Indaba - Spanish Tapas

Spanish Cheeseboard

Tollcross maybe gets too little attention as an area to eat out…and when I reflect on the

streets around The Cameo and the Kings Theatre, many of the places I go to again and

again, a late decision, an unplanned Friday night and a quick phone call if you are flexible

about time, come to mind. Some of these more low-key local eateries, a few steps away

from the mainstream, have been highly praised here already: Harajuku Kitchen for informal

Japanese fare is now in full sail again with a new and exciting menu, and worth a

visit; up the road, a very worthy and charming Asian competitor, Hoi An, for mainly

Vietnamese food in a comforting cocoon of bright, warming colour and soft furnishing; and

across from the cinema, one of the best modern-day Chinese restaurants in the city…no

fuss, no silver service…Street of Beijing. A bolt hole of uncosmeticised authenticity, I like to

drop in occasionally for a carton of takeaway dumplings! Another Japanese restaurant

nearby, more city-smart rather than family hullabaloo is Yamato. Here, more slick and

sophisticated, dishes are gracefully laid down, beautiful to behold, and what comes to the

table is nothing less than pristine, well-executed deliciousness… Wagyu beef steaks are worth every penny.

Idling quietly around the corner at Lochrin Terrace, easy to miss and maybe too easy to

dismiss at first sight, unassuming beside its up-market Japanese neighbour, is Indaba, a

tapas restaurant of long standing, well loved by a faithful clientèle of those in the know.

Led some years ago by so many glowing reviews, we came and then came again and

again. The vibe is chill; come as you are, come alone, come to relax, come to enjoy and

feel at home, come as a couple or with hearty, food-loving friends.

Daily croquettes

Tapas are cooked to order, cooked with love and pride in what is put in front of you,

making the most of local produce…squid, mussels, pork belly, as well as such classics

as croquetas maison… salchichón and chorizo on a very ample tabla de quesos y

embutidos; pickled anchovy fillets with garlic and parsley oil and maybe a soupçon of

lemon; homemade meatballs, satisfyingly ample, soft and yielding in a rich, palate-

pleasing and aromatic tomato sauce; deep fried battered cod, flaky, chunky and lightly

coated in a rice and chickpea flour, earthy pisto, or vegetable stew, and not forgetting the

iconic tortilla española. But this is no ordinary tortilla, for it is tender, moist, multi-layered, and

cooked in a deep pan. Indaba is a special place which we return to often; special not only

for the freshness of its dishes, for the warm and welcoming staff and the creativity of its

kitchen, but for its ever-exciting and reimagining of standard classic fare. A South African

and Scottish twist are ever-present on the standard menu and the specials board.

On our recent visit, we feast on bèchamel-based croquetas with a manchego and

aubergine filling; ensalada de garbanzos and Idiazabal (a smoked sheep cheese) fine-

chopped red onion and herby greens, adding another layer of flavour; a soft but crusty

tostada with sweet tomatoes, collapsed and oozing, and topped with slabs of smoked

cheese; tender, crisp and salted strips of pork shoulder simply served on a slate; and soft,

silky king scallops in a Malaysian style, light lemongrass and coconut milk sauce with a

sprinkling of soya seeds. Sauces and dressings enhance each generous dish, but do not exclude the need for an extra bread basket to mop up. Two large glasses of a

garnacha rosé from a well-curated wine list, with a choice of non-alcoholic beers for the

virtuous is an appropriate match and sends us home very happy.

Indaba - 3 Lochrin Terrace, Edinburgh EH3 9QJ - 0131 221 1554