THE WATER OF LEITH CAFE BISTRO

Two of my three Madeleines!

The other week I found a new cake, a Madeleine! It is not often as a cake fiend that you find one you have never had before.  I know I have been leaving most of the tasting up to Mary this last few months but I am trying to lose weight and have been avoiding them.

A Madeleine is a little sponge type oval cake.  They have a bit more flavour than your basic Victoria, I thought it was almonds but Michael Miesle, the French chef assured me it wasn’t.  I looked up a recipe and the ingredients used vanilla, so that’s what I must have tasted.  He also told me that they were invented before the UK sponge.

The Water of Leith Cafe Bistro

My new discovery was at The Water of Leith Cafe Bistro which is a converted pub on Coburg Street very near the end of Ferry Road.  It has a bright green exterior and yellow and green interior.  There is a corner for couches but mostly it is traditional pine tables and interesting shaped modern chairs.

Myself, Mary and Janey were out for Doors open day and we had been to see things in Leith including Lamb’s House, which was amazing.  If you ever get the chance have a look.  It is a private dwelling so not generally open; the couple that own it are an architect and his wife, the Icelandic Consul.  They have rescued this 16 or 17th Century house and done it up beautifully.  What you can do if you have lots of time and money!  

 

Top marks for presentation!

Mary had the scones which were good and there was a pear and almond tart that I really wanted to eat but couldn’t.  Janey had the most magnificently presented cupcake.  There was quite a fishy bent to the menu that weekend including Cullen Skink and Fishcakes.  Of course they had Croque Monsieur and Croque Madame and they always have a soup of the day too.  The menu looked great, whole range of meals but unfortunately neither of us was hungry enough.  The nice big cups of cappuccino’s were excellent and Janey had a kids hot chocolate with loads of marshmallows.

I would love to go back hungry and everything looked and smelt great. They are open from 10-5.30 every day except Monday.  You can find them at: 52 Corburg St, Leith, EDINBURGH, EH6 6HJ. Tel 0131 555 2613 or on their website www.thewaterofleithcafebistro.co.uk where you can check out their fabulous menu for yourself.

THE TIDE ART GALLERY AND COFFEE SHOP

This is a fairly new café at the bottom of Kings Road on the corner with the promenade.  Once a pub, it has had a few incarnations, but works really well as an art gallery and café.  Serving soup and sandwich type snacks, coffee, tea and homemade baking it is a welcome addition to catering on the prom. 

The owner is an art school graduate herself so all the pictures, jewellery, models, pottery and sculpture is of a high standard and makes the surroundings very pleasant.  She has some very original hexagonal shelving by Zhuqiu Huang.  You can browse before, during or after you have your drinks as she and her and her sister run a very friendly establishment.  They provide lots of newspapers, a shelf of books and games and have a play area of toys for kids.   The interior of the front doors have been painted with a colourful design and are a work of art themselves.

A few fixtures from the original pub remain.  They serve the drinks from behind the old bar, while the cakes are arranged in glass cake stands on it.  The half panelling has been painted either white or terracotta and the walls above are white to show off the art.  The toilets are clean and functional like pub toilets but I feel that they too will soon have an artistic stamp on them.  There is a sofa area, lots of traditional tables and chairs and a few bar stools at a counter with a sea view. 

 

I had a plate of very tasty unliquidised potato and leek soup which contained bacon.  The waitress warned me first in case I was vegetarian.  My friend’s bacon roll was equally good and her side salad was extremely fresh.  We had a couple of coffees to wash it down which were also up to the same high standard.

You can find it at 56 Kings Road, Portobello, EH15 1DX.  Phone no 0131 669 9408 or it has Facebook page. It is open 7 days a week 10am - 6pm.

BELLA ITALIA

About two months ago I met Mary and Janey in Bella Italia on the third floor of Ocean Terminal. They had been there for lunch and I met them after for a cup of coffee.

I was pleasantly surprised, not being a fan of either chain or Italian restaurants.  There were lots of Italian prints and old pictures of Italy on the orangey yellow walls.  One was completely covered with a massive map of Italy.  It had great views over the harbour and across to Fife.  I was very impressed with the child friendly pack of multi-coloured pencil and book of puzzles and colouring in.  My honorary niece, Janey loved it, and it gave her mother and I time to catch up.  Of course we got roped in to help, but that is the price you pay when meeting with a 5 year old.

I can’t really tell you how the food was other than Mary liked her Casarecci Pollo Limone, but it isn’t served now as the menus have changed.  Janey wasn’t too impressed by the meatballs but she often isn’t impressed by new food.  I did have a mini ciabelline, which was a bread stick with a lovely garlic butter dipping sauce that was good, if fattening! 

I shared the mini donuts in chocolate sauce with Mary, the donuts were so overcooked they were almost inedible but the sauce was so gorgeous it almost made up for it.  Janey finished it with her ice cream.  My mochaccino wasn’t as sweet as I was expecting as it was proper dark chocolate on top which is probably how it is meant to be.  I didn’t drink coffee for years and have only just started developing a serious coffee habit, so haven’t got past the foam on a great cappuccino.

To get to the very nice toilets you walked along a small corridor.  It was hung with 30’s Italian posters which were really interesting and colourful.  I thought it was a bit of a waste hanging them there but they wouldn’t have suited the decor in the rest of restaurant.

I would recommend this restaurant to people with children as the food is acceptable and the ambiance is good but I wouldn’t go there for fine dining.

Contact details:- Ocean Terminal, Ocean Drive, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 7DZ, 0131 555 6700 www.beliaitalia.co.uk/italian-restaurant/edinburgh-ocean-terminal