Tuk Tuk Indian Street Food has opened a second branch in Drummond Street to join the first which is based in Tollcross. An event that provides the perfect excuse for a slap up Indian feast. When I arrive at the entrance to the Old Town venue I am greeted by delicious smells wafting through the air. Inside the decor is playful and punchy; neon signs, hand-painted Bollywood murals and a palette of bright colours all feature. The front room is painted orange and the back one green; together they can accommodate over 90 covers. With so many bums on seats needed, the owners have ensured that Tuk Tuk ticks a lot of boxes for those wanting to eat out during the current cost-of-living crisis. BYOB helps although my friend Simone and I are happy to drink Mango Lassis and non-alcoholic beers as both complement the spicy food. Poppadoms are salty, blistered and snappy and chutneys are hot, minty, fruity, moreish. The menu is designed for sharing and we choose a selection of starters and small mains. Nothing is over £9 a pop; starters are all under £6.50 and the most expensive curry is the Lamb Lassooni at £8.25, which I order. The meat is so tender it falls apart at the mere hint of approaching cutlery. The sauce is cooked with whole garlic cloves and whole spices. Every grain is separated in the saffron-hued Pilau Rice. This colourful food is served on glinting silver and copper plates, tiffins and handis. Simone has a silky Unauthentic Chicken Korma; the name reflecting the irreverent dining ambience. Our starters comprise Onion Bhajis made with fresh beetroot and Puri Yoghurt Bombs which we share. The manager tells me they have made an effort to include an abundance of vegan and vegetarian choices on the menu. So there are dishes based on ingredients such as potatoes, peas, chickpeas, onion, beets, lentils, spinach i.e. real food rather than ultra-processed vegan fakes. In fact six out of the ten starters and six out of 13 main courses are genuinely ’plant-based’. All food can be ordered online and delivered to your home or workplace too. For pudding I have an Indian twist on the Affogato, the Naughty Chia Affogato and Simone has Gulab Jamun and Ice Cream. Recycled materials also feature in the restaurant. Off-cut British timber waste has been used to create the tabletops, while a bar (for softies and corkage) is made of over 90% recycled materials. Everything adds up to an overall vibe of ethical, diverse, canteen-style eating and sharing. (S. Wilson) Tuk Tuk Indian Street Food Edinburgh Southside - 16 Drummond Street, Edinburgh EH8 9TX - 0131 228 3322 southside@tuktukonline.com

Nico Simeone, a renowned Scottish-Italian chef, is set to open his third Six by Nico location in Glasgow February 27 2023. Six by Nico Byres Road will be the eleventh restaurant in his expanding portfolio, which includes locations in Scotland, England, and Ireland. The Byres Road restaurant will be Nico Simeone's third in Glasgow with plans to expand the brand across the UK and the UAE in the future. The new Byres Road restaurant, is to open at the former record store Fopp and will follow in the footsteps of his Six by Nico restaurants in Glasgow, Edinburgh, London Canary Wharf, and Dublin, and will feature a carefully curated and constantly evolving tasting menu. Nico and his team will re-invent the dining experience every six weeks, serving a brand new six-course tasting menu, each one themed on a different place, memory, or idea. Six by Nico combines different ingredients, flavours, and dishes to bring memories and stories together to create a brand new dining experience every 6 weeks, drawing inspiration from both at home and abroad, such as the street markets of the Middle East to a journey across Route 66 in America. The 52 capacity restaurant, located in the leafy West End of Glasgow is known for its top attractions, quirky lanes and amazing food scene. Each menu at Six by Nico tells a different story, taking guests on a new and exciting journey each time they visit, using food as a narrative. Each new chapter will be a surprise, and new menus are revealed two weeks before the next theme. Chef Nico Simeone from Sixco Group said: "We are thrilled to bring a third restaurant location to Glasgow. Expansion in the city where our concept began is a significant step in our plan to grow further this year. We have quickly built an enthusiastic base of repeat customers in Glasgow, as well as an incredibly loyal customer base. We are excited to introduce a new restaurant design to both returning and new customers". The concept was born in Finnieston Glasgow in 2017 from a passion of experimenting with new ingredients and developing and creating unique dishes. Six by Nico has locations in Glasgow, Glasgow Southside, Edinburgh City Centre, Manchester, Liverpool, London Fitzrovia, London Canary Wharf, Belfast, Dublin and their most recent opening in Aberdeen. Sixco Group has commissioned Glasgow-based designers Burns Design to create the new city centre restaurant, which is currently under construction at the former Fopp record store at 358 Byres Road, Glasgow. Since Fopp closed three years ago, the property has been vacant. Six by Nico Byres Road is scheduled to open on Monday February 27th, 2023.

