JUNE - BITE NEWSLETTER – contact@bitepublishing.co.uk

Bite Magazine is available in bars, restaurants, Oddbins/Nicolas, cultural venues, delicatessens, and cafés or at the Edinburgh farmers markets. Alternatively, download it at: www.bitepublishing.co.uk where you can also read our latest restaurant reviews. Out Now.



In this newsletter ……20% at the Sheraton for Bite Card Holders …. …Free glass of summer Prosecco for Bite readers at Zanzero ….Review of Tapa Spanish Barra y Restaurante ….win dinner for two at Zanzero.



NEWS BITES

FREE PIZZA FOR EVERY BITE READER! Edinburgh's premiere log-fired pizzeria and gourmet pasta restaurant, La Favorita, is offering every Bite reader the chance to try a classic 14” margarita absolutely free. The offer will run during May and June, Sunday to Thursday, and the only condition of the offer is that you purchase a main of equal or greater value. Anyone who has tasted La Favorita’s pizzas will tell you that this is an absolute bargain! 325-331 Leith Walk, Edinburgh EH6 8SA .Tel: 0131 554 2430 www.la-favorita.com



LEBANESE NIGHTS the Sheraton every Wednesday. The buffet menu combines mixed mezza, moutabal hummus, fattoush , tabbouleh, and stuffed vine leaves, fatayah b’sbaanegh (spinach turnovers with lemon and parsley) and sambousik (mince and pine nut pastries). Main courses include kharouf mahshi (roasted leg of lamb with red pepper, dried mint, garlic and cinnamon) and yakh’nit bamyi (okra stew with tomatoes, coriander and garlic). Delicious Lebanese desserts The Terrace, Sheraton Grand Hotel Every Wednesday, 6pm- 2 courses £17.95, 3 courses £22.95 Tel: 0131 221 6422 or email: grandedinburgh.sheraton@sheraton.com. Bite Card Holders get 20% discount



ZANZERO – Have introduced their summer menu. Authentic, ethically sourced ingredients are complimented by a luscious wine list. Take along your copy of Bite and receive a complimentary glass of summer Prosecco with each main course ordered (not valid with other offers). 14/16 North West Circus Place, Stockbridge EH3 6SX • 0131 220 0333





AUTHENTIC NEW DELI – Bite is hearing good things about this new deli. 208 Gorgie Road, - 0131 346 3273 http://www.iheartdeli.com







LEITH LYNX NOW OPEN Lobster Soup, Mussels, Clams, Oysters, Hamburgers, Pasta, Venison, Salmon, Sole, Haddock, Chicken, Steaks, Delicious Desserts and Coffee. 102 Constitution Street, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6AW - 0131 538 4796







ROSELEAF THIS MONTH - is month - 21st Fathers Day, Treat the "Old Man" to a Sunday Roast & pint of real ale, July 1st - Canada Day - pancakes & waffles with real Maple syrup to celebrate the leaf... in Leith! July 4th - Independence Day Come & Yankee themed food! July 13th - Get ready for Roseleaf's 3rd Anniversary!!! 23-24 Sandport Place, Leith, 0131 476 5268, www.roseleaf.co.uk









SUMMER SEAFOOD- Try The Forth Floor Terrace for platters, strawberries and champagne. Book online at www.harveynichols.com or call the Forth Floor Reception on 0131 524 8350 or go to The Ship on the Shore for Fruits De Mer and Bubbly for two, oysters and champagne or smoked salmon and a glass of Sancerre – 0131 554 6767









REVIEW OF THE MONTH - TAPA BARRA Y RESTAURANTE - Wishart's Warehouse , 19 Shore Place -0131 476 6776



My first trip to Tapa was to the opening where the ready flow of rioja and cava recalled nothing less that the infamous EED ‘wine lakes’. By 9pm guests and staff alike were in full flamenco swing. It was obvious; owners Kate and Robert Scobie know how to throw a party. I resolved to return soon.



