The Location
Stockbridge, located around the Water of Leith, is a lively neighbourhood community just a few minutes walk down from the New Town and Edinburgh city centre. St. Stephens Street is a quaint, quiet cobbled street, well worth a visit. Browse by day around the antique, jewellery, accessories and craft shops, second hand clothing and fine fashion boutiques. Here you'll also find quirky old pubs and wine bars, while scattered down basements along the street is an eclectic mix of restaurants from Mexican and American burgers to The Snug. Formerly an Italian diner, and before that a French restaurant, it's now been transformed into a bistro specialising in Scottish cuisine.
The Restaurant
Take a short flight of steps and step into the cosy, and certainly snug, cellar 'bothy'. White walls are complemented by copper-red wood panelling and a collection of colourful paintings. It's all very welcoming and attractive with candles on each uncovered natural wood table. In typical bistro style there are blackboards displaying daily specials and the cheese board. On another board is written the slogan "It's no' wee, it's snug". The ebullient and cheery owner/ manager is Kenny Cairns who for many years worked at The Room in the Town, just up the road on Howe Street and previously at Fishers. Well experienced at running a restaurant, both in and out of the kitchen, it was time for a change and a challenge by opening a place of his own.
The Food
The hand written menu changes daily depending on the best seasonal food in the market, but whatever is on offer, you can be absolutely assured to taste the freshest, meat, fish and vegetables. Kenny Cairns and his head chef, Hamilton Scott are adamant that they know the provenance of the food cooked and served. They source local and Scotland-wide suppliers for quality fish, seafood, beef, poultry, game and wild mushrooms, herbs and salad leaves, while cheese comes from traditional artisan and island cheesemakers. The cuisine is contemporary Scottish - traditional dishes presented with a fusion twist.
For both lunch and dinner, there's an extensive choice to suit all tastes and appetites. Smoked salmon for a starter, served with spinach and cream cheese roulade with a lime salsa to add a touch of spice. Alternatively classic rollmop herring on a crushed coriander new tattie salad with sweet pepper coulis. An ingenious makeover on an Edwardian breakfast dish is Kipper Kedgeree, topped with a poached free range egg and roast plum tomato. Daily specials might be Shetland mussels or haggis, neeps and tatties - well presented in a round tower shape - with a whisky cream sauce. Main courses might include baked whole seabass, roast venison on thyme, roast carrots and parsnips in a rosemary and port reduction, or pan seared chicken breast on haggis mash with a mustard jus. A vegetarian alternative is always available, such as fennel, shallot and garlic tart. A dish of potatoes and fresh vegetables - perhaps spiced red cabbage, green beans and roast potatoes - is also served. A note on the menu says to make the kitchen aware of any food allergies. They certainly want to feed you up at the Snug and care about what they do feed you.
And of course for a Scottish bistro, puddings are equally important. Classic sticky toffee pudding perhaps, or Cranachan. After a substantial meal you might like something light and refreshing such as green apple sorbet drowning in a generous splash of ice-cold Bombay Sapphire gin. Intoxicating but hits the spot.
The Bill
Lunch: one course, £6.45, two courses, £8.45, three courses, £10.45. Dinner: starters, £4.00 - £5.00, Mains - £10.95 - £15.95. Pudding: £ 4.50. BYOB (Bring Your Own Beer) at present, pending drinks licence.Conclusion
At the time of this visit, (June 2005), the Snug is just a few weeks old but already the place is packed out most nights of the week and popular for lunch. Diners return for a second helping and recommend to friends - word is spreading fast. Visitors to the city may come across it by chance, wandering around Stockbridge. The lunch menu is very good value at £8.95 for two courses and dinner prices are below average for this quality - and quantity - of good food. Kenny Cairns' small team are very enthusiastic in this new venture and working hard to make it a great success. With so many Italian, Indian and Thai restaurants around town, it's simply terrific to find a bistro serving such inventive and tasty modern Scottish cuisine.Vivien Devlin
