Partners in business and life, Claire and Martin Wilson are the proud founders of Love Icecream. Their mission is simple – to make the best possible ice cream in the most delicious flavours using good-quality local ingredients. They may be familiar to you from La Cerise, a wonderful patisserie formerly on Great Junction Street. And dare I say, they were partly responsible for the huge upswing in pastry offerings in Leith. From La Cerise, they developed a love of making ice cream, so naming their next venture was easy. Based in Haddington and featuring many East Lothian ingredients, they are forging their way, with direct sales at markets and farm shops. Martin previously worked with Brose, perfecting their oat milk recipe, and Love Icecream was originally going to be vegan ice cream, but the call for traditional was stronger, so they now do both. The four vegan flavours include Double chocolate with Chocolate Tree chocolate and Honeycomb (honeycomb made with sugar and bicarb). They also offer SLF (Super Low Fat) made with yoghurt and skim milk: Strawberry, Blackberry or Mango. Their Lemon sorbet is rather special, Martin has mastered the texture so it’s not too icy but has a slight gooey-ness – a perfect palate cleanser for dinner parties. Other flavours include the brand new Biscoff Caramel crunch, Mint Choc Chip, Jumble Berry (a mix of East Lothian berries), Raspberry Ripple, Salted caramel and Bubblegum - you know, for kids. Love Icecream runs regular competitions on their ‘socials’ for new flavours. Claire emphasises that environmental responsibility is high on their agenda: all packaging is recyclable, there’s almost zero food waste, and they choose the best ingredients for the planet (no palm oil, no soy). This summer they launch a mobile ice cream parlour, Annie. In true Love Icecream style, Martin has renovated a horsebox, transforming it into a mobile ice cream outlet that will pop up at weddings and events. The biggie this year is the Haddington Agricultural Show on Saturday 29 June. See https://haddingtonshow.co.uk/ for more info. (T. Griffen) Find Claire, Martin and Banjo the dog at Haddington market on the last Saturday of every month. Visit www.loveicecream.biz for more info and delivery throughout East Lothian. Instagram / Facebook: @loveicecream

Itihaas is an award-winning restaurant turning out dependable Bangladeshi and Indian cuisine in Dalkeith. It's not quite a destination restaurant, but if you are in the area you can be sure of a decent feed, and one or two menu options which go beyond the standard curry house pantheon. The ambiance is fresh and comfortable, creating a welcoming environment that complements the warm and attentive service. We are seated at a window table and presented with a generous serving of poppadoms accompanied by a variety of chutneys and pickles. Digging into the a la carte, we start with the Assorted Kebab and Shingara (a Bangladeshi spiced pastry similar to a samosa). Mixed tikka meats are well-cooked and flavorful, offering a good mix of spices and smoke, while the Shingara is crisp and satisfying. For the main course, we share the Beef Shatkora, Saag Paneer, and Aloo Gobi. The Beef is the highlight of the meal - tender and toothsome, in a tangy, citrusy sauce that offers a refreshing twist. The paneer is well cooked, with browned crisp edges and a yielding centre, and its accompanying saag is every bit the rich creamy sauce I had hoped for. The Aloo Gobi is a little underwhelming with crunchy cauliflower and a lighter hand on seasoning than I might have liked. To mop up the sauces, we order Paratha, Peshwari Naan, and Pilau Rice. The Naan is the best of the offerings here - light and delicious with a sweet, nutty filling that eschews the stodgy luminous orange of many of its peers. Itihaas excels in service and ambiance and offers fresh food at reasonable prices. If you're in Midlothian and in the mood for a curry, It’s a solid choice. Itihaas 17/19 Eskbank Rd, Dalkeith EH22 1HD - 0131 663 9800

I regularly see things on Instagram that look too good to be true. So when I found a “Microbakery”  in my neighbourhood, delivering artisan bread and treats to my door, I was a bit skeptical. The term “microbakery” was new to me. While there’s no official definition, the clue is in the name. It’s a small bakery, often with a sole baker and a single premise. The Real Bread Campaign says a micro-bakery has no more than 9 employees. Some bakeries have a single baker in a home kitchen, or there can be several full-time bakers with a small commercial space. Bakers listed on the Real Bread Campaign also focus on their ingredients - avoiding additives, and improvers, and trying to use local, organic ingredients. The Instagram bakery that caught my eye was Dainty