'm in love with the super cool screenprint - a panorama of Edinburgh with Calton Hill, a soldier on a horse, the castle, the Scott Monument and the other brilliant things in Edinburgh's skyline (not that the word 'skyline' really works for Edinburgh, but you know what I mean) juxtaposed. I'm also in love with the HUGE lampshades that hang from the roof, made with vintage floral fabric.

The Scottish factor is completely there in the food. This wouldn't be what I'd be after all year round, but with these temperatures, even if you like lighter food, you inevitably crave something richer. At the Westroom it's all about hearty, warming food such as fish and chips in a bag with chippy sauce and pickled onions, winter stew with root vegetables and rump steak with chunky chips. Desserts are apple and rhubarb crumble with custard, and warm chocolate brownie with ice cream, as well as the cheese board option. We had 'the pigs in blankets' for our main, which was good quality pork, coriander (the spice, not the herb in this case) and chilli sausages, wrapped in bacon and served on mash. Not really healthy, but that's not the point.

The other reason that the Westroom was a cosy little sanctuary for us after our boiler/water woes was because of the amazing mulled wine they had on offer. It wasn't anything like the nasty, face-puckering stuff I had at the German markets. Sure it was probably made with fairly cheap wine, but had been made with clementine peel (a citrus fruit that I don't think I've seen in Australia) and the perfect blend of spices.

Only complaint was having to walk home back to our freezing house. We now have a new boiler but the flat's taking its time in getting back to a more comfortable temperature. I'm contemplating heading back right now if only to drink mulled wine in such a cosy atmosphere with exciting aesthetics. Hmm...

I'm back in Melbourne

...but just for a visit. I'm here for my brother's wedding, which I'm stoked to be able to come back for, and it has the bonus of being at the time of the year when weather in Victoria is pretty good (good for their wedding, hopefully - it's next week - and good for giving me some time to defrost and soak up some vitamin D (while wearing SPF 30+, of course). There's been some rainy days I've been told, but it's been three days and it's been gorgeous. I did get a little chilly last night, but that's fair enough since I was only wearing a sun dress and thongs (flip flops to those in the UK), as opposed to thermals, coats, scarves and gloves. Ah, it's bliss.

I thought there was value in posting something from here since my driver for starting this blog was because I'd become accustomed to great food in Melbourne and wanted to review and reflect on the food in a city that was new to me: the lovely Edinburgh. 

Since I've been in Melbourne for my visit I've squished in plenty of amazing food. When I first touched down in Melbourne I stayed in a hotel in Spencer St (in the south of Melbourne's CBD), and so in the morning I lazily (and jet laggedly, if that's a word) wandered up to Queen Victoria Market. 

If you don't know it - either because you're not from Melbourne/Australia or because you've never been (in which case, you're a fool!) - it's glorious. There's a great market culture in Melbourne and it can be very affordable to shop at markets. 

I didn't buy much to take away because I knew I'd be moving around while I'd be here, but it was a feast for my eyes. The cheeses, the meats, the antipasti, artisan breads, teas, wines, honey, organic produce, wholegrains, as well as the hot food places that offer burek, pizza (from the Colour of Earth stall, which has several gluten free base options and some interesting toppings), kransky and more... my eyes were wide and I may have had a bit of drool coming out the side of my mouth. I love this about Melbourne - not drool, but the appreciation of great, fresh food, the multiculturalism and diversity and what this has meant for food in Melbourne, and the zest that people have for all of this. There's not just the Queen Victoria Market, there's also Preston, Prahran, South Melbourne and Footscray and Camberwell markets (all suburbs of Melbourne). I must say that I severely miss this about Edinburgh. The Edinburgh Farmers' Market is great, although much smaller, but it's less accessible in terms of price. Unless you buy what you need and not just what you crave, it can get expensive very quickly. 

