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February 2017

restaurant/ review

Dishoom, Edinburgh – restaurant review: Refreshingly remixing Indian dining

Dishoom Edinburgh interior.
Dishoom Edinburgh – 5 minutes before being totally full.

Dishoom, Edinburgh review – “Not dissimilar to dining at a decent tapas restaurant our dishes came thick and fast, as opposed to entrees followed by mains. My central dish of chicken ‘Ruby Murray’ – love the wink to Cockney rhyming slang possibly referencing Dishoom’s London origins – was an absolute belter…”

Excitedly getting ready to see one of the groups that provided the soundtrack to my youth – in the form of the always inventive and enduring Pet Shop Boys – play live in Edinburgh the other day got me thinking about cooking and eating. Bear with me on this one! As for me, food and music have a lot in common. My tastes are really quite broad and varied with regard to both – I’m not a huge fan of ‘death metal’ however, either as a musical genre or a cuisine.  I’m always looking out for something new and interesting in terms of a dish, tune, restaurant or artist. But I also regularly hanker after the familiar, be it in terms of food or music, although it’s always refreshing to encounter an updated take on an old favourite from my younger days.

Vada pau Dishoom Edinburgh.
Vada Pau – spicy chip butty, anyone?

How appropriate then that prior to trotting off to see the PSBs lift the roof on the Edinburgh Playhouse, JML, our friend Tina, and I chose to dine at a relatively new kid on the city’s culinary block in the form of Dishoom.  Appropriate, because as someone born and raised in the environs of Birmingham, Indian – or more accurately, Punjabi, Pakistani and Bangladeshi – cuisine was something my younger self was delighted to be constantly familiar with. Yet, like a stunning remix of a favourite tune, Dishoom brings a new perspective on the food of the subcontinent, a world away from the Balti houses of my formative years.

Apparently taking its name from a Hindi term referring to the noise made by a ricocheting bullet or landing punch in Bollywood action films – think “kerpow” in the original 60s Batman TV series – Dishoom is majorly inspired by Bombay’s (Mumbai’s) Irani cafés.  These were opened by Zoroastrian devotees emigrating from Persia (modern day Iran) from 19th Century onwards.  Now dwindling in number, such venues are about all-day dining, where the well-to-do and those not quite so financially fortunate all rub shoulders together, and food that draws influence from the middle-east and across India arrives fast and fulsome.
Chilli cheese toast - Dishoom, Edinburgh.
Chilli cheese toast – sort of Indian rarebit.

The Edinburgh branch of Dishoom(there are already four, highly regarded, sister venues in central and east London) threw open its doors in the redeveloped southern edge of St Andrew’s Square at the end of 2016, and has already had folk, quite literally, queuing out the door as reservations are only taken for parties of six or more. The venue is spread over three floors of a stylish, Victorian former office building, and consists of a buzzing, speakeasy-esque cocktail bar and dining area in the basement, a modest reception area and truly enormous open kitchen at ground level, with stairs to rival Jacob’s Ladder leading to the colonial-inspired main dining area above.  Taken in the round, it exhibits all the credentials of a well put together and welcoming dining and supping venue.

Also equally welcoming are Dishoom’s servers, who are only too happy to talk the unfamiliar through the pretty extensive menu. Depending on the time of day, this focuses on: breakfast dishes such as tomato, onion, chilli and coriander “Bombay” omelette with “Fire Toast”, or maybe a bacon or sausage naan roll; small plates or salads – such as the enticing paneer and mango – ideal for lunch or dinner, if two or three plates are combined; and larger grilled dishes and biryanis for those who crave something more substantial. Add to this an inviting range of rice, Southern-Asian breads, and vegetable sides and there is certainly something to cater for all tastes, including those with particular dietary requirements – our friend Tina was particularly grateful that there is a dedicated menu that identifies everything that is gluten free.
To be honest, so inviting is Dishoom’s menu I was a wee bit concerned we might have over-ordered for a pre-concert early dinner, with each of us going for a more substantial dish but agreeing to share a plethora small plates between us. This is a rare occurrence for JML, a chap for whom attempts at “sharing” platters usually results in a fork in the back of one’s hand.
Chicken Ruby Murray - Dishoom, Edinburgh.
Chicken Ruby Murray and kachumber.

Not dissimilar to dining at a decent tapas restaurant our dishes came thick and fast, as opposed to entrees followed by mains. My central dish of chicken “Ruby Murray” – love the wink to Cockney rhyming slang possibly referencing Dishoom’s London origins – was an absolute belter; beautifully cooked poultry in an earthily-spiced sauce that also encapsulated a lovely chilli warmth and rich makhani buttery-ness . Tina’s chicken tikka was atypical in the best possible way, thanks to a marinade based on sweet vinegar, as opposed to yoghurt, and which also encompassed ginger, garlic, turmeric and chilli to produce a superb balance of flavours.  JML’s Awadhi lamb biryani was sumptuously aromatic perfectly matching unctuous slow cooked lamb and spice infused rice.  Amongst the best he has tasted, apparently.