Monkey Baking, run by Canadian ex-pat Tara Heron, and I’m delighted to say it delivers the real deal. Dainty Monkey is probably Europe’s smallest microbakery. Tara began by baking for her neighbours, but it gradually turned into a business and she registered her bakery in 2019. Tara bakes alone, in her kitchen, and delivers 1 day a week. She has a strict catchment area and no plans to expand. For her, part of the pleasure is being able to hand deliver to her customers and accommodate their individual preferences. Tara is largely self-taught, but there’s very little she doesn’t know about bread and baking. But what really comes across is her passion: for using top ingredients, and making excellent products in small batches where she can guarantee quality. So far I’ve tried Canadian butter tarts (wonderful), granola (delicious and organic), English muffins (unlike anything you find in the shops and about twice the size), white sourdough (amazing), and my favourite: Scottish Milk bread. This is one of Tara’s award winners, having placed silver in the Scottish Bread Championships. The temptation to eat the entire loaf, buttered, in a single sitting was hard to resist. Her favourite thing to bake is yeasted sourdough, while her most popular is her 100% wholemeal yeasted loaf. Sometimes things on Instagram aren’t too good to be true, and this microbakery is the best thing since sliced bread. If you’re lucky enough to live in the EH5 postcode, Dainty Monkey has you covered. But there are other micro bakeries in Edinburgh: have a look at the Real Bread Campaign website to find one nearby. (R. Edwards) And Tara's Instagram: @daintymonkey

Six courses, six cocktails, six weeks. This is the genius of Nico Simeone whereby the entrepreneur patron always has a new story to tell through the medium of the restaurant experience. So many chefs are unable to expand their offering, spreading themselves too thin doesn’t work but Simeone has unearthed a formula that allows him to expand across multiple city sites. This restaurant chain equation adds a Ford-like production line process to a flight of fancy. An army of staff assemble and cook courses to specific instructions planned around an immersive theatrical dining experience. Somewhere by Nico is the latest venue in Edinburgh which has just opened on the site of the former Foundry 39 in the West End. It joins a lineup of 15 restaurants and one other 'Somewhere' which launched in Glasgow in January of this year. The inaugural theme is Land of Oz. Like Alice in Wonderland, The 1939 film The Wizard of Oz is a story with components we all know. The restaurant could easily place style over substance so Liz and I appreciate that it doesn’t fall into this trap. Seated in a comfy booth surrounded by multicoloured giant paper flowers we are impressed with our first cocktail. ‘Welcome to Oz’ comprises JJ Whitley London Dry Gin, Bergamot, Chamomile & Primitivo Wine served in a red stiletto. There are vegan, vegetarian and non-alcoholic menus too so even a de-alcoholized 'red' floats on a pale lemon-coloured mocktail. Canapes and small plates are served on the side as this multisensory experience's main focus is mixology. Thus a trio of rich cheesy canapés are served in a Kansas house to the side. This is our first step on the Yellow Brick Road that leads eventually to the Emerald City but on the journey, we sample cocktails such as a Witches Brew and Deadly Poppy, dry ice, smoke and cloches are involved; wink wink (or should I say "clickety click". Foodwise, the menu includes deliciously sloppy parsley and black confit garlic risotto, a sweetcorn fritter, a filo cannelloni and much more. Each course and cocktail provides a talking point, making it an ideal place for an ‘awks’ first date or a party of any number or type. Somewhere by Nico Brand Director Morgan Pope said: "Each visit to Somewhere is fully immersive, and we’ve designed each world to embody experiences that transport people somewhere – to a point in their memories, dreams, past, or present. The cocktails are the natural focal point, carefully and creatively crafted to be a multisensory experience. The ‘Land of Oz’ experience should take people a step closer to the Emerald City with every course. You’ll journey through poppy fields, encounter familiar faces along the way, and follow in Dorothy’s footsteps in an unforgettable adventure of your own. As with all the worlds we create, it’s inclusive, so there’s a non-alcoholic version of the ‘Land of Oz’ menu so everybody can venture somewhere over the rainbow, whether you choose to drink alcohol or not.” We can’t wait to see where Simeone takes our inner child to play next (Circus and Nostalgia menus are running in Glasgow’) but for now, we are back in Kansas Toto.

