Lesley Johnston’s Chicken Liver Pâté
In today’s review of Tipo (don’t miss it, the restaurant, that is, not the review – oh come to think of it, sample both) I expressed surprise that a top chef would be featuring pâté. My, how food snobbery seeps into our bone marrow. Once, of course, it featured on every menu, hence the backlash.…
Read MoreTipo, Edinburgh
Tipo 110 Hanover Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4DR 0131 226 4545 www.tipoedinburgh.co.uk/ The Bill snacks and breads £6.00 – £8.00 small plates £12.00 – £14.00 pasta £13.00 – £15.00 | main dishes £22.00 – £35.00 dessert £6.00 – £7.00 The Score Cooking 8/10 | Service 4.5/5 Flavour 5/5 | Value 5/5 TOTAL 22.5/25 Restaurant…
Read MoreThe Pepperpot Diaries; Rice Table; Upgrade
Confused by the title? Well, come and have a look at my (overflowing) book shelves. For a good number of years I tried to operate a one in, one out policy when it came to cookery books. Now, however, I can’t think of a single one in my collection I could bear to part with.…
Read MoreSarah Mellersh’s Crème Fraîche Ice Cream
Even by their standards, Scottish raspberries have been superb this year. If you are pondering the relevance of this thought in an ice cream recipe, allow me to enlighten you. I often serve this with rasps and coulis and balsamic, and truly wonderful it is too. I wrote about that combo three years ago. You…
Read MoreDakota Grill, Dakota Hotel, Glasgow
Dakota Grill Dakota Hotel Glasgow 179 West Regent Street, Glasgow G2 4DP 0141 404 3680 www.dakotahotels.co.uk The Bill Set Lunch 2 courses £30.00 | 3 courses £35.00 A la carte Starters £10.00 – £16.00 | Mains £20.00 – £37.50 Desserts £9.00 – £10.00 The Score Cooking 6.5/10 | Service 4/5 Flavour 4.5/5 |…
Read MoreHow Well Do You Treat Your Suppliers? A Fine Tale for August
Tina and Ross Coventry While I’m thinking about the food and drink industry in particular, it’s quite a wide ranging question to anyone who is in business. The butchers, bakers and wholesale merchants who supply the food that you cook or sell on; the fishermen and farmers who labour, often in arduous and dangerous conditions,…
Read MoreJan Bentley’s Old Doverhouse Chutney
I laugh more than I used to. A thing called retirement was largely instrumental. One thing which does make me chuckle is when someone asks me for my chutney recipe. Since I let it be known that I was in the market for unwanted apples in the season, I usually make at least one batch each…
Read MoreThe Kirklands Hotel, Kinross
The Kirklands Hotel 20 High Street, Kinross, KY13 8AN 01577 863313 www.thekirklandshotel.com The Bill A la carte Small Bites £7.00 (3 for £19.00) Mains £13.95 – £21.95 (Small portions are available for some dishes) Desserts £5.50 – £6.95 The Score Cooking 4.5/10 | Service 3.5/5 Flavour 3.5/5 | Value 5/5 TOTAL 16.5/25 …
Read MoreRestaurants: When Will There Be Good News?
It seems to be a gloomy day. I’m not just referring to wildfires and strikes and global warming. On one of this column’s favourite subjects, restaurants, the news seems to be worse than usual. Now I’m not shedding any tears over the impending closure of Noma. Rene Redzepi has declared that the model for his…
Read MoreLime Chicken Part 2 (Thai Style)
After last week’s classical Claire Macdonald recipe, I thought you might like a change, This is a Thai style recipe of which I’ve picked up various versions. It seems to have been made famous by the blessed Delia, but at heart it’s a Thai go to. Very simple, but first, a few pointers. Don’t get…
Read MoreWahaca, Edinburgh
Wahaca 16 South St Andrew Street, Edinburgh EH2 2AU 0131 564 3850 www.wahacaco.uk The Bill A la carte Nibbles £5.75 – £7.95 | Street Food £6.95 – £7.50 Bigger Plates £10.75 – £13.50 | Sides £1.95 – £5.75 Desserts £6.50 – £6.75 The Score Cooking 5/10 | Service (Visit 1 – 5/5: Visit…
Read MoreThe Air Fryer Chronicles Part 1
Air Fryers. Didn’t have one; didn’t have a view for or against, though a few friends are keen devotees. Life changed last week in the shape of a large box as a birthday present. Indian giving, possibly. Anyway, have beast, will fry. For experiment 1 below, I had no clue what to do and nothing…
Read MoreLime Chicken Part 1
