Recent Restaurant Visits Reviews

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

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Was much better last night than before, warmly welcomed in
Just had a single nip and a single brandy, think was around £6.30, so not too expensive in Edinburgh establishments

That's not too bad, about 10 years ago it was £4 for a pint of Strongbow. 😓

Currently in Darlington, about £5 for a Strongbow and Moretti! 😆

[Billy Whizz]

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That's not too bad, about 10 years ago it was £4 for a pint of Strongbow. 😓

Currently in Darlington, about £5 for a Strongbow and Moretti! 😆

You and Scouse Hibee get about

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

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You and Scouse Hibee get about

La Dolce Vita is always worth stringently pursuing! 😃

[Scouse Hibee]

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New owners recently so hopefully they improve it. It should be a far better pub than it is.

A DM Stewart boozer now I believe.

[Scouse Hibee]

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You and Scouse Hibee get about

😁 I’m off to Doncaster then Whitby tomorrow.

[Pretty Boy]

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A DM Stewart boozer now I believe.

It is.

[Billy Whizz]

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😁 I’m off to Doncaster then Whitby tomorrow.

I love Whitby, stayed at Robin Hood’s Bay just down the road a few times

Could have to quarantine on your return though, look out for Nicola’s update

[calumhibee1]

Had a takeaway from Chez Jules today. How they manage to produce such good food for so cheap is beyond me.

Wouldn’t sit in just now though as they are giving you disposable cutlery which is ***** for eating steak frites.

[grunt]

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Just had a single nip and a single brandy, think was around £6.30, so not too expensive in Edinburgh establishments

I'm afraid I just don't see the point in having single measures for spirits. It's mostly evaporated before you get back to your seat.

[hibee_girl]

Had afternoon tea at Fingal today, it was brilliant. Food was amazing and well worth the money.

[Billy Whizz]

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I'm afraid I just don't see the point in having single measures for spirits. It's mostly evaporated before you get back to your seat.

I agree😄, but we had a train to catch
It was £2.80 for a single nip, and £3.50 for a single brandy
Will go back rather than use Platform 5, which was heaving

[Scouse Hibee]

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I agree😄, but we had a train to catch
It was £2.80 for a single nip, and £3.50 for a single brandy
Will go back rather than use Platform 5, which was heaving

The new bar manager is a guy who worked in the Guildford, a good guy who I’m sure will improve the place.

[heretoday]

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A DM Stewart boozer now I believe.

It's got some way to go before reaching the standards of the Guildford or Abbotsford.

[Pretty Boy]

Was at Brewhemia for dinner tonight.

Food was pretty good, not spectacular but decent. 2 mains, 2 cocktails, 2 pints, 2 apple juice and a child's main and dessert for £38.50 with the discount is very good value. Set up was excellent with tables well spaced, QR codes for track and trace and staff checked you had signed up. Service was excellent.

Less pleasant is the news that the Wee Restaurant in Edinburgh has closed for good. Great food. Thankfully they are staying open in Queensferry.

[Scouse Hibee]

Not Edinburgh but was in Whitby at the weekend on a business research trip which involved trying fish and chips from three of the best known outlets.

First up was Trenchers which has a fantastic reputation for fish and chips, it was awful. Chips although not bad in texture had a chemical taste probably not been rinsed properly from the dry white used to keep them looking good. The Haddock was battered with skin on (yuk) and the batter was so thin and soggy they shouldn’t have bothered, the tartar sauce was so vinegary. On top of that the service from the counter staff was abrupt and unhelpful.

In comparison the Quayside was fantastic, told us they served skin on haddock and asked if we wanted it with skin removed before battering which we did, fantastic fish and chips, crispy batter but not too thick and lovely crispy chips and decent tartar sauce.

The Magpie Cafe was also very similar to Quayside although we had cod there as they never offered to remove the skin from the haddock. Their tartar sauce was the best of the lot as it was chunky how I like it.