Scotty Brand, the producer of quality, wholesome, homegrown foods, has launched delicious Beetroot Crisps, marrying decades of heritage with contemporary snacking trends to deliver a flavourful and wholesome treat. Beetroot Crisps pay homage to Scotty Brand's past while embracing modern tastes with stylish, packaging. Crafted from fresh UK-grown beetroot, the crisps come in three flavours: Thai Sweet Chilli, Lime & Coriander and Cheese & Onion, matching the rich, earthy sweetness of beetroot with a mouth-watering twist. Beetroot was the inspiration behind the launch of Scotty Brand in 1948 when Albert Bartlett’s entrepreneurial spirit, led to him boiling locally grown beetroot in a tin bathtub in his garden shed in Coatbridge, Scotland to support his growing family. Andrew Young at Scotty Brand, Brand Development Manager, said: "We’re thrilled to introduce our new Beetroot Crisp range, representing an exciting expansion into the snack category and a fitting tribute to our founder. This deliciously wholesome range blends Scotty Brand’s heritage, tradition, and innovation and is perfect for health-conscious consumers looking for a snack, that hits the flavour mark with fewer calories.” Perfect for sharing and available in 84g packs, Scotty Brand's Beetroot Crisps contain just 112 calories per serving. Thai Sweet Chilli will hit Scotland-wide Morrisons stores in June. The available flavours are: Thai Sweet Chilli - Thai Sweet Chilli flavour is the perfect blend of Thai-inspired spices and the earthy sweetness of beetroot. Cheese & Onion - Cheese & Onion Beetroot Crisps combine the tangy richness of cheese and the savoury kick of onion with the natural sweetness of beetroot. Lime & Coriander - the wholesome heartiness and sweetness of beetroot complements the delicious sharp, mouth-watering blend of lime and coriander. Scotty Brand's journey into the snack category signifies its dedication to diversifying its product portfolio and meeting evolving consumer demands. The crisps are made using a zero-food waste process to ensure that every part of the vegetable is used as part of Scotty Brands’ overall commitment to zero food waste. The growers are also partnered with LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) to support sustainable agricultural practices.

The sedate drive along the tree-lined avenue in all shades of green that leads to Cromlix sets the quietly dignified tone of the boutique Stirlingshire hotel near Dunblane, owned by Scots tennis ace Andy Murray and his wife Kim. The interior design, where every room of the former Victorian mansion is filled with gloriously dense colours and dramatic wallpaper patterns drawn from nature, underpins an all-pervading sense of cohesion. Belfast-based interior designer Suzanne Garuda worked with Kim Murray last year to help her put her stamp on the hotel after taking it out of the ICMI hotel group. Even the bedrooms are named after local plants and herbs, and aromatherapy toiletries supplied by Edinburgh-based MODM exude botanical essences. Vases of fresh mint and chive flowers by head gardener Sarah Janisch Corser add an extra feminine touch. It’s a big change from the days when the rooms were named after (mostly male) Scottish heroes. Artworks in the entrance hallway - mainly Damien Hirst and David Shrigley from the Murrays’ private collection - prove to be an instant talking point as they do tend to deliver a jolt of metropolitan energy. Paintings on loan from the Royal Scottish Academy include Elizabeth Blackadder, William MacTaggart, William Gillies, Ashley Cook and Albert Morocco and hang in the bar, drawing room, billiards room and private dining room. Interestingly, despite its Scottish roots, there’s not a square of tartan to be seen. The organic vibe continues into the Glasshouse restaurant overlooking the vast grounds (where we spotted free-range chickens roaming the croquet lawn). The quietly-spoken executive head chef Darin Campbell - recently named Chef of The Year award at the Scottish Excellence Awards 2024 - has been at Cromlix for over a decade, including the years the restaurant was part of the Roux empire. His new menu continues to promote local provenance and home-grown veg from his kitchen garden, now with global and Asian influences and with the added clout of in-house forager and herbalist Lauren Lochrie: think a dish of St Bride’s chicken with foraged nettle puree, or Scottish red snapper with beetroot and herb cavatelli. Sushi rolls with miso taramasalata and kimchi mayo with crispy octopus were gently zingy starters, as was my grilled mackerel fillet with coconut and toasted peanut chilli salad with avocado and pickled ginger. We had a wood pigeon terrine with Perthshire rhubarb and braised chicory with saffron milk bread. And the warm infusion of a spicy broth with gamey Newtonmore venison loin in a ramen from the specials menu was a delightful new experience for me (there is also a choice of Loch Duart salmon ramen on the main menu). A pink Aberdeenshire rack of lamb and shank with glazed Scottish asparagus and carrots hit the spot with my partner. At breakfast, the stand-out was the new porridge brûlée with whisky, cream and caramelized Demerara sugar. Chef Darin, a farmer’s son from Largs, was head chef at two-star Restaurant Andrew Fairlie for over five years (earlier he worked with the late chef Andrew at Glasgow’s One Devonshire Gardens and names him as his mentor whose influence continues to this day). He also worked with Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing in London. At the new-era Cromlix, it’s clear he is relishing the freedom to develop his innovative, delicate, modern menus - in his own unassuming way. A visit to Cromlix House is a dive into bucolic bliss. Which, for the Murray Clan, clearly comes as second nature.

