street food
Jo Laidlaw reports on the latest news and openings as Glasgow experiences a seafood boom
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side dishes Jimmy Lee of Salt & Chilli Oriental
We choose a street and tell you where to eat. Suzy Pope finds European delights and vegan treats as she makes her way along Edinburgh’s Easter Road EAT
here’s a definite waft of fresh paint around Edinburgh right now, starting with news that popular watering hole Dreadnought have bought Wee Leith Shop. This tiny place (seemingly abandoned during one of its legendary tarot readings) holds a special place in Leith folklore. They’re planning a weeny bottle shop, so cheers to that. Dine are getting ready to open their third space with work galloping apace at the Tollhouse in Canonmills, while Kora is set to replace Southside Scran for Tom Kitchin in Bruntsfield. In Glasgow, fish is very much the flavour of the past few months. Joining Crabshakk Botanics (see review, page 27) are Kelp in Cowcaddens Road, with a commendably tight selection of small, sustainably fished plates; Bearsden’s Scallop’s Tale, which combines restaurant with posh chippy (always a winning combo); and Fat Lobster’s long-teased opening is imminent too. Bucking the trend are Gōst, a new grill-house championing grass-fed ex-dairy beef, while Jimmy Lee returns to his hometown of Hamilton with a third branch of Salt & Chilli Oriental, his take on Cantonese street food. In Aberdeen, Kevin Dalgleish is set to open his first restaurant. Amuse promises a ‘relaxed yet refined’ dining experience, with an on-trend outdoor area and bar space for guests to enjoy. And finally, it’s happy birthday to the Royal Highland Show (Thursday 23–Sunday 26 June), 200 years old, and well and truly back post-pandemic. Come to Ingliston for the tractors, stay for the Highland coos: just don’t miss the chance to eat your way around the best of Scotland’s larder when you’re there.
POLENTONI Polentoni’s sandwiches alone give foodies a reason to venture to Easter Road. Italian ingredients like spicy salami and artichoke pesto sit between slices of fresh ciabatta. Since switching to hatch service, their popular fried eggs drizzled with truffle oil are now served on sourdough bread. We only hope their dine-in homemade gnocchi returns some day.
LITTLE FITZROY COFFEE Stopping by for a caffeine hit, you might be tempted by Little Fitzroy’s fully vegan menu (bar a few pastries, including the delicious Ukrainian honey cake). Pomegranatetopped salads with zingy dressings are on display alongside tempting homebaking.
OLD EASTWAY TAP Old Eastway Tap opened at the end of 2021, serving cask ales from Cross Borders: think rich porters and zesty IPAs. The atmosphere is laidback and friendly with a little hipster charm. Hot toasties and charcuterie boards offer fuel between pints, but the focus here is very much the beer.
THE PERCY The Percy restaurant and Persevere pub are owners Konrad and Dorota’s homage to Polish cooking (and drinking). Cured Baltic herring comes with a suggested shot of vodka and there’s no chance of leaving hungry after a main of rich beef goulash and crisp potato pancakes. The adjoining pub has all the dark-oak grandeur of a traditional Scottish joint, but with a huge mural of Warsaw proudly displayed.
TWELVE TRIANGLES Twelve Triangles offers a place to stock up on slow-fermented sourdough loaves and pastries made onsite. Bigger lunch options come in the form of stacked sandwiches, featuring their handmade ricotta, spicy kimchi, chutneys and jams between slices of rightly famous crusty sourdough.
June 2022 THE LIST 25