To emphasise how much food I've had already and how much I love food, here's where else I've eaten since I've been here:

• Le Triskel, Hardware Lane, City (Authentic French creperie that serves savoury buckwheat galettes, sweet crepes, Breton cider and the most magnificant caramel macarons I've tasted without being to Paris yet)
• Casa Farro, Nicholson Street, Carlton (Rustic Italian offering woodfired dishes and lots of spelt options such as spelt and ricotta gnocchi and spelt pizzas. It's also my favourite Italian restaurant in Melbourne)
• Grill'd, Various - this one was in Hawthorn (Gourmet burgers with choices such as the Hot Mama, with harissa, tzatziki and roasted peppers; the Baa Baa Burger, with lamb, as well as terrific herbed chunky chips)
• Spudbar, as above (Gourmet spuds with loads of toppings. I had the Chili Bean and Mushroom, which had not only chilli beans and mushrooms but also cheese, chives, sour cream, fresh tomato and baby spinach)
• Los Amates, Johnston Street, Fitzroy - (A great Mexican joint with amazing food, a large (but not over the top) menu in colourful surrounds with super friendly staff, altogether rocking my world)

I've also stopped in at Haighs, my favourite chocolatier (there are several in Melbourne but it originated in South Australia), and I've also had several great coffees.

Ahhh, this might sound exhausting for some, or just ridiculously indulgent, but, how could I not? It's been glorious. I find in Melbourne, if you feel like Korean, you've got it; feel like Czech/Slovak food, I know of a place; feel like Middle Eastern, lots of options and, er, I think I've made my point. I gorged myself, and without breaking the bank.

As much as I adore the food culture in Melbourne, I'll miss plenty of things about Edinburgh when I finally come back here. There are things we just don't do as well, or at least, our produce isn't as good (although with such different climates, that's fair enough to a point).

In my visit, I've brought home some bottles of raspberry vodka for a couple of my friends and it's pretty special. Special enough to thoroughly enjoy just over some ice. None of that Absolut stuff... this is proper, tart, intense, sweet, real raspberry vodka from East Lothian from a favourite shop of mine, Demijohn. My point is actually that berries in Scotland are incredible and shit all over Australia's. As does Scotland's game, pork, seafood (I think), fish (I think, although I loathe haddock, which is on almost every menu here), and the dairy and cheeses are pretty damn good too (by that I don't mean the orange stuff they sell at Tesco - head to Iain J Mellis in Victoria Street). Combining the point about pork and raspberries, I dropped into a wee farm with a wee shop near St Andrews, and admired the produce, but mostly admired the big, healthy looking pigs gorging on a pool of raspberries. Their snouts were coloured by the red slop and I couldn't help but feel strangely jealous. 

Yes, Scotland's produce is excellent. I found myself quickly missing its porridge too, because when I woke up the morning after arriving I ate an instant cup of Uncle Toby's and it was a gluey, sloppy mess. Stoats (at Edinburgh Farmers' Market), is much different; much better, AND you can get Cranachan porridge (with raspberries and topped with toasted oats) or things like whisky and honey porridge.

Being back in Melbourne has been great. There's no denying that it's great to get some sunshine and warmth, catching up with friends and family and returning to my old stomping grounds. I do love the food here, but there's great things about food in Edinburgh, especially if you know to try the things I've mentioned and try Scottish cuisine in general, including haggis - it's delicious.

Passorn Thai - quite possibly the best in Edinburgh

Since some mates of mine were living in Marchmont for a month or so and on their walk into town, came across Passorn in Brougham Street, I've been back at least twelve times. And that was only about two months ago that they discovered it. I love Passorn so much, I genuinely crave it.

Passorn's a relative newcomer on the Edinburgh Thai scene. Brougham Street's not an ideal street either - it has a few other small restaurants, but the street doesn't lead anywhere except Bruntsfield Links. The owners were definitely taking their chances with the location - I've heard many restaurants in Brougham Street have shut down over the years. I hope Passorn has a better chance and so far, it seems to be doing well. Its atmosphere inside is warm yet modern, and is a great escape on rainy days (most days, in other words).

