Tag Archives: Melissa Volpi

Ziggy’s Restaurant Review St Andrews

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Ziggy’s restaurant is surrounded by B & B’s and is situated just off North Street in St Andrews – a street that’s as famous for its old-fashioned picture house, as it is for the university buildings. Ziggy’s is also an easy establishment to spot – as it has a large guitar hanging above the entrance door.

ziggyrestaurantreviewThe inside is a throw back to the American diners of the 1960’s and pays homage to the greats of rock and roll by displaying original records and signed gifts around the dining room, open kitchen and toilet areas.

We are greeted at the door by a pleasant waitress in a Hard Rock Café style tee shirt and are seated by the window on a new range of wooden tables and chairs that this family owned establishment (Ziggy’s has been owned and run by the same family since 1983) have just bought in.

It’s 6 pm on a Tuesday night and the place is just starting to fill up. There are a mixture of diners, from locals to golfing tourists. But we are the only table of two – the rest are in groups of four to ten.

ziggystarter

Starters

Ziggy’s starters vary from garlic bread and house mixed salad to loaded skins and a bucket of devilled chicken wings. The prices are very reasonable, starting at £3.15 for a regular portion of garlic bread and rising to £11.95 for ‘The Ziggy’s BIG DISH Sharer’ – a combination of onion rings, breaded mushrooms, ribatisers, potato skins and chicken strips with sour cream, blue cheese and hickory sauce.

After having a quick glance over the main courses and desserts, I opt for something light and order the homemade potato and leek soup served with fresh crusty bread. My father orders the garlic prawns. And after scanning the wine list we decide to order two of the individual, 20cl, bottles of Prosecco as a treat. I think this is a wonderful idea. Unless you are in a wine bar, it is very hard to buy Prosecco or Champagne by the glass.

Homemade Potato & Leek Soup

The presentation is very simple. My white bowl of soup rests on a white plate with a white napkin. Colour is introduced from the soup itself and the two chunks of French baguette on the side.

My father’s dish is livelier looking. The garlic prawns arrive spitting and popping in a black cauldron.

Putting appearances aside, I take a spoonful of soup and am pleasantly surprised by how nice it is. The vegetables are chunky – just the way I like them – and the flavour is strong. This is a proper bowl of hearty soup that could not be anything other than homemade. When the owner/chef walks over to our table to ask if everything is ok, she tells me that her son – who also works in the kitchen – made the soup.

My father, who is not shy when it comes to giving his opinion, says that the prawns are tasty, but that they are submerged in too much oily sauce – the prawns are baked in garlic and red onion butter. He finds it hard to eat them because of this.

ziggystandrewsburger ziggyburger

Main courses

It’s not only the look and vibe of Ziggy’s that reminds me of The Hard Rock Café, it’s the food too. The main courses are American inspired, with the house specialities being the steaks, ribs and burgers. It’s a menu that would delight the meat lover. The list of 18 handmade burgers are all under £10, with the extra special ones rising to between £10 and £15.00.

Both my father and I choose the gourmet 12oz burger (£12.95 with a choice of three cheesy toppings). I order the cheddar, bacon and pineapple topping and my father the bacon and Stilton.

All Ziggy’s burgers are 100% pure steak burgers and are handmade and supplied by the local award winning butcher, J.B Penman of Crail.

The Gourmet 12oz Burger

Again, the burgers are very simply presented on white plates. The burger is served on a toasted white flour bun. The top of the bun rests at an angle to show off the toppings – I see two rings of pineapple with melted cheddar resting on top of my massive burger. Underneath the burger is a bed of salad leaves, with a slice of beef tomato and some red onion and dill pickle. The house fries that accompany my burger are presented in a white mug next to the homemade coleslaw.

It really is a feast for the senses and we can’t wait to dig in…

Although the burger is tasty – and the combination a good one – I personally find it too greasy for my palate and would choose a different main course on my next visit. My father, on the other hand, enjoyed his burger.

Dessert

The list of desserts is excellent. There really is something for everyone here. You’ve got knickerbocker glory, cheesecake, sticky toffee pudding and a wide selection of Sundae’s. There are even ice cream floats (Pepsi, Irn Bru or Lemonade with a generous scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream); something that I love but have not had since I was a teenager.

We decide to share a dessert and choose the sticky toffee pudding with ice cream.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

We can smell the sticky toffee pudding before we see our waitress walk across the dining room with it. It looks like a traditional, gooey pudding and after taking the first bite, I find that it tastes like it too. It’s yummy.