Fast forward two weeks and the remit was simple: meet my friend and eat. On arrival I scanned a menu of tapas as long as your arm and noted that the vegetarian section is as extensive as the meat and fish. I ordered aubergines with honey to 'keep me going' and a large portion arrived along with complimentary bread and olive oil. They had been treated with the TLC that this vegetable demands. Their soft flesh was coated in a light, crispy tempura. The honey dressing was a revelation. I planned to save some for my friend but the slices were just too good and they disappeared one by one.



My friend didn’t arrive but Robert Scobie came to my rescue with a large glass of red. Encouraged, I ordered the Serrano ham and Manchego cheese platter (£6.00).Rolls of crimson Serrano were promptly popped into the mouth and chewed. Succulent with deep, earthy flavours. The Manchego was, well, Manchego, but none the less for being so. I love this hard, salty cheese washed down with a glass of full-bodied rioja. A saucer of boquerones too because who can resist? They are served with olive oil, balsamic and a squeeze of fresh lip-smacking lime.



On my third visit I had habas con jamon (£4.75), chorizo a la plancha (4.75) and a tapas-sized portion of paella. The grilled chorizo was spicy and sizzling like the Spanish sun.; a swirl of fragrant pesto was unexpected but worked. The broad beans with ham is an inland, rustic peasant dish; comforting. The paella had good texture and flavour from saffron, chicken on the bone, squid and prawns. Tapa is now serving paella as a Sunday speciality – a great idea for the summer.



Robert and Kate’s credentials are The Tapas Tree and Tapas Ole in Edinburgh and a year in Spain. Their passion for Spanish food is only surpassed by their flair for hospitality. A good skill set for a Tapas restaurant.





Bite Club is a gourmet food and wine club for Edinburgh foodies. Membership cost £75 per year for a single membership and £125 for a couple. We hold monthly events and meet up for good food, good wine and good conversation. For more info email us at contact@bitepublishing.co.uk



OUR NEXT EVENT WEDNESDAY JUNE 17TH

Tapas Ole! –– Tapa Barra y Restaurante – 19 Shore Place, Leith, 7pm. Spanish food & blind wine tasting with entertainment. Price £20 – Book Now!







COMPETITIONS

This month win Dinner for Two and a Bottle of Prosecco courtesy of Zanzero

To enter, visit www.bitepublishing.co.uk/competitions.ph

Closing date is June 10th 2009.





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'Jamie'

Has anyone seen the new magazine by Jamie Oliver? It's full of shameless promotions for his books and products and the references to his lifestyle and celebrity pals on planet oliver are cringy but despite all this I really like it.The photography and recipes are fab and I really like the 'silver spoon' way he writes hid recipes i.e simply!

Casa Mingo Asturian Cider House, Madrid, October 2008

Mingo is a must.

Casa Mingo, Paseo De La Florida 34, 28008 Madrid, Spain – 0034 915 477 918

Casa Mingo is a no-frills Asturian cider house in the west of the city. It resembles a barn and is filled with old tables and chairs whilst the walls are lined with hundreds of dusty ‘sidre’ bottles. Popular with Madrileños and tourists alike it is famous for cider, spit-roast chicken, chorizo and (I quote the Time Out Guide), “nose-bending” cheese.

Service is snappy and efficient but very friendly. We order a bottle of cider and it is presented and poured immediately; lime coloured, tart and thirst quenching it goes down a treat. Our food orders follow courtesy of the fleet footed waiters; spit roasted chicken to share (9.50 euros), a tray of salad (5.50 euros) and rustic, unprocessed ‘pan complêt’. The chicken is hissing and sizzling as we tear it apart with our hands and devour the tasty flesh. The skin is well done, chewy, salty and utterly delicious. Around us, chorizos, plates of Manchego cheese and desserts make their way to tables of canoodling couples, respectable, well-heeled Madrileños, families, business associates and groups of girls. Everyone is tucking in unashamedly and no-one seems to give a fig about salt, sugar, fat content, alcohol intake or indeed tobacco (you do have to go outside to smoke though).