Mrs. Bite and Harvey go way back. The famous store opened its Edinburgh branch in 2002 shortly before the first issue of Bite magazine was published. From the off, those responsible for marketing the bar, restaurant and brasserie on the Forth Floor, (named because of the news of Fife), focused on making it friendly and accessible to local people. This ethos has stood the test of time. The flagship Knightsbridge store was once the habitat of Sloane Rangers not to mention Eddie and Patsy of Ab Fab ‘dahlings’. However, a British and International expansion signalled a more inclusive approach. I am here by invitation and happy for the opportunity to decompress after a week of heavy lifting. Yes I know I am not down a coal mine but the modern workplace has its bespoke challenges. And what better way to begin my evening of relaxation than with a salty, zesty Paloma as I watch the mixologists shake and stir at the horseshoe bar in the brasserie area? When Nicky arrives, we move to our table and admire the terrace and skyline which takes in the gold ghost sign of the former Jenner’s building, St Andrews Square, the castle and Fife. As we watch the clouds and weather we sip an aptly named cocktail ‘Divine Inspiration’; flavours of rhubarb, ginger and peach schnapps meld into a refreshing summer highball. The starters are all tempting and I have English asparagus dressed with gentle blobs of white burrata garnished with salty Parma ham shards for crunch and texture. Nicky has Grilled Goat’s Cheese Crostini. The main courses are more devilishly indulgent. Nicky’s fragrant Saffron Risotto is a richer, heartier dish than we expect courtesy of tiger prawns and chorizo.  I can hear my Italian friend whisper in my ear figuratively that the chorizo is unnecessary. Still, I have food envy, and there is a high likelihood that I will return to the brasserie to eat this dish. When I do, I will pair it with the same Pecorino we are now sipping. It’s light and floral but it also has sharp minerality. I enjoy pink noisettes of Scottish Roast Rump of Lamb in a pleasantly soupy spelt risotto. Then dessert is a “two spoons please” Banoffee Cheesecake; a limp attempt at curbing our night of indulgence. We had a fab time at Harvey Nichols Forth Floor with attractive plates of good food and drink while the staff were attentive, friendly, funny and helpful. After 22 years the Forth Floor is still a vital and valued part of Edinburgh’s hospitality landscape.