As I wrote on Wednesday, inspiration can come from strange sources: but sometimes it doesn’t come at all. Struggling a little for this week’s Tom Cooks! I remembered a lemon chicken recipe sent to me by my excellent friend, licensing lawyer extraordinaire, JH. Rereading it, I remembered why I had left it to one side. I…
Read MoreLa Lanterna West End, Glasgow
La Lanterna West End 447 Great Western Road, Glasgow G12 8HH 0141 3340686 www.lalanternawestend.co.uk The Bill Set Lunch 2 courses £17.95 | 3 courses £22.95 Starters £5.95 – £13.50 | Pasta £15.95 – £18.95 Mains £17.95 – £35.95 | Desserts £6.50 – £6.90 The Score Cooking 5.5/10 | Service 4/5 Flavour 4/5 | Value 5/5 TOTAL 18.5/25 …
Read MoreWhat’s In A Name? I’ll Drink To That
Dionysus NOT Dionysios Dionysios, I said to myself. Are you sure? Is it not Dionysus? Sad, I suppose, that the idea for a column can materialise when you’re taking your best girl out for a hot date. Early evening at the flickers followed by some leftover chicken stew. Don’t tell me that I can’t show…
Read MoreLobster Bisque from Leftovers
Professionals, look away now. Serious cooks who have created this lovingly from a classic text, do likewise. This is a true mongrel of a recipe, born of improvisation on my part, and vague memories of seeing folk on the telly doing bisque-y type stuff. All I will say in my defence is that the end…
Read MoreLangan’s Brasserie, London
Langan’s Brasserie, Stratton Street, London W1J 8LB 020 7491 8822 www.langansbrasserie.com The Bill A la carte Starters £13.00 – £935.00 Mains £19.00 – £68.00 | Puddings £11.50 – £16.00 The Score Cooking 6/10 | Service 3.5/5 Flavour 3/5 | Value 2/5 TOTAL 14.5/25 Well, there a few reasons. I say this in…
Read MoreStrange Culinary Things At Galungan
A question I’m commonly asked relates to unusual foods which I’ve consumed over the years. People are usually expecting tales from far flung places, involving Johnny Foreigner and his more disgusting habits. Well, it’s not just charity which begins at home. Try, as I have done, describing haggis to a busload of 50 non Scottish…
Read MoreMeg Johnston’s Caramel Custard
Having savaged the “muscovado creme caramel” which we served in hicce, reviewed in today’s Tom Eats! I thought I would share with you the recipe from the lady who made this dish better than anyone. My mum. I’ve never cooked it, as it’s not a pud that I much care for, but I have seen…
Read MoreHicce, London
hicce mkt (in wolf&badger) 102 Stable Street, Coal Drops Yard, Kings Cross, London N1C 4DQ 020 3869 8200 www.hicce.co.uk The Bill Boards £4.50 – £9.00 Plates £10.00 – £28.00 | Desserts £9.00 The Score Cooking 5/10 | Service 3/5 Flavour 3.5/5 | Value 1/5 TOTAL 12.5/25 Regular readers will know of my distaste for…
Read MoreP is for … Potato
My wife laughs at me. I really don’t understand why. When I’m asked what is my favourite vegetable, there can be only one answer – today’s hero, the potato. Not only do I fail to comprehend why that’s remotely amusing, I genuinely find it difficult to see why anyone would make another choice. My grandson…
Read MoreSalade Niçoise
The short but welcome blast of summer weather has got many of us reminiscing of classic meals eaten outside, probably seeking shade from the hot Mediterranean sun. Think south of France, and you probably think about Nice. The Larousse Gastronomique will tell you that à la niçoise is simply the name given to the style…
Read MoreThe Rabbit Restaurant, Marine Troon
The Rabbit Restaurant Marine Troon 8 Crosbie Road, Troon, Ayrshire KA10 6HE 01292 314444 www.therabbitandseal.com The Bill A la carte Starters £5.00 – £13.50 Mains £12.00 – £42.50 | Desserts £7.00 – £8.50 The Score Cooking 8.5/10 | Service 4/5 Flavour 4.5/5 | Value 4.5/5 TOTAL 21.5/25 Salmon with Fennel and Sorrel Rabbit. Why…
Read MoreThe Food Producers – Whirly & Gregorie Marshall of Blackthorn Salt, Ayr
Whirly & Gregorie Marshall Salt: essential for human life; one of our senses of taste. The stuff which makes our food worth the eating. But there is more: much, much more. Did you know that there are over 14,000 things you can use salt for? Whirly Marshall does, and her husband Gregorie can probably tell…
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