(Guest Blog-Scotland) Dumplings at Chop Chop, Indian at Vinyasa and a trip to Aberlady.
Chop Chop, Edinburgh
To be honest, I’m someone who usually orders the exact same thing every time I go for a Chinese meal. But when my friend suggested giving Chop Chop at Commercial Quay a try, I was adamant that I would break the mould and try something different. Chop Chop’s owner comes from North Eastern China, a region famous for its dumplings. Willing to try something authentic, my friend and I opted to share a selection of various dumplings; pork and coriander, pork and prawn boiled dumplings and beef and chilli fried dumplings. They were served with light soya sauce, vinegar, chilli oil and garlic so that you can mix your own dumpling sauce to suit your taste. They were delicious! We teamed the dumplings with the cucumber salad which was fresh, tangy and crunchy, and went with the dumplings perfectly. From my experience I’ve never really enjoyed dessert when I’ve eaten Chinese but I had to give it a go when I looked at the dessert menu. We perhaps we went a bit dumpling crazy but how can you say no to peanut butter dumplings with raisin, sugar and sesame seed filling and ice cream? We also ordered the sugar string apple which was cooked apple pieces in a caramelised sugar coating. The best part was you dip them in cold water which makes them deliciously crispy. It’s quite obvious to say I thoroughly enjoyed my meal at Chop Chop. I loved the relaxed, friendly atmosphere and the fantastic price for such quality authentic Chinese cuisine. Chop Chop is a must if you haven’t been already! There are branches in Morrison Street, Haymarket and Commercial Quay, Leith.
More information on Chop Chop, Edinburgh and LeithVinyasa, Edinburgh
Just off the hustle and bustle of the Royal Mile in St Mary’s Street lies the recently opened Indian restaurant, Vinyasa. Inside is relaxed, modern-styled and brightly coloured. Greeted with a warm and friendly welcome we put our trust in our waiting staff. They were happy to answer all of our questions and kindly recommended dishes that would suit our tastes. To start we had the Dhaal Puri which was puffed bread with stuffed lentils and the King Prawn Pathia with Puri. I’d never tried Indian style lentils or fish and was amazed at how absolutely gorgeous they were. I enjoy hot dishes and so went for the Lamb Karahi, with succulent pieces of lamb cooked with onions, green peppers, green chillies, tomatoes and coriander. Beautiful! My friend has slightly milder tastes and opted for the Silsyla Lamb which was described as sliced leg of lamb in herbs and spices marinated and butter dressed with honey and served in a smooth buttery sauce. It just melted in your mouth, it was delicious! We teamed our mains with a couple portions of Pilau Rice and Peshwari Nan, which I could have eaten all night! After feeling very full and satisfied we somehow managed to get out of our seats to wander round the Royal Mile and soak up the Festival atmosphere. We’ll definitely be back to Vinyasa, it’s a great location, amazing food, superb value and the staff are wonderful!
More information on Vinyasa, EdinburghDuck’s Restaurant, Aberlady
I’d heard lots of wonderful reports about Duck’s from many of my friends and so when I was in Aberlady, East Lothian, I thought it was about time I found out what the quack was. On arrival I could tell this was my kind of place - golf, whisky, cigars, classic homemade food and a fantastic atmosphere. We decided to try Donald’s Bar and Bistro, which is the sister restaurant to Duck’s at Kilspindie House. To start my friend ordered the Seafood Chowder whereas I had the Duck Liver Parfait (when in Rome!). Both were delicious! For our mains my friend had the Buccleuch Sirloin Steak which was cooked to absolute perfection. I opted for the Belhaven Best Battered Haddock, it was out of this world! After fully demolishing the generous portions, we were fully stuffed. We did flirt with the idea of desserts, but it was the fine selection of malt whiskies that took our fancy. Duck’s is an official ‘Home from Home’ and Partner Bar of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. The vast range didn’t disappoint and we tried our hand one or two (or maybe three or four come to think of it!) Duck’s is all it is quacked up to be - great quality homemade food, a wonderful friendly atmosphere with a range of whiskies for the most discerning of tastes. We’ll definitely be back, next time to give Duck’s restaurant a try!
More information on Duck's at Kilspindie House, AberladyGuest Blog by Susan FerrierMore restaurants in Scotland
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