The one thing that does disappoint me though, is the fact that the ice cream has not been bought from one of the town’s two famous ice cream parlours – Jannetta’s or Luvians. It is cheap, yellow coloured ice cream. From my point of view, it would have been nice to utilise local artisan ice cream makers in much the same way as Ziggy’s have done by buying their burgers in from an award winning local butcher.

None of this would deter us from visiting Ziggy’s in St Andrews again though. The waitresses are friendly and helpful. The individual bottles of Prosecco are a welcome addition to any wine list. The homemade potato and leek soup was one of the best I have ever tasted. And the ambience of this family owned restaurant is unusual – even in a town where every second premises is an eatery. If you’re a meat lover that enjoys American inspired food and is looking for somewhere a little more rock n roll… then head to Ziggy’s.

 

Our meal:

2 x 20cl bottles of Prosecco at £5.95 each

1 x Soup £3.95

1 x Garlic Prawns £5.95

2 x gourmet 12 oz burger at £12.95 each

1 x sticky toffee pudding at £5.25

Total: £53.65 for two people

 

http://www.ziggysrestaurant.co.uk/

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Horses For Horses

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Melissa Volpi meets Loes Knopper – the woman that has inspired riders around the globe to get ‘On Horses For Horses’ throughout September to raise money for World Horse Welfare…

loesknopper

 Loes Knopper knows what it’s like to care for a horse that is in need of rehabilitation. She bought Charlie, her coloured cob gelding in 2009. But it took a good two years before they were able to ride out confidently together without stress.

“Charlie used to scare the living daylights out of me,” Loes says during our walk through the forestry with her dogs Nanya, Bran and Fingal. “He napped, bit, reversed, spun and reared. But I don’t like quitting or giving up and I certainly don’t approve of beating a horse, or any animal, into submission.”

Loes stopped riding Charlie shortly after buying him and started to do a lot of groundwork to get their relationship back on track. The Pirelli games, help from others and her mantra of QD – quiet determination – paid off.

It was during this process that Loes realised what you could achieve with teamwork.

“It was after a night on forums and chats with fellow horse lovers that On Horses For Horses was born, “she tells me as we reach her home in Kinlochleven for some Thai Green Curry.  I wanted to be pro-active and do something for horses and their welfare in a very positive way. There was no way I could mount my Charlie and travel the world with him, or even the West Highland Way. But if I could organise an event where riders from the all over the world came together for the same cause, then that would really make a difference.”

Over dinner, I ask Loes to tell me more about On Horses For Horses…

What is the idea behind ‘On Horses For Horses’?

 On Horses For Horses is about joining forces with horse riders around the world to raise miles and money for World Horse Welfare – an International charity that is dedicated to improving the lives of horses worldwide and to helping them find loving, long term homes. I originally planned it as a one-off event and wanted to get as many riders from as many different countries to ride as many miles as possible on the same day. The aim was to reach a combined 24,906 miles, which is the circumference of the earth, and raise as much money as possible for WHW. I liked the idea of organising and taking part in a worldwide endurance event that was as big as the globe, for horses around the globe. Now it has evolved into a month long event where horse owners either clock up their hacking miles throughout September or organise an endurance style event with friends.

 Tell us about your first fundraising ride on the 25th of September 2011?

 We spent a leisurely day walking and trotting across Airds estate and the beach in front of Castle Stalker. The local field officer for WHW came along to ‘crew’ for us and make sure that everything went without a hitch. We stopped for a picnic half way round to give the riders and horse a rest. I didn’t want a person to be put off by the competitive element of endurance riding, that’s why I have been careful how I word events. I want riders of all abilities and horses of all shapes and sizes to feel confident about taking part in an On Horses For Horses event.

 How much interest have you had?

 We have had riders from 17 countries take part and have managed to raise nearly £5,000.00 in three months (September 2011, 2012 and 2013). I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone that has helped me but also to MBBA (Mendip Bridleways and Byways Association) and La Fiaba horse riding holidays for helping to start everything off in 2011.

What’s next?

We are in the process of organising an On Horses For Horses event in my current hometown, Kinlochleven, for this September. A date will be announced soon on http://www.onhorsesforhorses.org/. But my long term plan is to host and take part in a 10-mile On Horses For Horses pleasure ride at the Scottish Endurance Championships.This National event is not held in September, my original fundraising month, but it would help to publicise us and get more Endurance riders involved. Our local club, SERC Argyll, have been very supportive. To see Charlie and I cross that finish line for this great cause would be a dream come true after all we have been through.