For dessert we order another Asturian speciality, a plate of the ‘nose-bending’ Cabrales cheese. They don’t do ‘dinky’ here and a plate heaving with stinky cheese is slammed down. It is a hard, blue-veined cheese that is matured in the limestone caves of the Asturian coastline and according to Culinaria Spain was described by the author Benito Pérez Galdó as having a “pestilent aroma”. We manage half a plate along with another bottle of cider and our mouths tingle.

The whole meal for two people cost about £25 which is an absolute bargain. If you find yourself in Madrid Casa Mingo is a must.


Opening Hours

Daily 11am-12pm

October 18th - Gusto - All in great taste.

GUSTO IS A STUNNINGLY STYLISH ESTABLISHMENT INSPIRED BY THE CLASSIC ITALIAN RISTORANTE OF THE 1950S. IT MANAGES TO BE BOTH GLAMOROUS AND FAMILY FRIENDLY. I VISITED ON A SATURDAY EVENING AND WAS GLAD I ‘MADE AN EFFORT’. GUSTO IS WELL-DRESSED AND COSMOPOLITAN SO YOU CAN WEAR YOUR BEST GEAR. IT EXUDES THE CLASS THAT MANY GEORGE STREET VENUES MERELY ASPIRE TO HAVING. IT’S POPULAR TOO; THIS EVENING'S PARTYING GROUPS MIXED EASILY WITH COUPLES AND FAMILIES AND THE ROOM WAS JUMPING.

We were seated in a comfortable booth and I ordered a Figatini, crushed figs and apple shaken with Ketel One vodka and green apple schnapps (£5.95). Chilled, fruity and not too sweet, it was the perfect partner for perusing the menu.

To start, I decided on the fritto misto (£tbc). Courgette sticks, clenched, meaty tiger prawns, calamari pieces and sea salty white bait were dusted with a light tempura. Seasoning, a wedge of lemon and garlic mayo completed this sensational dish. My partner meanwhile swooned over her vibrant salad of apple, gorgonzola, walnut, baby gem and spinach (£4.95). The starters were pronounced faultless and we agreed that either would make an excellent, light lunch.

My main course was hunter’s stew (£13.75). Chunks of tender lamb mixed with big, meaty ceps in a rich tomato-based sauce. It was accompanied by fresh, home-made golden gnocchi, which I used to chase the rich, unctuous sauce around my plate. The soft, floury texture of the potato pasta complemented the yielding lamb. My partner had slices of suckling pig with roast garlic mash and apple sauce (£14.95). The pork was declared ‘lovely’ and I can vouch for the creamy, buttery, perfect consistency of the mash, which sat in a pool of intensely-flavoured gravy. The Tuscan influence was evident in these rustic, flavourful peasant dishes.

We couldn’t manage dessert but the Italian cheeseboard is still beckoning and I plan to return for it ASAP. We drank a bottle of Est!Est! Est! di Montefiascone, which is a slightly voluptuous white wine with peach and citrus notes. It also brings us neatly to the fact that Gusto is the former Est Est Est re-branded but much more suave.




OPENING HOURS:

Everyday 'til late.




Gusto

135 George St
Edinburgh, EH2 4JS
0131 225 2555

Easter Sunday

REVIEW
SCRAN BARLEY
Forgotten Scottish Classics

Scran Barley/20 Leopold Place, London Road, Edinburgh, EH7 5LB - 0131 557 5652

IT’S HEARTENING THAT AGAINST A BACKDROP OF CULTURAL IMPERIALISM THE RENAISSANCE IN BRITISH AND SCOTTISH FOOD HAS BEEN WELCOMED AND ADOPTED BY THE YOUNGER GENERATION. A NUMBER OF ESTABLISHMENTS HAVE POPPED UP AROUND EDINBURGH, OWNED BY GROUPS OF BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS WITH A RESPECT FOR OUR COLLECTIVE CULINARY HERITAGE AND THE LATEST ‘FIRST VENTURE’ COMES FROM SCRAN BARLEY.

Dining is to the left as you enter this basement restaurant and there is a ‘bothy’ to the right. The latter has a fire, a bar and a very comfy sofa; perfect for sipping your drinks and perusing the menu. We soon headed through to the restaurant though in order to enjoy our first courses.