Overall Whitby was a nice place, we were there for a specific purpose though and Trenchers was such a let down.

I don’t mind skin on fish when it is being pan fried or grilled so it crisps but in batter, not for me!

[danhibees1875]

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Not Edinburgh but was in Whitby at the weekend on a business research trip which involved trying fish and chips from three of the best known outlets.

First up was Trenchers which has a fantastic reputation for fish and chips, it was awful. Chips although not bad in texture had a chemical taste probably not been rinsed properly from the dry white used to keep them looking good. The Haddock was battered with skin on (yuk) and the batter was so thin and soggy they shouldn’t have bothered, the tartar sauce was so vinegary. On top of that the service from the counter staff was abrupt and unhelpful.

In comparison the Quayside was fantastic, told us they served skin on haddock and asked if we wanted it with skin removed before battering which we did, fantastic fish and chips, crispy batter but not too thick and lovely crispy chips and decent tartar sauce.

The Magpie Cafe was also very similar to Quayside although we had cod there as they never offered to remove the skin from the haddock. Their tartar sauce was the best of the lot as it was chunky how I like it.

Overall Whitby was a nice place, we were there for a specific purpose though and Trenchers was such a let down.

I don’t mind skin on fish when it is being pan fried or grilled so it crisps but in batter, not for me!

I had a very different experience when I went - Trenchers was the best fish and chips I've ever had!

[Scouse Hibee]

Dangal the Indian restaurant in Corstorphine are opening a second restaurant in Duke Street Leith very soon.

[SteveHFC]

Away to Berwick tomorrow for the night. Anyone recommended any good restaurants.

[speedy_gonzales]

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Dangal the Indian restaurant in Corstorphine are opening a second restaurant in Duke Street Leith very soon.

How do you rate the Corstorphine one? Passed it numerous times, sometimes it's busy, sometimes empty. They start cooking just after 4pm on weekdays and the phenomenal smell lingers in the area for ages.
I've only been put off because it resembles a cafe (was it Rosa's?) rather than a proper restaurant.
Got my first sit down at Prana (used to be Abida) next week and from what I've heard it's still very decent!

[Scouse Hibee]

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How do you rate the Corstorphine one? Passed it numerous times, sometimes it's busy, sometimes empty. They start cooking just after 4pm on weekdays and the phenomenal smell lingers in the area for ages.
I've only been put off because it resembles a cafe (was it Rosa's?) rather than a proper restaurant.
Got my first sit down at Prana (used to be Abida) next week and from what I've heard it's still very decent!

Never been mate as I tend to go to Eastern Pavilion but have heard it’s decent, yes it was Rosa’s cafe and then the Thai place by night. The premises are owned by David and Rose the owners of Wongs. Never been to Prana either but Abida was decent on the odd occasion I went.

[heretoday]

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Had a takeaway from Chez Jules today. How they manage to produce such good food for so cheap is beyond me.

Wouldn’t sit in just now though as they are giving you disposable cutlery which is ***** for eating steak frites.

I'm very fond of the place. Their lunch menu is tremendous value. Even the wine is reasonable for a restaurant.

[overdrive]

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How do you rate the Corstorphine one? Passed it numerous times, sometimes it's busy, sometimes empty. They start cooking just after 4pm on weekdays and the phenomenal smell lingers in the area for ages.
I've only been put off because it resembles a cafe (was it Rosa's?) rather than a proper restaurant.
Got my first sit down at Prana (used to be Abida) next week and from what I've heard it's still very decent!

Went to the Corstorphine one just before lockdown. My girlfriend and I were doing a Corstorphine curry trail. It was OK but not as good as others in the area.

I’ve been to Prana twice. Probably the best Indian food I’ve ever had. Strangely, they are still calling themselves Abida for their takeaway business and they still answer the phone as Abida.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

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I’ve been to Prana twice. Probably the best Indian food I’ve ever had. Strangely, they are still calling themselves Abida for their takeaway business and they still answer the phone as Abida.