Join Loes in 2014 to raise miles and money by getting ‘On Horses For Horses’: http://www.onhorsesforhorses.org/

 Links:

 World Horse Welfare:

http://www.worldhorsewelfare.org/Home

MBBA:

http://mbba.org.uk/

 La Fiaba:

http://la-fiaba.com/

 SERC Argyll:

http://www.freewebs.com/sercargyll/

 

 

 

STUBBS, ENGLAND: S57C, Tack Step With Fastener

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STUBBS, ENGLAND

S57C, Tack Step With Fastener

Retail Price: £30.00

Spec:

Height 30 cm
Length 39 cm
Width 28 cm
Weight 2.41 kg

It was the colour that first attracted me to this STUBBS grooming box (or the ‘tack step with fastener’ as it’s called on the STUBBS website). It’s bang on trend for this season in a gorgeous ocean blue and comes with a contrasting black steel handle, silver fastener and STUBBS logo moulded into the unique STUBBYTHENE material that this box is made from. The grooming box is also available in pink, green, red and black – but the blue is definitely my favourite.

stubbsenglandreview4 stubbsenglandreviewboxreview stubbsreview stubbsenglandreviewbox stubbsenglandreviewequestrian stubbsenglandreviewhorses stubbsenglandreview1 stubbsenglandreviewmelissavolpi

What really sealed my love for this product though is its strength. My two horses share their paddock with cows during the summer months and because of this; it’s essential that all the products I use on a daily basis are strong enough to withstand the weight of a curious calf or a hefty heifer. Try as I might to shoo them away at grooming time, these cows often surround my field shelter (which is located at the top of our 11-acre hill) looking for something to play with. And 9 times out of 10, that something has been my STUBBS grooming box! I have arrived at the horses most days to find said grooming box lying on its side at the bottom of our paddock, next to the gate, which is a very long way from the field shelter where it should reside!

The STUBBS grooming box has amazed me though – it has no dents and still looks as good as new. I have tried out many grooming boxes over the years, but none have survived such abuse.

The only addition I would like to see is an internal partition. The STUBBS grooming box is the perfect size to accommodate both grooming brushes and grooming products like shampoos and mane and tail conditioners etc, but both get lost in this space. A separate compartment inside this box, to keep the grooming bottles upright and away from the brushes, would be a welcome addition.

That said, the colour and strength of the STUBBS grooming box have won me over and my star rating for this product is 4.5 out of 5. I can honestly say that the STUBBS grooming box has been the best grooming box (by far) that I have ever owned. And it’s not just suitable for the equestrian enthusiast either. I think it would be a useful gift for the fishing, hunting, sailing or gardening enthusiast too. It’s a sturdy box with a lid and a fastener for a padlock, that will keep any items safe and clean.

PHOTOS TO FOLLOW…

Notes:

 STUBBS is a family owned manufacturing business, producing all their own products in their own factories in England.  Established in 1836, on what is still their main site, they have an international reputation for quality and originality.  They design all their own products and cover many trades including steel fabrication, plastic coating, joinery and even plastic moulding, all on site.

 

What we like:

 

THE STRENGTH/STUBBYTHENE MOULDING

 

THE FASTENER

 

THE CHOICE OF COLOURS

 

THE SIZE

 

THE LIGHTNESS

 

THE VERSATILITY

 

Our star * rating: 4.5 out of 5

 

 Contact:

www.stubbsengland.com/

 

*This is Frost magazine’s first ever-equestrian product review. We have lots of horsey stuff to review this summer and aim to make this equestrian section as varied and informative as possible. Next on our list is a set of 4 black John whitaker training bandages…

 

Le Di-Vin Wine Bar Edinburgh Review

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ledivinLe Di-Vin on Randolph Place is very different from the neo-classical and Georgian architecture that make up the New Town of Edinburgh.The building looks half French farmhouse, half Tudor Free House. It was formerly known as the Oratory of St Anne but once you are through the iron gates and blue doors, it feels like you have stepped into a wine cellar not a chapel.

The black painted walls, with white ceiling and cornicing, give way to two entrances. Turn left and you reach La Petite Folie – the first of this restaurant and wine bar chain owned by Virginie Brouard. Look straight ahead and you see the entrance to Le Di-Vin Wine Bar.