I had confit duck salad with fine beans, walnuts, parmesan and croutons (£4.95) and my partner had mussels (£4.85). I loved the flavours, freshness and texture in my salad. The shreds of duck were full of fatty flavour, the rocket sprightly, the croutons crunchy and the parmesan salty. We decided its Frenchness was a nod to the auld alliance. My partner’s mussels were flavoursome buttony things drenched in a sauce o chopped tomatoes, onions, parsley, cream and loads of garlic. Our plates were mopped clean with home-made bread.

Main courses were an Arbroath smokie served with pan-fried cheese and potato griddles and creamed leeks for me (£10.95) and pork olives with sage and onion suet stuffing with a wholegrain mustard sauce, cabbage and new potatoes for my partner (£11.95). Dark, robust meat flaked from the bone of my strong Scottish fish; a veritable John Smeaton of the sea. My partner’s pork was really well cooked but the suet made the dish too filling. He raved about the cabbage though with its smoky intriguing flavours. Both dishes again had lots of cream and garlic – hoorah!

Desserts were raspberry & honey bavaroise tossed in oats for me and whisky and butterscotch bananas for my partner (both under £5). Both got the thumbs up.

A little tweaking is needed at this restaurant but it is on it’s way, heading in the right direction and there is no denying the home-made, tasty food. Hats off to Scran Barley

OPENING HOURS
Tue-Sun: 5.30pm-9.30pm
Thurs-Sun 8am-11.30am.

Friday March 14th - French Wine, Cheese & Petanque

A thank you to everyone who came along to Friarwood Wines in Leith last night. We had some scrumptious cheese from Mellis, lots of lovely wine from Friarwood and Inverleith Petanque Club introduced us to the game of 'boules'. Friarwood have a pitch in their wine warehouse with 'genuine Bordeaux gravel'. It was a great night.

March 2008 - Review - Sushiya Sushi & Noodle Bar

The Theatre of Food
Sushiya/19 Dalry Road, Edinburgh, EH11 2BQ – 0131 313 3222

STEVEN BERKOFF WAS ON THE BBC THIS MORNING TALKING ABOUT ‘THE THEATRE OF FOOD’. FOOD IS NOT JUST ABOUT TASTE, HE SAID, BUT ABOUT PLACE, PRESENTATION AND SERVICE. I RECALLED A ROOFTOP IN MARAKESH WHERE, IN THE DARKNESS, I HAD THE UNPLEASANT EXPERINCE OF EATING A WHOLE CHILLI BUT AT THE SAME TIME THE MEAL IS ONE OF THE MOST MEMORABLE I HAVE EVER HADDUE TO THE SETTING; I ALSO THOUGHT OF SUSHIYA WHERE I HAD BEEN THE NIGHT BEFORE.

Sushi is a very theatrical food; full of colour, taste, texture, skill and ritual. Dalry on a dreich Wednesday may bear little resemblance to Tokyo City but inside this ultra utilitarian ‘sushi shop’ the click of chopsticks, general chatter and platters or eye catching food give an authentic sense of place.

We started with tempura chicken wings for me and beef skewers with yakimono sauce for my partner. My wings were encased in a fan of light golden, crispy batter that was fresh and tasty with not a hint of grease. The skewers were very tasty and flavoursome too. Next, my partner had scallop sashimi. He loved the slices of creamy, glistening flesh which were presented with thick pea green wasabi paste and a rosette of galangal. It was all super fresh and very exciting on the palate. I had my ultimate fast food, tight little rolls of sticky rice, sumptuous salmon, creamy avocado and chewy seaweed. Delicious! We then shared a large seaweed cone of rice and strong, smoky eel. It could have done with a little more eel but we were satisfied and happy.

The meal was all washed down with a glass of wine and a bottle of Asahi and the total bill was £26. The price of a couple of theatre tickets!

OPENING HOURS:
Sun-Thurs 12pm-2pm & 5pm-10.30pm
Fri & Sat ‘til 11pm