Passorn means 'Angel' in Thai, and the restaurant's mantra is that you'll have an 'angelic dining experience' there. I'm not sure I'd use those words, but it's such a beautiful, intimate, modern and relaxed interior and the service is really attentive and very friendly. In fact, the service is more than I personally would need and more than I pay for (I think the prices are excellent for the quality), but I go for the food. As I've said in earlier posts, I actually get a bit uncomfortable about napkins being laid on my lap, water being poured for me and rice being scooped on to my plate. I still appreciate it, awkwardly, it's just that I don't feel I need it. If you like this kind of service, then you'll appreciate Passorn all the more. Especially since its prices are not as high as those at Dusit in Thistle Street (known as the classiest, most premium Thai cuisine in Edinburgh).

The food is exquisite. The menus - either the great value pre-theatre menu if you get there early enough, or the A La Carte menu - are small but well-considered. There's something on the menu for everyone I believe, with dishes containing wheat clearly marked as well as several vegetarian options. The Plar Neur (Thai beef salad), offered as a starter, is the best I have ever had. It's served in a small lettuce bowl, and made up of wonderfully-tender beef, fresh mint, coriander, lemongrass, shallots, lime leaf, chili, and in a marinade so delicious that I wish I could take the plate into a private room and lap it up.

I can't claim that I'm some adventurous Thai-food lover or that I know authentic Thai food. I haven't been to Thailand! But, in the context of Thai restaurants in Melbourne and Edinburgh, Passorn is right at the top for me, and ticks all the boxes.

Equally other favourites of mine are the lamb shank massamun - two plump, slow-cooked shanks in a beautifully-spiced curry and topped with crispy fried onion. I have my classics that I struggle to resist, like the panang curry - the flavours are just so good. But, for something a little different, try the monkfish (quite a meaty white fish) in turmeric sauce. It doesn't have the zest that other dishes do, but is great if you want something more subtle.

Food's consistently done well here. On my many visits, the portion sizes have always been reasonable, the beef in the Plar Neur is always tender, and the prawns in the starter are always fresh, tender and not greasy despite being fried. I know that when I crave it, I'll go there and have my expectations met.

If you love Thai food, go to Passorn. Angelic experience or not, the food is sensational.

Great burgers in Edinburgh - a comparison of reputedly awesome burger joints

I've based this post mostly on my boyfriend Grant's opinions, rather than mine. He's a fantastic judge of burgers and all things meat and, it pains me to say that I'm wheat intolerant, so I don't often have burgers. It's nothing drastic and I won't break out in a rash or get a bulging eyeball if I eat a small amount of it, but if I eat something like a burger then there's a good chance I'll get a nasty stomach ache and feel generally unwell. I won't lie, sometimes it's absolutely worth it.

There are a few places in Edinburgh known for good burgers, although Grant and I haven't tried them all. The ones I know are:

• The Cambridge Bar (Young St, New Town)
• Wannaburger (Queensferry St, West End)
• Gourmet Burger Kitchen (George St, New Town) 
• The Holyrood 9A (Holyrood Road). 

The Cambridge Bar and the Holyrood 9A are both pubs, whereas the others are cafes. I think the Holyrood 9A is also quite young, and isn't as well known, but the Cambridge Bar has been around a while. I'm reviewing these two mostly because they're both pubs - and I like pubs - and both known for great burgers. There are probably endless places that have a burger as an option on their menu, but these places make them their focus.

The Holyrood 9A
We've been to the Holyrood 9A a couple of times now and the place itself is a great blend of slick and cosy (high ceilings, dark wood and floorboards and the odd stag print, plus heaps of boutique beers on tap). The service is friendly and casual but on the ball. Ah, but the burgers are excellent, with thought put into the menu to offer something for everyone - including haloumi and portobello mushroom burgers for vegetarians.