This dark passageway leads to another wooden door with presence. There are two large wine casks on either side of the door, which act as tables to the miniature trees made from fairy lights that reside elegantly on them.

There is also a chalkboard with today’s menus on it. Le Di-Vin offers a choice of two daily food menus – one set menu and one all day menu – and two drinks menus. The set lunchtime menu is £11.50 for two courses.

After taking a quick peek of the set menu, we pull open the wooden doors and are greeted by an unexpectedly large and light space.

Wine Bar

 What instantly draws your eye is the wall of wine bins to the left of the entrance – the bins are so high that you need a ladder to reach the top four rows. It’s lovely to see so many bottles of wine on display. It makes you eager to start tasting them…

The whole of Le Di-Vin is open plan. There are seats at the bar for those who want to pick the brains of knowledgeable staff. And there are long rustic tables and quiet corners to sit at within the main street level space. But a waiter takes our coats and seats us somewhere special.

“Would you like to eat on our mezzanine level,” he says in a well-spoken Edinburgh accent.

“Yes please,” we reply.

There are only six tables on the mezzanine level and today only one other table is occupied here – making it a peaceful area from which to observe and savour.

I cannot get enough of the wine casks that are used as tables and the trees that are made from fairy lights. They are scattered about Le Di-Vin and I think it adds an authentic and feminine touch.

 Wine by the glass

 When our waiter hands us the menu and wine list by the glass, we are stunned by what we see. There are 26 different varieties of white wine by the glass and 26 different varieties of red wine by the glass – a phenomenal amount and much more than I have personally encountered before.

This is a hand picked selection of unique, quality wines. And with prices ranging from £3.65 to £10.00, they represent an affordable treat.

The three whites that interest me the most are the Macon Uchizy, Domaine Talmard – Chardonnay; the Chablis 11, Domaine Fevre – Chardonnay; and the Sancerre, Lucien Crochet 11 – Sauvignon.

Kirsty is finding it difficult to choose only one wine too and ponders over three reds: the Atacamea Carmenere; the Merlot, Domaine Astruc; and the Rioja, Dominio de Heredia.

There is another, bigger wine list too selling even more wines – this time by the bottle.

Merlot and Sancerre

 Our waiter walks up the wooden steps to our table…

“Would you like a little more time, Ladies? Or are you ready to order?”

Kirsty and I look at the menu again, then each other.

“We’re ready!”

The lunchtime set menu, served from 12 noon until 5 pm, and the all day menu, served from 12 noon until 10 pm, sells traditional French fare. There is Croque-Monsieur, snails in garlic butter, Les Tartines (toasted country bread with a choice of two fillings) and four different sharing platters to name but a few.

We decide to order a rustic board of mixed cheese and ham to share, as well as a glass of Merlot and Sancerre.

I’ve visited France many times and one of the things that I love most, is the individual family run shops that make up each town’s main street, or each cities ‘quarter.’ Tesco is handy and quick. But there is nothing like meandering down a beautiful French boulevard, with buildings that have tall windows and ornate balconies, and wandering into a wine shop, cheese shop, delicatessen and bakers. It’s so French and fun. And I like the fact that this wine bar is trying to bring all these different cultural elements together to give you an experience, rather than just feed and water you.

Mixed Cheese and Charcuterie Planchette

The wines come first, followed by a wooden board covered in chunks of cheese and slices of cold meats.

Kirsty’s Merlot tastes of black forest gateau. It is a good choice and will go perfectly with the cheese and ham. My Sancerre is a beautiful colour. It reminds me of sand at sunrise. It tastes fresh and lively –  like spring in a glass. It’s a good wine to sip by itself or to have with salads and fish. But for my palette, I think it’s a little light and bright to be having with strong cheese and spicy meats.

The sharing platter looks colourful. There is a selection of Saucisson, Salami, Parma Ham and Terrine. And cheeses from Chaource, Brie de Meaux, Tomme de Savoie, St Agur, Comté, Pont l’Evèque and Reblochon. All served alongside gherkins, grapes and bread with butter.

Kirsty and I knock glasses before digging in to our favourites. I love Salami and Brie and quickly grab these of the board first…

Très chic

Kirsty and I both enjoyed our quick lunchtime treat. The medium-sharing platter is more than enough for two people – we are both feeling contentedly full. And my glass of Sancerre was a lovely alternative to the Italian whites that I normally drink. It’s not a wine that I would have bought buy the bottle when dining out, as apart from being expensive, I had not tasted it before. So the opportunity to buy this by the glass was most welcome.