As Del Boy would say, what a bunch of Pranas! 😉

[speedy_gonzales]

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Went to the Corstorphine one just before lockdown. My girlfriend and I were doing a Corstorphine curry trail. It was OK but not as good as others in the area.

I’ve been to Prana twice. Probably the best Indian food I’ve ever had. Strangely, they are still calling themselves Abida for their takeaway business and they still answer the phone as Abida.

Shoooosht with the Corstorphine Curry Trail,,,, just like the NC500 it started of as a little known jaunt for enthusiasts, the locals now hate the influx of daytrippers.
I don't want to have to start queueing for my mushroom rice on a Friday night from St Johns Curry Club!?!

[Just Alf]

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Shoooosht with the Corstorphine Curry Trail,,,, just like the NC500 it started of as a little known jaunt for enthusiasts, the locals now hate the influx of daytrippers.
I don't want to have to start queueing for my mushroom rice on a Friday night from St Johns Curry Club!?!

The Corry Curry trail? ..... hmmmm


In these Covid days is there a takeaway equivalent? (Might help spread the load and save you having to queue!)


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[overdrive]

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Shoooosht with the Corstorphine Curry Trail,,,, just like the NC500 it started of as a little known jaunt for enthusiasts, the locals now hate the influx of daytrippers.
I don't want to have to start queueing for my mushroom rice on a Friday night from St Johns Curry Club!?!

St Johns was winning it easily until the first visit to Prana.

[Hermit Crab]

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St Johns was winning it easily until the first visit to Prana.

I absolutely love the Bengali Green Chicken dish from St Johns. Never been disappointed yet.

[calumhibee1]

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I'm very fond of the place. Their lunch menu is tremendous value. Even the wine is reasonable for a restaurant.

Yup, the wine is very decent value as well. I love the place.

[overdrive]

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I absolutely love the Bengali Green Chicken dish from St Johns. Never been disappointed yet.

That’s my favourite too. They are connected to In Touch on Ferry Road who have a nearly identical menu. The Bengali Green Chicken is ace there too!

[Pretty Boy]

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That’s my favourite too. They are connected to In Touch on Ferry Road who have a nearly identical menu. The Bengali Green Chicken is ace there too!

The whole Indian restaurant scene in Edinburgh is quite fascinating. I deal with a lot of them in work, including almost all of the St Johns Road/Corstorphine crew, and so many of them are interconnected in some way, either through family or extended friendship networks. It's an annual occurrence that some of the restaurants nominally have 'new owners' who happen to be the cousin or brother of the previous owners and have links to another restaurant. Coincidentally they almost always keep the previous owners on in a management capacity The vast majority of the owners and staff tend to be Bangladeshi with a smattering of Pakistani owned restaurants. The number of Indian restaurants owned by Indians is probably single figures in Edinburgh, those that are tend to be from either West Bengal or Punjab and have strong links to the neighbouring countries of Bangladesh and Pakistan respectively.

It's a good community to get into from a business perspective because when your face is known and you are trusted then they will be loyal to you and will recommend you to others. On the flip side it can be a nightmare to quote for new product or agree price increases because you can guarantee that they will know exactly what the guy next door and the guy at the other side of the city is paying. There's also a strong emphasis on verbal contracts and gentlemans agreements. I remember years ago telling one owner a new pass through dishwasher would be 'about £4000' but I would have to quote formally; when I presented a quote for closer to £4500 he got very upset and accused me of double crossing him, it was months before he dealt with me again. The best part of dealing with a number of Indian restaurants is the food. I always try to schedule meetings for about 3pm. The lunch service is done and you quite often find a wife bustling about the kitchen cooking food that they actually eat and it's always amazing. Kabuli Puloa, Haleem and Dowdo are particular favourites. They also use a lot of mutton that adds a great depth. I've asked for some of these dishes when I have been out for dinner before and they are usually only too happy to accommodate and show off authentic cuisine.