If larger dishes were towards the “superb” end of catering, the plates we decided to share were also really quite impressive. I’ve never really thought of cheese on toast or a chip butty as being particularly typical of Indian food.  Well think again food blog boy, as chilli cheese toast provided a splendid, spiced hit of fromage on a crisp slice of bloomer, whilst “vada pau” – sautéed potato enhanced by the addition of authentic “Ghati” masala spice mix and sandwiched on a buttered pau bun was as irresistible as an offering from a really great chippie, but with even more flavoursome whistles and bells.  Masala prawns were delightful in their simplicity, subtly spiced and char grilled to ensure maximum smoky succulence.  Dishoomslaw provided a tasty eastern slant on this staple accompaniment with crisp, sliced cabbage tossed in a mild, yet punchy, curried mayonnaise and then bejewelled with tangy-sweet pomegranate seeds. 
 
Dishoom Slaw and masala prawns - Dishoom, Edinburgh.
Dishoom slaw & masala prawns.

In an effort to boost our five a day, ‘a bowl of greens’ – spinach, sugar snaps and broccoli, cooked to point and tumbled in lime juice, chilli and a hint of – I think – cumin made being healthy, well tasty.  As did the deceptively straightforward kachumber – a simply delicious salad of sweet red onion, cool cucumber and ripe tomato, again enhanced with lime and subtle spice.  I know I mention “spice” a lot in this review, and I’m not merely referring to chilli.  Each dish was a bit like opening presents at Christmas – ooh, a trace of cumin and coriander there; ah, cardamom and a hint of methi there.  Combined with really good ingredients, I just wanted to go from bowl, to plate to bowl.  And I haven’t even mentioned the smashing glasses of Dishoom IPA and rich, fruity Rioja that we quaffed with our feast.

To be quite frank, it’s hard to find fault with the Dishoom experience. The food is fresh, flavoursome and well prepared, the service is top notch without being imposing, the surroundings akin to an Edwardian Bombay gentleman’s club where you are still welcomed even if sporting jeans and trainers.  A bit like seeing a much-loved band whose dazzling show makes you view the familiar in a totally new light, Dishoom is Indian food, but not as you know it. “Kerpow” indeed!

Food – 8/10
Atmosphere – 8/10
Service – 8/10
Value – 8/10

Ambience – expect a buzzing restaurant/bar with a welcoming and relaxed vibe.

Dishoom Edinburgh Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato
Square Meal

February 27, 2017 By
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review

Barrelhouse Bar and Grill, Edinburgh restaurant review – A most welcome east-end rollout

Barrelhouse Bar and Grill, Edinburgh - interior.
The Barrelhouse’s “smoking” interior.

Barrelhouse Bar & Grill, Edinburgh review – “Finger bowls, extra serviettes and a receptacle for the bones (apologies to non-meat eaters) heralded the arrival of the chicken wings, and pretty glorious they were. Smothered in a rich, tangy, spicy glaze the meat was deliciously tender, sliding off the bone.”

As someone whose day job is in communications, I’m well aware of the adage “there’s no such thing as bad publicity”, and this is often true. After all, had it not been for some wannabe local politician moaning on about the look of the Barrelhouse Bar and Grill – located in my old stomping ground of Willowbrae, Edinburgh – which draws its inspiration from New Orleans-style, blues-playing watering holes, I might not have heard about it. Because according to the prospective Edinburgh Councillor, the deep-south themed exterior of this newly opened establishment “does nothing to improve the area”. Unlike the hostelry’s former incarnation as the infamous Jock’s Lodge pub, which laid semi-derelict for years having been closed following it being the scene of a drugs-related assassination attempt? Aye, that really screamed “up and coming neighbourhood” – NOT! But I digress…