On these two occasions Grant's had the 'MOS' and the 'Bacon Guacamole'. The MOS was sauteed mushrooms with a subtle taste of rosemary, a juicy and plump beef patty and Swiss cheese on a sourdough roll, and the Bacon Guacamole burger, was, er, pretty much as it sounds, but really fresh and tasty. I had a sneaky bite of these burgers and could easily have wolfed into more but I'd ordered a couple of non-burger small dishes instead: lamb kofta with cucumber yoghurt and chicken skewers with a chili jam (there are also a few other non-burger items on the menu). Both were simple dishes, and I think they could have been more heavy-handed with the spices in the lamb kofta, but they tasted good, the meat was succulent, and the price and serving size was reasonable. I think next time I might take my chances on the stomach ache, knowing that I'll get a damn good burger and it'll be worth it.

The Cambridge Bar
At the Cambridge Bar, the menu is more limited. It's strictly burgers. Not a bad thing, really. Easy for Grant, but for me, they had the option of 'low-carb burgers', minus the bun but with extra salad (because of the wheat factor, not because I'm watching my figure). I chose the Hawaiian and he went for the Aussie (I realise how predictable that must sound).

Grant's Aussie was the typical leaning tower you'd expect from something with beetroot, egg and pineapple as well as the beef patty and bun, although unfortunately the ultra refined and slightly stale bun made it even more difficult to eat because the bun was so refined and dried out. It crumbled and fell apart. Not cool, considering the bun is the means with which to grasp the burger and shove in one's mouth. Just a shame, when there was a fair bit to like about the rest.

The benefit of my low-carb option was being able to taste the actual patty and toppings better without the aforementioned dry, refined bun. The patty was a little dry, but with a nice beefy flavour, and topped with a great mature cheddar, satisfyingly-salty bacon and grilled pineapple. Nice balance of salty and sweet.

But another disappointment: the chips. I know this is meant to be about burgers - not chips - but chips are the common sidekick to burgers. At the Holyrood 9A they use shoestring fries - rather than hand-cut chips or something more original (some Australians might think the herbed chips at Grill'd spring to mind) - but they're at least freshly-cooked and crunchy. The ones at Cambridge Bar were chunky, yet withered things that may or may not been sitting in a bain-marie-type vessel for some time. In the land of chip-lovers, I wonder if this would break Edinburghers' hearts.

Oddly enough, the thing that impressed Grant most about the Cambridge Bar was their strawberry milkshake. It was made with a premium ice cream and real strawberries, which might sound ridiculous, but with many made with supercharged, artificial topping, it's something to be very happy about. To flip it back to the Holyrood 9A again, they do milkshakes too: I'd say their chocolate one is just as orgasmic, very chocolatey, in a more authentic way.

My recommendation
For a burger hit, go to the Holyrood 9A over Cambridge Bar.  We still enjoyed our food at the Cambridge Bar, but the Holyrood 9A won us over first and the Cambridge Bar's delivery didn't stand up to its reputation compared to the Holyrood 9A.

For a cheaper option if you're in the West End of Edinburgh, you could always go for the much more casual, American diner-style Wannaburger. It's not a place where you'd hang out for much longer than it takes to wolf down your burger (although you can get beer on tap now) but still tasty, reasonably-priced burgers.

Are there other great burger joints? Have I rated these ones unfairly? I'd love to know what you think.

The search for great coffee in Edinburgh

I like tea, but it doesn't set my world on fire like coffee does. Shame because they do tea so well in Edinburgh - and probably Scotland in general - and probably the UK in general.

Unfortunately coffee isn't appreciated as much as tea here. In Edinburgh, coffee can be really hit and miss. When it's great it's rich, smooth, oh-so-satisfying and great to look at, BUT when it's bad, it can taste like licking a road.

This blog is primarily about food and I think: why write about finding great coffee when someone else has already done a sensational job of it? I know someone who writes a great little blog called 'Edinburgh Coffee Lovers' (best consumed with a nice flat white).

