Although new to the city, there is one place that seems to be mentioned in unfair quantities by guidebooks and that is the hallowed
Valvona &
Crolla.
It being a bleak, grey Saturday morning, me and husband decided to have ourselves a brunch in this almost mythical establishment. A plus is that it is only minutes away from home.
At the doors you find yourself waiting for the people streaming in and streaming out in a fug of contented foodie happiness. Find a break and head into the all enveloping world of
Valvona &
Crolla.
Rows of hams and sausages hang from the double height ceiling and there are shelves as far up as you care to crane your neck.
Counters hold
refrigerated treasures from cheeses to meats to heavenly looking vanilla pods to oat cakes. Further along vegetables, hand-made pizzas, gnocchi and more.
Bon-
bons,
choccies, biscuits and nougat give way to beautifully crafted wooden salad bowls, rows of oils and vinegars, wicker baskets filled with breads, brioches, pastries and muffins. And then the wine, oh the wine!
Onto breakfast and into
a bright clean barn like addition to the shop which
doesn't entirely gel with the atmospheric den of the main deli. I ordered a vegetarian breakfast and a latte, and sat waiting with huge anticipation of the meal ahead.
It turned out that hubby had ordered an
omelet inna bun and I lucked out with a vegetarian feast with
chargrilled aubergine, courgette, mushrooms and tomatoes which were amazingly smokey.
A chunk of grilled
polenta and an awe inspiring egg that tasted heavenly (how do you do that?) I realised after a little while that I hadn't taken a photo so
hurriedly took one before it was too late!
This was all served with two slices of fresh, white caraway seed flecked bread accompanied by a teacupful of fresh, pale unsalted butter -
waistline be damned, that butter had to be spread!
The latte was lovely with just the right amount of bitterness to compliment what was a fabulous brunch. I understand the hype. On the way out, I took a snapshot of the sweetest looking sweeties - teeny little mints that appealed to my more arty side! I
didn't manage to get through the deli without making a couple
of purchases. We tried a chunk of
pecorino with the most amazing chestnut honey drizzled over it but I thought the cheese was a bit overpowering but could still taste the honey on my tongue some time later. Into my bag went handmade oatcakes, a
burratini (mozzarella cheese creamed with butter and re-hung) and a slice of
fontina... I do have people over for supper tonight after all!
x
Iglu is well known in Edinburgh for awesome food in a lovely atmosphere but we were drawn in by the offer of a cup of Artisan Roast coffee. Battered leather seats, tweed cushions, sturdy wooden tables and chalk boards listing wines welcomed us to the cafe section of this tucked away destination. Giant windows allow light to stream in so we spent a very pleasant half hour with the Sunday papers and awesome coffee.
Once we had been popped out the other end of an interesting account of the financial crisis, I needed something a bit stronger and we were both incredibly hungry. Still new to the city, going out seems to be something we do the whole time. We went to a place on Thistle Street called TexMex II - the first restaurant we went to in Edinburgh when we came up for hubby's job interview.
I am not going to give a blow by blow account just that the food is fabulous, the atmosphere intimate and the Margarita's awesome. I left full of burrito, re-fried beans, salad and an indecently decadent slice of chocolate tart! It is frill free but I implore anyone visiting this culinary gem to take the plunge and try the chili sauce - fiery but worth the work!