Chilli chicken wings - Barrelhouse, Edinburgh.
Finger-lickin’ chicken wings.
Approaching the Barrelhouse, it’s apparent that the corrugated iron that used to adorn the windows of the old Jock’s Lodge has been niftily repurposed to form the place’s new signage. I semi-jest, as set against the stylish charcoal grey rendered exterior, emblazoning the bar’s name on purposely distressed metal sheeting trendily hints at the venue’s southern U-S-of-A theme. Pass through the doors and it’s surprising at how TARDIS-like the expanse of the interior is compared to the relatively diminutive frontage. I must confess that given its reputation I never stepped foot in the old Jock’s Lodge during the decade I lived in the area, as I am not exactly a fan of a chibbing or ricocheting bullet accompanying a nice glass of Rioja, so I can’t compare the new bar’s look with its predecessor. But I liked what I encountered; faux-distressed wall and ceiling décor, mix and match vintage furniture, a well presented horseshoe bar adorned with more corrugated iron and stylish neon lighting, and – most importantly – a semi-open grill/kitchen, which contains the “god of hellfire”, according to the signage adjacent the pass. The place even houses a modest stage area in order to host live music – smouldering delta blues I would imagine.
Chilli beef taco shell - Barrelhouse, Edinburgh.
Big and bold chilli beef taco shell.
Service was uniformly excellent right from the off, with the extremely welcoming and efficient staff immediately showing me to a table and furnishing me with a smashing pint of American-style rye beer, whilst I perused the Barrelhouse‘s menu and awaited the arrival of dining partner, JML.  Given the venue’s Southern USA theme and the appearance of “grill” in its name, it’s unsurprising that American classics and “BBQ” dishes are prominent in its food offering, but the range of starters and mains is more nuanced than standard diner-esque fare, and a squint at the Barrelhouse‘s Facebook page suggests the menu gets regularly updated.  JML having now arrived, and been speedily supplied with a refreshing pint of continental lager, we dived into placing our order.

Crab cakes, Barrelhouse, Edinburgh.
Crab cakes – southern style.
In terms of starters, the likes of the smoked salmon and asparagus frittata, and haggis bon bons with sweet chilli dip were inviting. But wanting to put the kitchen’s grilling skills to the test I settled on the sweet chilli chicken wings, whilst JML went down a more Tex-Mex route in the form of chilli beef served in a taco bowl. Finger bowls, extra serviettes and a receptacle for the bones (apologies to non-meat eaters) heralded the arrival of the chicken wings, and pretty glorious they were. Smothered in a rich, tangy, spicy glaze the meat was deliciously tender, sliding off the bone.  JML’s chilli-laden taco bowl was also pretty satisfying, with a well balanced capsaicin heat accompanying the minced beef, even if the chopped vegetable salad at the bottom of the taco itself was possibly a wee bit misplaced. Yet these were not to be the end of our starters, oh no.  As we munched, one of our ever-attentive servers appeared with a plate of barbecued ribs, explaining that the chef was trialling a new dish and would welcome feedback. Muckle cuts of tender pork, smothered in a spicy, smoky sauce were succulent and flavoursome. Yep they deserve to go on the menu!
Grilled 8oz steak, Barrelhouse, Edinburgh.
Super-succulent 8oz steak.
For the main event, given the generous portions of my starter – combined with the gratis addition of the ribs – I was leaning towards “meat-out”, so was glad that I had chosen Louisiana-inspired crab cakes instead of the “Barrelhouse Filthy Burger”, or Philly cheese-steak sandwich. JML exhibited no such carnivorous reservations, honing in on the grilled 8oz sirloin steak.  My crab cakes consisted a pair of amply-proportioned  golden disks which were full of intense seafood flavour provided by brown and white crustacean meat, nicely complimented by a smokiness imparted by incorporated spices including – I suspect – pimentón. Combined with a zingy salad and decent fries this was a an competent and enjoyable dish, perhaps only slightly let down by a couple of pieces of crab shell residing in one of the cakes, but at least that hinted that the meat had been freshly picked.  JML’s steak was mouth watering in appearance and just as satisfying in terms of flavour.  Clearly properly aged, and sporting a charred plaid exterior from the grill, the interior of the meat was a perfect medium-rare pink; all combined, melt-in-the-mouth delicious. Add to this a stack of great chunky chips, sweetly roasted tomatoes, really well seasoned sautéed mushrooms, and an unctuous peppercorn sauce and this was a cracker of a main course.
Now I have alluded that the Barrelhouse‘s portions are on the generous side. Such was this the case when we dined there that – somewhat unbelievably – it led to our eschewing the offer of pudding.  Yet I understand that those with a sweet tooth are well catered for by the establishment, even if the pud section wasn’t immediately apparent on the menu.  Not going for a third course didn’t cloud our opinion of the Barrelhouse, however…
In the ten or so years I lived in the leafy environs of Meadowbank and Willowbrae I was adamant that what this neighbourhood lacked was a decent pub, serving a good range of quality drinks and tasty honest grub.  Indeed, it could be argued that travelling east from the centre of Edinburgh along London Road – bar the odd decent takeaway – there was  a veritable culinary desert between Abbeyhill’s Safari Lounge and Portobello’s Guild of Foresters. Well folks, an eating and drinking oasis has now appeared in the form of the Barrelhouse, one I shall definitely return to. Unlike certain wannabe local politicians, my only regret about this place is that it didn’t make its BBQ-wielding presence back when I was still resident in the area.
Food 7/10
Atmosphere 7.5/10
Service 8.5/10
Value 8/10
Ambience – expect a welcoming bar serving appetising, USA-inspired, pub food.         
February 12, 2017 By
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