I must say that based on where I've had coffee, the ratings in this blog are bang on. There are some absolute gems rated in this blog, as well as some shockers to avoid - if you don't care for scorched tongues, face-twisting bitterness or coffee that tastes like gravy.

KG's Coffee Shop in William Street - worth a visit if you love great coffee and wholesome, quality lunches

I live in a quaint little street here in Edinburgh, William Street in the West End. My end is full of wealthy ladies' clothing boutiques (useless to me) and three pubs (not so useless, but I don't drop in as often as I could).

A couple of months ago, a little coffee shop opened in the other end of William Street, but being down the quieter end and not screaming out, it wasn't until my boyfriend popped in to try their coffee that we realised we have a haven of good affordable coffee in our own street and excellent food (although, before you get too excited, you'll need to go there during the week - they're not open on weekends unfortunately).

Ewan and Mark, who run KG's ('K' for Scotsman Ewan's surname Kasprowicz and 'G' for Englishman Mark's surname Green), are super friendly and chatty guys. We struck up a conversation with them when we first came in about how they lived in Melbourne for several years, working in restaurants and cafes there (Ewan's the chef and Mark's the barista).   They told us they loved Melbourne, and when dreaming up their new business, they were keen to offer West End locals healthy food and variety, making good use of Scotland's excellent produce. They didn't want to just offer sandwiches or stodge. They also added that coffee in Edinburgh is generally crap (as in, you have to be selective - there are definitely some great coffee spots here).

Mark uses Artisan Roast beans. Well, lots of cafes in Edinburgh do, and they like to make a point of it, even though high-quality Artisan Roast beans are useless unless combined with a good machine and someone who knows how to use it (and I don't profess to be one of these people).  Thankfully, Mark's coffee is smooth, strong, full of flavour, with crema intact and looking lovely. Your sugar is no good here.

Back to Ewan's food. As I said, I was amazed that when I first went in there, it's not all about sandwiches. Sandwiches are a big lunchtime thing here, and it's fair to say they're easy and can be really healthy, but they can also be dull, and useless people who must eat gluten-free.

They still serve sandwiches here - as well as stovies, a Scottish potato and meat stew - but the fillings for the sandwiches are presented in a glass cabinet in KG's that is vibrant with colour - filled with roasted Mediterranean vegetables, caramelised onions, tomato and basil salad, roasted parsnips, thinly slized chorizo and good-quality ham. Always fresh-looking, not like the congealed slop you see in the refrigerator cabinets in some other sandwich shops.

Aside from this variety, I love Ewan's hot lunches. They're 3.80, regardless of the dish, which changes daily. I've had grilled crispy sea bass with a citrus salsa and rocket and roast new potatoes, chicken and sweet potato curry, roast chicken breast with crispy pancetta and tomato and vegetable ragu, as well as more hearty dishes like sausage and parsnip casserole. It's always been hearty and been wholesome, with plenty of vegies. Ewan must feel strongly about this, because he never falters. I could eat his lunches every day and know that I'm eating well. And 3.80?! I've paid much more for this kind of food in restaurants, and been more impressed with the quality of Ewan's food.

As well as these hot lunches, there are two hot soups each day. I could get soup from the cafeteria at my work, but don't see the point when they're always delicious, interesting and wholesome here. My favourite's the Thai butternut squash (which, as an Aussie, I know as butternut pumpkin). Finally, I also need to commend Ewan for his sausage rolls.  He makes them with pork (which is great in Scotland), plus sage, apple and Arran mustard "from the Isle of Arran," Ewan emphasised. All wrapped in flakey, caramelised puff pastry.

I'd love these guys to open their shop on weekends, and to make me breakfast, but as most of the customers are from the local West End businesses, it's not viable for them to be open on weekends. This won't stop me going constantly for my morning/afternoon coffee and hearty hot lunches and soups. If you're in the West End, bypass Pret a Manger for a change, and give KG's a try.