I can’t fault Le Di-Vin. Virginie Brouard has got the location, the design and the wine right. She’s built a classy establishment that is not pretentious – no mean feat in a city.

If I were to pull up anything, it would be the choice of cheeses and cold meats in the sharing platters. The wine at Le Di-Vin is not the norm. And I think the food should not be the norm either. The cheeses and cold meats are delicious, but what you would expect. Maybe an additional sharing platter offering rare fromage and charcuterie would be a nice addition…

Kirsty and I take our last sips of wine while looking straight ahead at a wall mural that is a modern take of The Last Supper. Instead of Jesus sharing a last meal with his Apostles in Jerusalem, there’s Oscar Wilde surrounded by the great philosophers and artists of the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. I like it. It’s a quirky take on Leonardo da Vinci’s work and it reminds me of a quote by Wilde.

“I have the simplest taste. I am always satisfied with the best.”

Le Di-Vin more than satisfies my simple tastes. It is one of the best wine bars that I have ever frequented. And I will be going back to sample more of these extraordinary wines by the glass.

 

Our light lunch for two:

1 x Merlot, Domaine Astruc, 250ml glass £6.95

1 x Sancerre, Lucien Crochet 11, 250ml glass £10.00

1 x Mixed Cheese and Charcuterie Planchette, small, £15.00

Total: £31.95 + tip (£16.00 per head for a cheese and ham sharing boar with bread and large glass of quality wine.)

 

We like…

 

THE LOCATION

 

THE DESIGN

 

THE WAITERS

 

THE BINS OF WINE DISPLAY WALL

 

THE LIST OF QUALITTY WINES BY THE GLASS

 

THE MERLOT, DOMAINE ASTRUC

 

THE SANCERRE, LUCIEN CROCHET 11

 

THE PLANCHETTE DE FROMAGES

 

THE MEZZANINE DINING AREA

  

THE PRICES

 

 

Contact details:

 

Le Di-Vin Wine Bar
9 Randolph Place
Edinburgh
EH3 7TE

0131 538 1815

info@ledivin.co.uk

http://www.ledivin.co.uk/

 

Amarone Edinburgh Restaurant Review

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HPlogoAmarone restaurant is majestic inside and out. It is situated in Edinburgh’s financial district, St Andrews Square and is a former safe – known as the ‘Vault.’ The high domed ceiling and archways are the two centrepieces and the tall windows fill the place with light – albeit street lights, as we are booked in at 7 pm.

We are greeted by two male hosts near the entrance and pass the bar and open kitchen, on the way to our romantic candlelit booth – situated right at the back of Amarone, on an elevated dining area. The restaurant is completely full, with an eclectic mix of diners from students to sophisticated retirees.

The white walls compliment the dark walnut floor and the drop lighting, ceiling decorations and rows of gallery style photographs, give that contemporary look which Amarone promise on the website. Our Italian waitress offers to take our coats as we get settled in the booth and hands us the wine list and a la carte menu.

Vino e mangiare

The wine list is the best that I have seen in a UK Italian restaurant. Not only do they offer six different versions of Amarone (a rich, Italian dry red wine that is 15-16% alc/vol), their house whites and reds are better than the norm and still reasonably priced.

We ask our waitress what is most popular by the glass and opt for the house white Sauvignon – Altana di Vico Sauvignon Triveneto – and the house red Merlot – Ardesia Merlot IGT Veneto – both £18.95 per bottle and £6.45 per large, 250 ml glass.

Browsing the starters, we see classic favourites like minestrone, crostini, homemade chicken liver pate and beef carpaccio. I like to eat locally sourced food where possible and choose the Capesante con Pancetta – seared Scottish king scallops served with grilled pancetta ham, with a sun dried tomato and chilli dressing. My partner opts for seafood too, to allow space for a carbohydrate-laden maincourse, and picks the Cozze Vapore  – mussels with white wine, flat leaf parsley, garlic and olive oil.

I can’t visit an Italian restaurant and not have a pizza or pasta dish, so we decide to share the pizza verdi – fresh spinach, rocket, ricotta cheese and shaved parmesan with garlic and chilli oil – and the Petto d’Anatra all’Amarone – pan seared duck breast, served pink, with an Amarone wine sauce, braised Savoy cabbage, sautéed potatoes, pancetta and confit of figs.