Helen, a trendier than her years confidant, and fellow high tea-er, performed a stylish sashay into the sumptuous faux black leather bench seating, set at right angles to the view straight down Wilson Street. It's hot outside, sweltering hot, but the characteristically wonky glass of the Georgian lights make the Victorian colonnades seem to melt their way down toward Glasgow Green. Inside: it's cool as flip. We’d stepped over the threshold that still boasts itself to be Jacobean Corsetry, in a sign too proud to be removed. There’s even a blue plaque on the wall, extolling the virtues of Virginia Court, this historic location within Glasgow’s Merchant City where, with a little sashay yersel, you’ll find yourself entering the discrete doorway of The Corset Club, lengthily describing itself as Glasgow’s LGBTQ+ Cocktail Lounge and Show Bar. Now, it may be the heat, but I prefer to think it was the day after the night before, that gave us an extensive choice of seating. Eurovision has a bit of a reputation for appealing to a certain part of the world community, So, finding that Nemo had won with a song filled with a bit of everything - rock, rap, opera and opulence, probably left everybody feeling a bit less glamourous on this Sunday afternoon in May. Now, let’s deal with the elephant in the room (and I’m not referring to the 2013 entry from Montenegro). It’s this. You don’t have to be gay, straight, bi, or anything else to enjoy, and be enjoyed, at The Corset Club. People know me. I’m more of a binary dinosaur, but I’ve also been in a Village People tribute act (a tool belt from work came in handy) and the only Minogue for me is Dannii (you DM, you only have to put the needle on it and still, We Could Be The One). So, before you think you’re too low brow for not high camp high tea at Glasgow’s brandest newest safe place to be yourself, it’s time to reconsider your options to include The Corset Club. Now, if you’re expecting to wander backstage at RuPaul’s Drag Race, think again. The fashionably back street boys of the Corset Club are hidden from the white-hot heat of Merchant City’s main drag, but then drag is not what it’s all about this Sunday afternoon into evening. As Greig welcomed us to the seven-week-old venue for food drink and entertainment, that sweltering hot Sunday was instantly cooled by the chilled tones of Tilted, by Christine and the Queens wafting lazily from the in your ear, not in your face - sound system. Conversation is encouraged. So, undistracted by the bi-lingual Christine, what better way to start than with the Challenge Grieg Challenge? Never mind the extensive cocktail list. Awkward customers like us always have something else in mind. So Challenge Greig in a sort of Challenge Anneka for Grownups sort of way. Make it as difficult as you like. His mixication skills are dangerously good, and how welcome was my strawberry mojito - minus the rum, just to be awkward … again. Then, it’s down to the new Sunday signature of Be Yourself High Tea … and Toast. Yes, toast. Branded toast - branded with The Corset Club logo baked into the bread. Expect Scottish tea time standards on a cake stand: caramel logs and Tunnock’s tea cakes, along with crumpets and strawberries, and a selection of sweet condiments that say “so long, diet”. No kitchen -no problem. Next door is the simply scrumptious Nonna Said, and - lucky you - they have a collaboration bringing their rather special pizza-based menu to you too. Pizza? Lasagne? Can’t choose? No problem. Five minutes later, delivered to our table is a Pizza Lasagne - or is that a Lasagne Pizza? Like the custom mocktails, vegan versions are available. Either way, it’s a mix as melodic as the vocals of Zjawa, your regular Sunday songstress (other nights are available). Yes, live on stage with accompaniment from the orchestra pit (well, from her faithful laptop via that sound system), she sashays silkily through her laid-back treatment of a repertoire of smooth classics from Etta James to PJ Harvey. Even Chris Isaak would fall off his surfboard at her interpretation of Wicked Game. I’m a kid in a sweet shop. The Corset Club is not a bar. It’s not a gay bar. It’s not a cafe bar, revue bar, or speakeasy place to eat, drink, chat and relax. It’s all of the above and more - and with live entertainment. The obvious conclusion: after a visit to the Corset  Club - you’ll feel trendier than your years, cool as flip, and just ready to be yourself - or ‘yersel’ - as might be heard among the colonnades, all the way to Glasgow Green. The Corset Club - The Jacobean Building, 49-53 Virginia Street, Merchant City, Glasgow - www.thecorsetclub.co.uk Be Yourself High Tea on Sundays: £10 pp with doors opening at 12 pm

