Category Archives: Edinburgh

Edinburgh restaurant reviews

Another week in Edinburgh

Blasdale Home Posted on by

Not so wet this week.  Walked to work in shirtsleeves most days.  Very brave thing to do when in Scotland.

On Monday met up with Jimmie and had a few pints and a Chinese Meal in that Edinburgh Establishment of Jimmie Chungs, a Chinese buffet chain throughout Edinburgh.  After eating there a visit for another drink and entertainment at the Burke and Hare. Finally Whistle Binkies for a nightcap and some life music.  Must admit Jimmie Chungs was not that bad and quite cheap.  The Burke and Hare also was selling pints of Stella at £3.00 which is not too dear.

Tuesday met with Ed and Mary, where we had some pints at the Doric, and a bite to eat.  Haggis tatties and neaps for me.  Why is there always a drunk trying to tell you there are better places to visit in Edinburgh; the real Edinburgh.

Wednesday was liver rest day.

Flight back on Friday was better than usual, only 30 minutes late, so home by 21.00.

Another new resturant in Edinburgh

Blasdale Home Posted on by

One of those days when it rains, then hot sun and rain again.  Lots of those at the moment.  Managed to miss most of the showers, but was caught in one when on the way to lunch at the Café Royale for a pint of IPA with Mary and Ed.

In the evening I decided to try Shaws.  I had been given a flyer the previous day.  Shaws says they provide Scottish Cuisine with a Mediterranean influence.  They also provide three course meals of good quality for £12.95.  This cannot be bad, especially as I had gone over budget the previous day at the Indian resturant.

Started off with a duck salad.  Small slices of duck breast served with some leaves and reduced balsamic vinegar.  The duck was cooked so that it was very slightly pink.  A good starter.

The main course was chicken breast stuffed with haggis, served with  cream sauce, potatoes carrots and neaps.  Again this was very good.

Finally ate a sticky toffee pudding.

Shaws must be new, it is slightly off the beaten track in that you would not walk past it.  It is on 21 Old Fishmarket Close which is a very narrow alley running between the Royal Mile and Cowgate.  I would recommend the place.  They do the set three course dinners Monday through Thursday, and a cheaper lunch time menu.  There are five or so choices on the set menu.  They also have an A La Carte menu.

Their website is http://www.shawsrestaurant.com

Back in Edinburgh after our holiday

Blasdale Home Posted on by

We spent a couple of weeks camping in the South of England and in the South of France.  Got back on Saturday and then rushed over to Ely for a reunion with some Cambridge colleagues.  More information to follow on both these events.  Rosemary will be writing up our fabulous holiday in France, and I will be putting together the website pictures.

Now back in Edinburgh working for the bank.  Arrived in absolute torrential rain.  The evening turned out good though.  Ate at an Indian resturant and had a very good meal indeed.  The place was dry, so no alcohol today. The resturant is called Khushis, located in Victoria street and was established back in 1947 and has a website, though of course not from those dark days.

Edinburgh

Blasdale Home Posted on by

It’s my fourth week in Edinburgh.  Eaten at the usual places, the Mai Thai, Petit Paris etc.  The weather has been awful, cold and wet.  The longest day has now gone by.  The flights home have always been delayed, such that last week I was not home until gone 10.00pm.

 At least I have a couple of weeks off next week.

[Editor’s notes:  Too long in Scotland must have caused Steve to spell “fourth” as “forth” (as in bridge)] 

 

Back in Edinburgh

Blasdale Home Posted on by

I see my last blog entry was a month ago.  We have been doing quite a few things this month.  A visit to Cardiff for a long weekend and a trip around the London Docklands area with the Cambridge Society.  Alas I delegated these write ups to Rosemary who has failed to come up with the goods.

I am back in Edinburgh for a short trip.  Excellent flight up here, we left early and arrived in Edinburgh early.  The flight was full so I can claim it was a Green Flight, Mr Blair.  Lovely and sunny here, but how cold.  Cold East wind blowing all day.

At out at the Mussel and Steak, and had yet again a wonderful Rib Eye Steak, hung for three weeks, and served rare.  They do know what rare is, lovely.