Focaccia

As our waitress walks off with the food and drinks order, another appears with a focaccia. We look at this pizza plate of Italian bread, topped with Parma ham, parmesan shavings and rocket, and wish we had not ordered a pizza for maincourse…

Our second Italian waitress sees the ‘I don’t know how I’m going to eat all of this’ look on our faces and provides some encouragement.

“Compliments of the house,” she says. “Mangia, mangia!”

 ’Mangia, mangia!’ is my most treasured Italian phrase and the first word that I could truly understand without translation when I visited my father’s family as a child – it means ‘eat.’ I have not heard it for some time now though. My nonna (grandmother) used to repeat this during every meal that we spent together in Florence and you could see the joy in her emerald eyes as we tucked into her four lovingly prepared courses with enthusiasm. I smile at the memory and look at the focaccia. It smells too good to waste, so we each take a slice.

I am not easily impressed when it comes to Italian restaurants in the UK – after being brought up on my father’s and nonna’s cooking – but this bread is exceptional. It’s lighter than traditional focaccia, but the dough is flavoursome and the consistency is just right. I try not to eat half – as I want to enjoy the rest of this meal. My partner, however, cannot restrain himself and ends up eating three quarters of it himself.

Antipasti

The scallops and mussels arrive in large white bowls, with an extra bowl set aside for the empty mussel shells.

There is a handful of spinach and rocket separating my four scallops and each one has a teaspoon of dressing on top. It’s a simple arrangement that works. I have a tendency to overcook scallops – a cooking trait that I get from my mother, who overcooks most food – so it is a real treat to eat scallops that slide down the throat just like oysters. Yum.

My partner is almost finished the mussels by the time I have eaten two scallops – my nonna would be proud of his enthusiasm – but manages to show me a novel way of eating them before they are all gone. He uses an empty shell to pick out the rest of the mussels. It’s a unique idea that’s much easier than using a fork – and one that I must remember.

Pizza e carne

I’ve been looking forward to the maincourse – as I’ve not tried duck in Amarone sauce before. But when our waitress places this plate of carne in front of me, I notice how thin the sauce is. Instead of allowing it to simmer into a heavy reduction, which I like, it looks like the chef has just splashed some Amarone straight from the bottle onto my plate.

I keep an open mind though and tuck in. The sauce does not stick to the meat, like I thought, but the duck is tender and tasty nonetheless – and the sautéed potatoes are addictive.

Happy, contented sounds come from my partner’s side of the booth – making it obvious that he is enjoying the pizza verdi. But he gives up after two slices – this selection of Italian food has defeated him. I taste a slice of pizza and immediately fall in love with the soft ricotta cheese. It’s too good to leave.

“Could you box this up for us,” I ask our waitress. “We’ll have it tomorrow for lunch.”

Dolce

Being used to large portions of carbohydrates, I have left just enough room for il dolce.

There are 7 desserts on offer in Amarone and all are traditionally Italian. The prices are reasonable, with the most expensive being the Formaggi Misti at £6.95 – a selection of Italian cheeses served with oatcakes and honey. The Tortino di Formaggio – mascarpone, honey and ginger cheesecake on a crushed gingernut biscuit base – sounds unusual and delicious. But I opt for the pannacotta – as it’s light.

Pannacotta con Lamponi

Our waitress puts down the plate in front of me – but leaves two spoons, which makes my partner smile. This is a simple dessert, arranged simply on the plate. No fuss or embellishments – just the vanilla pannacotta with 5 large dabs of raspberry compote surrounding it. My partner puts his spoon in first.

“Mmmm,” he says with closed eyes.

I scoop a piece of pannacotta – and do the same.

Not everything in Amarone is as perfect as the focaccia, seafood, pizza, duck breast and pannacotta. The red wine list, however good, is pricy when you opt for something other than the three house reds. The restaurant could do with an Italian host at the door who oozes my nonna’s love of food and wine. And the Amarone sauce that drenched my duck, could have had more substance…

BUT, Amarone is all the more charming for a couple of imperfections. It is the only Italian restaurant that I’ve tried in the UK so far – bar my father’s – that is worthy of my nonna’s cooking. Most Italian restaurants have front of house charm. Fewer have food with charm.