I’m familiar with Moxy’s funky take on the hospitality scene. I've been a guest at the pirate-themed Moxy in Plymouth, where the price includes a rum baba at check-in, me hearties. So I had high hopes for this walk across the rooftops at their angels and altitude-friendly location, high above Lochrin Basin in Edinburgh, or Fountainbridge as we doomed dinosaurs still reminisce upon. No disappointment was had, even if the famous haar threatened to throw a wet grey blanket over proceedings. It was not looking good, and I don’t mean my trendy jeans and dress jacket combo. It was Edinburgh’s best impression of Foggy Albion, which looked like lingering all day. Cold, damp and misty - everything you don’t want on an open-air opening. The afternoon wore on. A weak sliver of light began to challenge the grey. A bird sang. It got brighter. Then, with all the reluctance of a Wee Free Presenter, asked to do an All Saints medley, the sun came out with all the vigour of Shazay Lewis’s smile. Maybe we were up for more than a black coffee after all. Except Black Coffee would be a cocktail, cheerfully shaken by the hardworking crew behind the well-stocked bar. Maybe though, you’d just play fast and loose, and go with the bespoke offerings on the list. A One O’Clock Gun Martini, Madam? Blasting right up. How about our Pisco-based Sleeping Dragon? Breathing fire in a glass, if you ask me, all the way from Peru. Not from Peru, and sharing only the characteristics of charm and friendliness with a big bear from South America, is Joey, delightfully greeting guests on arrival. “Oh, I’ve been here since the very beginning,” says the immaculately dressed Joey, as you adjust to the altitude, before catching a glimpse of the skyline. Joey wastes no time ushering us to an experience of Edinburgh that reveals just how changed Fountainbridge is. Changing by the minute in this part of town, if the cranes on count are any measure. Check out your favourite satellite image and this place is still a building site. The Moxy is boxy fresh, and the Lochrin Rooftop Bar view changes more often than the black and white films projected onto the bar's back wall inside. Boris Karloff in The Body Snatcher is playing on our debut. Guess the inspiration. What was the heart of Auld Reekie’s west-end brewing empire, is now the trendy dining and reclining enclave. Its decline as a canyon of smoke-blackened breweries was already underway when Boris made his cameo on the Castle. Rising from the rubble, and reinventing the neighbourhood, it’s now a flagstoned walk of trendy hotels and trendier bars - like this one. There’s a nod to the city’s heritage in the foyer. I’m a brewing heretic, but the pair of copper mash tuns, or whatever they are, may even be in use, but you’ve little time to ponder, as the lift whisks you to the sixth floor. GM Julie may be found, keeping everyone on their toes, as she flits between bars and bedrooms, doing all the things a good GM does - like making sure the patio heaters are on for the guests enjoying the views of the Castle and Corstorphine Hill, while counting the cranes busily reshaping the skyline - that old fortification and the older landscape may be the only things a reborn Karloff may recognise. No matter if the still, calm, spring evening is a little too chill, there’s a DJ on site, pushing out an even more chilled set to mellow out the evening. Being Moxy, it was always going to be a funky take on the sky bar concept. It hasn’t let us down. With smooth sounds and smoother surroundings, this is a place where the views are just as good inside as out. Lochrin Rooftop Bar, at Moxy Edinburgh Fountainbridge 2 Freer Gait (one of Edinburgh’s invented new streets - it’s still Fountainbridge) Edinburgh EH3 9FR 0131 378 2013 Classic and signature cocktails £10-12 and up.

One of the last Christmas meals I had with my family at a gastro pub was summed up on a table card in three words: salmon, turkey, and cheese. Words now freighted with emotional resonance. I had another ‘what3words’ menu moment at Bistro du Vin where I tasted the new a la carte menu on a rainy summer evening in May. Oysters, lamb, and chocolate describe a classic French meal centred around three revered foods. The French adore ‘Le Chocolat’; a guild of chocolate makers was established in Bayonne in 1761 and their love of cacao has expressed itself every since delicacies like pain au chocolate, eclairs, pot au chocolat, ganache, truffles, gateaux and profiteroles which brings us to Chef Ian Connor at Bistro du Vin. He has created a puffball-sized profiterole as a showstopper ‘pud’. When it arrives as the finale to our meal it is a dish fit for a bride and groom and nearly had my dining partner Eleonora proposing to Chef. Scoops of vegan vanilla ice cream inside a golden choux pastry coated in snappy chocolate and a pouring dish of warm chocolate sauce. Chocolate is Valhrona Nyangbo 68% Ghanaian Grand Cru. It coats the mouth and the flavour lingers as it melts to body temperature; a characteristic of quality chocolate. It is an outrageous indulgence of an unforgettable joy-inducing dessert. Rewind to our starter of half a dozen Cumbrae Oysters bursting with a fresh briny blast of the Scottish west coast.  