There must be something in the water around Edinburgh’s Tollcross. The King’s Theatre reopened recently following a major refurbishment and just across the road, popular neighbourhood cocktail bar and restaurant The Blackbird has also undergone a makeover.
We paid a visit midweek, but the bar was bustling with festival goers and the restaurant area, with its exposed stone walls, funky blackbird-themed wallpaper ceiling and period teal walls was full of diners perusing their Fringe programmes and comparing notes on their favourite shows.
The all-day food menu is designed for casual summer dining with a range of plate sizes to allow time for everything from a speedy refuel to a hearty feast. We arrived hungry and decided to start with the goat’s cheese arancini. Three large balls of gooey, crispy goodness, with a generous grating of parmesan, sitting atop a red pepper sauce. Intrigued by the idea of Dom’s hot peach sauce (who is Dom, and why does he make hot sauce from peaches), my daughter plumped for the chunky halloumi fries which were slathered in this spicy delight. Both were really good-sized portions, probably a bit large for starters, but ideal as sharing plates.
Our mains arrived and we knew we’d probably bitten off more than we could chew. Daughter’s beef and pork burger was smothered in cheese, crowned with bacon (no pickles, silly girl!) with a large portion of crispy fries. My fried chicken came in a brioche bun with pickles (hoorah), that gorgeous peach hot sauce again and a tangy fermented pineapple relish. The bun was so stacked that even my famously cavernous bouche struggled to bite into it. It was a battle to finish, but we enjoyed every bite. Dessert was definitely off the cards, but if I’d had space, the lemon and poppy seed crème brulee would have been high on my list.
Fellow beer-garden obsessives will surely appreciate the terrace at The Blackbird, which I popped out to investigate on a visit to the loo. Think rustic decked flooring, chunky wooden tables, cute parasols and a variety of potted plants and trees. The natural greenery growing in this oasis in the heart of the city really puts the garden into beer garden.
The newly devised cocktail menu features a fair few classics, alongside lots of in-house creations. Daughter enjoyed the summer vibes with a Zero Strawberry Statement featuring Everleaf Mountain non-alcoholic aperitif alongside elderflower, strawberry, lemon and apple and I supped a non-alcoholic beer, when I really wanted a Kingston Dove with its tequila, guava, pineapple and lime. Them’s the breaks!
Heading back out onto Leven Street I explain to my daughter that when I first moved to Edinburgh, I lived in a house just around the corner. And I found myself wishing that Blackbird was my local way back then. It may be packed with tourists for a little while longer, but this stylish pub and restaurant is the perfect neighbourhood hangout.
The Blackbird Bar and Restaurant 37-39 Leven Street, Edinburgh EH3 9LH
Tel:
www.theblackbirdedinburgh.co.uk
Read more Reviews here.
Subscribe to read the latest issue of Scottish Field.
TAGS