Amarone’s food is made with love and is the perfect place to take your love. Well done to owners, Mario Gizzi and Tony Conetta. As they say in Italy, a dopo (see you later)…

 

Editors note: We did eat the pizza for lunch the following day – and it was just as good cold.

 

Our meal for two:

1 x Focaccia di Parma £7.95

1 x Cozze Vapore £6.75

1 x Capesante con Pancetta £7.95

1 x Pizza Verdi  £10.25

1x Petto d’Anatra all’Amarone £16.95

1 x Pannacotta con Lamponi £5.25

1 x Altana di Vico Sauvignon Triveneto 250ml glass £6.45

1 x Ardesia Merlot IGT Veneto 250ml glass £6.45

Total: £68.00 + tip (£34.00 per head for two people having starter, maincourse and dessert + one large glass of house wine each)

 

We like…

 

THE LOCATION

 

THE BUILDING

 

THE ITALIAN WAITRESSES

 

THE WINE LIST

 

THE FOCACCIA

 

THE SEAFOOD

 

THE PIZZA

 

THE PANNACOTTA

 

THE FOOD PRICES

 

 

Contact details:

Amarone
13 St Andrew Square

Edinburgh

EH2 2AF

Telephone number: 0131 523 11 71

Email: info@amaronerestaurant.co.uk

Website: http://www.amaronerestaurant.co.uk/edinburgh_amarone

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Adamson Restaurant Review

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The Adamson Restaurant reviewThe first thing that strikes you on walking towards The Adamson are the words ‘Post Office’ carved into the stone structure of the building, above the entrance door. (It used to be the main post office in St Andrews from 1907 until 2012) The second thing is the fairy lights that can be seen through each south-facing window.

The inside is different from what I expect – but in a good way. The tables, chairs, ceiling lights and artwork are contemporary and have that trendy city vibe going on. The wooden floor, brick work walls and natural foliage add a rustic element, which I like.

Lindsey Kirk, the house manager, is the first person to greet us. She guides us through the small bar at the restaurants entrance and seats us at a table near the open kitchen. Our waitress, Adrienne, offers to hang up our coats in the cloakroom before handing us the menu.

I take a quick glance and know immediately what I’m ordering – Pittenweem crab with lime and chilli butter on toasted sourdough bread to start, then char-grilled fillet steak with peppercorn sauce and skinny fries for main course. Pittenweem is a coastal village near St Andrews that is famous for fish and it’s nice to see their crab on the menu. My mum opts for the crispy calamari with pomegranate, satsuma and watercress, followed by Atlantic sole with kale, pine nuts and root vegetables.

Some of the dishes are pricey – The Adamson sell chateaubriand for two, with hand cut chips, roasted garlic mash, green beans, and peppercorn & béarnaise sauce for £59.95 – but it is evident that they are trying to cater for all budgets, as one of their signature dishes is The Adamson burger with bacon, gruyère cheese, skinny fries & house ketchup for £11.50.

Starter

Sipping my virgin mojito and looking around the dining room, I spot snazzy looking deer antlers with a crystal-embellished skull on the wall.

“That’s Austin,” says Mike Lewis, the General Manager here at The Adamson, as he passes our table. “He was handmade by a friend of my wife’s.”

Mum and I say a toast and tuck into our starters – under the watchful, sparkly eye of Austin. My crab is just right, temperature wise – not too cold – and the lime and chilli butter adds a delightful Mexican kick. My mum, who is not normally a fan of whole calamari, has finished her starter within seconds.

“It’s melt in the mouth,” she says.

The only downside to this feast is the techno pop style background music – which really does not go with the surroundings.

Main course

I’ve been eating fillet steaks with peppercorn sauce since I was 5 years old – and it’s safe to say that the combination not only brings back childhood memories, but would also be on my ‘last supper’ list. That pairing of lightly pink meat with ladles of cream based peppercorn sauce is heavenly – in my opinion. So I am a little sad to see a gravy based peppercorn sauce arrive on my plate. That aside, the presentation is spot on and the steak is cooked just the way I ordered it – medium rare.

Three cherry tomatoes on the vine rest on top of my chargrilled meat and a mound of vibrant green rocket sits alongside it. The peppercorn sauce sits behind this meat and salad centrepiece in a small steel ladle. I’ve never seen this sauce presentation method before, but I like it – a lot. The idea may look minimalist, but as I start drenching the steak with sauce, there is more than enough to go around – even for a sauce lover like me. The skinny fries are served separately in small metal buckets and a choice of sauce options is available.