We devour them with a traditional vinegar shallot dressing and a couple of dots of Tabasco. For the main course, I have Spiced Rump of Lamb with couscous, lemon and tahini yoghurt; a dish combining the North African influence in French cuisine. The spring meat is cut into tender pink noisettes, another old-school classic that seems to have disappeared from Edinburgh menus. The softly steamed couscous and sharp beads of sour pomegranate work well. Eleonora has a Fillet of Sea Bass with pipérade, pesto and fennel.  Typical Provencal ingredients but she thinks the sauce overpowers the fish slightly and could be more delicately applied We sip a bottle of CÔTES DE PROVENCE Château Gairoird Rosé, France [Organic] which is pale pink, limpid and tasting of the herbaceous scorched scrubland of Le Midi along with red berries and white peach. Ooooh la la.. So in short we had a gastronomic night out tasting classic French food at Bistro du Vin. It hit the spot and as for that giant profiterole, everyone should experience it. (S. Wilson) Bistro du Vin at Hotel Du Vin, 11 Bristo Pl. Edinburgh EH1 1EZ. Open everyday

The British love a curry. According to data from Foodhub, 11% of Brits eat curry between three to seven times a week with a further 22% eating curry weekly – reflecting both a serious love of curry and perhaps an over-reliance on takeaways! Indian (or Pakistani or Nepalese) food is also generally sensibly priced, so a good choice for a frugal foodie looking for big flavours without a shocking bill. Responding to a recent ‘curry call’, I chose Kahani on Leith Walk as it serves high-quality food at reasonable prices and offers free corkage as an extra money-saver. If you visit on a Friday or Saturday, they also offer a pre-theatre menu of two courses for £19.85 from 3-6 pm. Kahani (or Khushi’s as it was then) was also my local Indian restaurant for many years, and I enjoyed many a dinner, take-away and office lunch here. The restaurant itself is bright and welcoming – not your run-of-the-mill curry house – giving a good feeling for what’s to come. Looking at the menu, the list of curries available is not as extensive as in some similar restaurants, but provides a good range, for meat-lovers, seafood fanatics and veggies. As we are not drinking tonight, we decide to try the tempting range of mocktails on offer – an Anardana Punch (£4.95) with pomegranate, grenadine and lychee juice, and a Peach Cooler (£4.95), muddled lime wedges with mint – both crisp and refreshing, a good match for the rich food. Sticking to the classics and always a good barometer of a restaurant, we share Onion Bhajis (£5.95) to start, which have a good level of texture and spice, and add Crispy Chilli Squid (£6.95) from the Signature Starters, which is deliciously tender with an incredibly light batter. For mains we choose a Chicken Karahi (£13.95), flavoursome but slightly lacking in heat, and a Lamb Saag (£14.95) – this packs more of a punch, nicely mellowed with creamy spinach. While sometimes it can feel like your curry is 90% sauce, these are both full of tender meat. For sides, a Pilau Rice (£3.50), not the best but still very tasty, and a sweet Peshwari Naan (£3.95). I would love to try the Indian Rice Pudding (£5.50) for afters, but sadly, and predictably, I am much too full, so opt for fruity Mango Kulfi (£5.95) instead. It was nice to come away without a stodgy, greasy feeling – a testament to the quality of the produce. The next time that curry craving hits, I suggest giving Kahani a try – and as they now do delivery for the first time, you can even enjoy an Indian feast without leaving the sofa. 10 Antigua Street, Edinburgh, EH1 3NH - Tel: 0131 558 1947 Opening Hours: Sun-Thu 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm, Fri-Sat 12:00 pm – 11:00 pm

This wine fair with the much-loved wine personalities Susy Atkins and Diana Thompson takes place on Saturday, June 1st at The Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh city centre. Susy is a renowned wine author and broadcaster and Diana (Wine Events Scotland) has just won Wine Communicator of the Year. Wine Events Scotland has gifted 5 pairs of tickets to Bite readers. This independent fair is a chance to sample hundreds of wines from around the world,  all curated by experts who will be happy to chat. Mrs Bite was at the event last year and it was great to meet producers from around the globe. The Bite tickets are for the first session which runs from noon until 3 pm. To be in with a chance of winning this prize draw all you have to do is email your full name and address to bitepublishing@gmail.com Closing date is May 24 at noon. T’s & C’s A winner will be picked at random on the closing date and the judge’s decision will be final No refunds or exchanges No Cash alternative Must be over 18 to enter.