Food and Bev
Newsbites
Time flies
To be fair, with an elegant Georgian interior by its
principal architect, Robert Adam, EH2 Tempus- or,
to most of us, just plain
Tempus (25 George St.,
Edinburgh, T 0131 240 7197, www.eh2tempus.
co.uk) - had to be a classic, and from the cocktails
to the corkscrews, from the lighting to lunch,
it is. Also being in, let's face it, one of Britain's
classiest entertainment and retail streets makes it
hard to go wrong. The music is stylish and sexy,
and the feel is.do we still say 'laid back'? The
new daily menu (served by casually impeccable
staff) includes an omelette Arnold Bennett (fl uffy
and open-faced with smoked Finnan haddock)
for breakfast, a Crombie beefburger for lunch and
Loch Fyne smoked salmon for dinner. Tempus is
adjacent to the George Hotel, currently undergoing
a £5 million extension. At this year's Hotel Review
Scotland annual awards ceremony at Prestonfi eld
House, the George's general manager David Welsh
received a gold medal for the second year running.
French toast
While you wait for what we in Scotland laughingly
call summer, head for the languid warmth of the
south of France at
La garrigue (31 Jeffrey St.,
T 0131 557 3032, www.lagarrigue.co.uk), where
award-winning owner/chef Jean-Michel Gauffre's
food just might transport you to that wild and arid
land where the gentle breeze carries the scents of
rosemary, lavender, thyme, Iberian pine and the
distant Mediterranean sea. Instant recommends
the crab cakes with aioli and pomegranate, twice
cooked pork belly with apple charlotte and parsley
mash and the brioche pudding with chestnut liquor
ice cream washed down by regional wines. La
Garrigue (the name refers to a bush which covers
the Languedoc) was named Les Routiers Scottish
Restaurant of the Year in 2007.
Smart casual
<
For a chic dining experience with none of the stuffi ness
which often characterises upscale eateries, head for
Hadrian's Brasserie in the Balmoral Hotel (1 Princes
St, T 0131 556 2414), where you'll find a buzzy atmosphere,
super-attentive (but informal and friendly) staff and a menu
which showcases the very best Scottish ingredients, from
traditional Scottish favourites with a cosmopolitan twist
(haggis, neeps and tatties, smoked cullen haddock tartlet,
supreme of Scottish salmon with peas à la Francaise,
roast loin of Scottish pork) to innovative European dishes.
Start off with a cocktail next door in the
Balmoral Bar,
recently voted best bar at the Scottish Hotels of the Year
Awards. The Balmoral's Michelin-starred restaurant,
number one, kicked off 2008 by being named Fine
Dining Experience Award at the inaugural Scottish
Restaurant Awards. Details at www.thebalmoralhotel.com/dining/
restaurant2.htm.
Meat out
National Vegetarian Week is May 19-25. The
annual awareness-raising campaign to promote
inspirational veggie food and the benefi ts of a meatfree
lifestyle has been celebrated by the Vegetarian
Society since 1992. Press coverage for 2007
reached record levels, with a total circulation of over
280 million in newspapers, magazines and radio,
not to mention additional coverage on television and
online. Further info www.vegsoc.org/nvw/
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