My mum’s Atlantic sole is browned nicely on top, creating a crispy coating that reminds me of pork crackling. But what is most innovative about this presentation is how the chef has served the lemon. He has covered half a lemon in muslin cloth and positioned it on the plate like a wedding favour – a brilliant idea that stops your fingers getting wet when seasoning the sole.

“How are the main courses,” asks Mike.

“Delicious,” we reply.

Dessert

We are handed a narrow piece of card with a selection of six desserts and a choice of dessert wines on one side and a coffee list on the other. The dessert is always my favourite part of the meal – and I always make sure and leave room for it. But, this list is not exciting me. There is The Adamson sundae, apple trifle, sticky toffee pudding and a selection of ice cream and sorbet. It’s a ‘what you’d expect’ list of desserts, rather than the original – and innovative – starters and main courses that we have just enjoyed. I’m about to order a cappuccino as dessert when Adrienne walks over.

“We have a very special dessert available tonight. It’s haggis spiced brûlée with oat crumble and rhubarb,” she says with a smile.

Now, that’s more like it! I immediately order the haggis spiced brûlée and persuade my mum to try the apple trifle with vanilla custard and nut crumble – as it sounds the most interesting. She is not a fan of nuts and hesitates for a moment, but Adrienne comes to the rescue – again.

“The nut crumble is made with pistachios and sprinkled on top of the cream,” she tells us. “ But we can easily leave that out for you.”

Haggis spiced brûlée

Nothing can prepare you for the look or taste of this special dessert. It is beautifully presented on the white plate and the colours instantly draw your eye – it’s a picture of pink elegance and I feel guilty about tucking in.

The brûlée looks like dulce de leche and is surrounded by small clusters of oat crumble. A quenelle of rhubarb sorbet rests neatly on top and a few thick drops of rhubarb compote, and rhubarb strands itself, decorate the sides. I give my mum a little smile before tasting my first spoonful…

I’m used to haggis, neeps and tatties, but this is something else. The unique flavour of haggis really comes through – it couldn’t be anything else – but the strong notes of perfume in the aftertaste make it seem like you’re eating a soft version of Turkish delight. I love it.

A coffee for the road

We finish off this three-course meal with a coffee each – my mum orders a black Americano and I a cappuccino.

Taking a bite of the complimentary ginger shortbread that is served with the coffee, we both feel completely and utterly satisfied – not disgustingly full. Normally after a three-course meal, I feel like I’m carrying twins in my belly! Thankfully, that is not the case now.

The portions were just right, with each course filling a hole but still leaving you a little hungry for more. And I think the same could be said of The Adamson itself. It’s a restaurant and bar that excites the senses of taste and sight and makes you want to come back for more.

Our meal for two:

Virgin mojito x 2 @ £3.50 each (£7.00 in total)
Tanqueray gin £3.35
Slimline tonic, 200ml, £1.50
San Pellegrino, small, £1.95
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Fox by John Belsham, 250ml glass £10.50
Pittenweem crab with crème fraiche and lime and chilli butter on toasted sourdough £9.50
Crispy Calamari with pomegranate, Satsuma and watercress £6.95
220g Fillet steak with skinny fries and peppercorn sauce £26.95
Atlantic sole with kale, pine nuts and root veg £15.50
Side of skinny fries £2.95
Haggis spiced brûlée with oat crumble and rhubarb £5.00
Apple trifle with vanilla custard and nut crumble £6.50
Cappuccino £2.75
Americano £2.25

Total: £102.55 + tip (works out at around £50.00 per head for three courses plus drinks)

 

Best bits about The Adamson

ORIGINAL RECIPES USING LOCAL AND SEASONAL PRODUCE

WARM, INVITING DINING ROOM THAT’S BOTH RUSTIC AND CONTEMPORARY

AUSTIN – DEER ANTLER AND SKULL WALL DECORATION

COCKTAILS

PLEASANT AND ATTENTIVE WAITERS

SPECIALS BOARD

 

Worst bits about The Adamson

SMALL BAR

BACKGROUND MUSIC

DESSERT MENU

CAN BE A BIT PRICEY

 

Contact details:

The Adamson, 
127 South Street, 
St Andrews, 
Fife, 
KY16 9UH
Telephone number: 01334 479 191
Email: info@theadamson.com
Website: http://www.theadamson.com/