Well that’s it, must get off to work now.  Should be here this year for at least four more months.  So looking forward to the next festival.  Maybe I can persuade Rosemary to come up here again. 

Night out in Edinburgh

Blasdale Home Posted on by

After working all Saturday, decided to have a night out enjoying myself.  Started out with a meal at my favourite Thai Resturant and bar, The Mai Thai.  Had duck for my main course, not the usual spicy duck, but one cooked with tomatoes and pineapple.  It was an excellent change to my usual dish.

Then it was off to Whistle Binkies where I listened to a band called Roadhouse.  A 70s-80s cover band. Excellent renditions of Stefan Wolf, James Brown – Play that Funky Music White Man, Kinks – You Really Got Me  Going, AC/DC – Highway to Hell.  A few pints later it was back to bed, and then an earlyish bus to the airport.

I had to get through security by 09:00, so that I could set up to buy the tickets for Glastonbury.  Both Rosemary and I tried, but by 11.30 we got the message all sold out.  Never once in that time did Rosemary connect to the website.  Who were all these people who were succesful in buying tickets!!

Final week in Edinburgh, or is it

Blasdale Home Posted on by

Arrived up in Edinburgh, lovely dry and sunny, but pretty cold outside. I am sitting in the Mai Thai expecting my Tom Yum soup and main course of duck.  Yes it is the duck yet again.  I am getting rather repetitive.

Already someone from work has suggested I be in the office when the changes go into production.  So looks like I will be here again, at least for a short while.

Mussel and Steak

Blasdale Home Posted on by

I am counting the days, only two more weeks of travel to Edinburgh.  I must make the most of the time I am here.

Travel from Luton was again a pain, the place was full of people going away.  Still half term in some county or other. The weather was damp and miserable in Edinburgh.

Visited the Mussel and Steak for one of the gorgeous pieces of red meat, cooked just correctly.  I did start off with some hot smoked salmon (cold) with oat cakes.  The salmon was delicious.

Met an Australian IT consultant there, think he had emigrated to the UK because of the jobs in the Health Sector.  He had been recommended the restaurant and was very happy with it.  Somehow we got to talking about flying, and it turns out his grandmother took up gliding at the age of 80.  Fantastic.

 I asked who I think was the owner of the Mussel and Steak, how long they had been open.  I thought it must be about two years, and in fact it is two years in May.

Mai Thai

Blasdale Home Posted on by

Another day of work, the weather is excellent in Edinburgh.  Ths sun is bright, and I have to close the blinds to keep it out.  Tad chilly in the evening as I walk around. 

Valentines day, so did not feel inclined sitting in a restaurant on my own.  So though of the Mai Thai.  Damn, full of couples eating romantic meals together.  At least the bar had a few people watching Rangers being beaten by Tel Aviv.  Had an excellent meal as usual, left it to the owner to decide for me.  So ate a Beef Rendang with coconut rice.

Their usual excellent service.

My last week with the bank

Blasdale Home Posted on by

I spent what could be my last week with the bank for a while.  Though I expect to be back again .  Not a lot happened.  I did visit a few restaurants.

Ate at the Mussel and Steak, and had yet again a very good rare sirloin steak.  The large steak had not a single piece of ‘chewy meat’, and was totally tender all the way through.

Tried a new Indian restaurant called Voujon.  It was quite a long walk from the hotel, aiming up Nicholson Street.  The place was well lit with trendy ceiling lights, and there was not a sign of flock wallpaper (which is a shame cos R says it is now high fashion).  The plates were all those modern white square dishes.  The food was well-prepared, but was the same menu as most other Indian restaurants.

The other two times, I ate in the hotel. It’s about time the menu was changed.  I did though visit Whistle Binkies on Thursday and saw half a set of a covers band playing Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Sex Pistols and many of the ’70s rock classics.

Slight worry about getting home.  There was snow in Aylesbury, and a small sprinkling in Edinburgh.  Waiting at the airport on Friday (over an hour late), I noticed all the flights to Birmingham were cancelled.