Scotland’s ‘Best Seafood Establishment’ of the year has launched a new ‘pocket-friendly’ menu to help foodies beat the winter blues. On selected days in January and February, East Coast Restaurant in Musselburgh on the outskirts of Edinburgh will be serving up a series of seafood classics and heart-warming comfort food for cost-conscious diners. East Coast, which was crowned the ‘Best Seafood Establishment’ in Scotland at the recent Food Awards Scotland, is challenging customers to see who can set the bar for the number of free refills on bowls of mussels every Wednesday. The restaurant’s new ‘Mussel Wednesday’ offer is allowing diners to enjoy even more mussels for their money with free unlimited refills on every main portion. East Coast sources its mussels daily from Shetland. East Coast is also introducing a weekly ‘Thursday Club’, when evening diners can enjoy 20% off their entire food bill featuring some of the restaurant’s most popular dishes, including its ‘Harbour Bowl’ of calamari, beer battered king prawns, tiger prawns and battered catch of the day. Every Saturday and Sunday between 4pm and 5pm will be ‘Oyster Happy Hour’ at East Coast, when seafood lovers can savour one of nature’s most delicious treasures for just £1.50 per shuck. East Coast sources the freshest Scottish oysters daily from Cumbrae and Loch Fyne. Owned by Carlo and Katia Crolla, East Coast is the next chapter for the Crolla family, who have been serving the honest folk of Musselburgh from its venue on North High Street for nearly 50 years. Carlo Crolla, owner of East Coast in Musselburgh, said: “To help people beat the winter blues this January and February, we’re really excited to be launching our new ‘pocket-friendly’ menu of offers, including seafood classics and heart-warming comfort food for cost-conscious diners. “From unlimited re-fills of mussels on Wednesdays, to Oyster Happy Hour at the weekend, and 20% off your entire food bill on Thursdays, we’ve got a range of offers featuring some of our most popular dishes to suit everyone. “As the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite, we’d like to thank all our loyal customers who continue support our local, independent and family-run restaurant and takeaway.” ‘Best Seafood Establishment’ in Scotland is the latest accolade for East Coast, which continues to gain recognition as one of Scotland’s best seafood restaurants. Read our 2021 review here East Coast was voted ‘Seafood Restaurant of the Year 2022 – East Lothian Customer Service Excellence Award 2022’ in the Scottish Enterprise Awards, as well as ‘LUXlife Food & Drink’ award for ‘Fish & Chip Takeaway of the Year 2022 – Edinburgh & The Lothians’. In 2022, East Coast Fish & Chips Takeaway was also named the best in Scotland and one of the top 10 in the UK by The Sunday Times. With an estimated 10,500 chippies across the UK, The Sunday Times singled out East Coast Fish and Chips takeaway for the nation’s list of top 10 chippies and the only fish and chip shop in Scotland to make the shortlist. East Coast also won the accolade of one of the 50 best fish and chips shops in the UK for the third year running in 2022 by leading trade publication, Fry Magazine. East Coast is the only chippy in Edinburgh and the Lothians to make Fry Magazine’s prestigious list. For more information on East Coast and to book a table for the restaurant’s new ‘pocket-friendly’ menu, call 0131 665 2079 or visit https://eastcoastrestaurant.co.uk. Terms and conditions apply.

What would you order for your last meal? For sure, a Double Cheeseburger from the burger joint in NYC (formerly in the Parker Meridian Hotel), my favourite cheeseburger in NYC, fries, and an ice-cold Stella Artois. What is your favourite restaurant and why? My favourite restaurant currently is probably Ikoyi, I had dinner there just before they won their second Michelin star and was blown away, they deserve all the praise they get. What is your favourite bar and why? The Back Room in NYC, an old speakeasy bar, great drinks, good fun finding it. Most memorable holiday meal and why? My fave holiday meal was on the beach in Barbados. We took our two young sons back to the island where we lived and had a bunch of different local foods, but the combination of being on the beach, cold beer and humble local food made for a very relaxing lunch. Who would you most like to go out to dinner with and why? Chef David Chang, I was lucky to live in NYC when he was up and coming and ate a lot of his food back in the day and all his restaurants inspired me to try and do something a little different and throw away any preconceived “rules” of what a restaurant could be. Who would you most like to go drinking with and why? I would love to go drinking with Gordon Ramsay, still to this day he inspires me and would love to pick his brains whilst half cut! What foods do you most remember from your childhood? What is your most memorable childhood meal? My mum’s food for sure, growing up my favourite was her stuffed pancakes which is an Italian dish called Crespelle, savoury crepes stuffed with Bolognese and covered with bechamel and baked like cannelloni. What is your ‘go-to’ quick supper? My quickest meals at home are always what we call a “smorg” dinner, a riff on a smorgasbord of things, so usually , bread and butter, cheese, ham , pickles and some fruit, my kids always eat it so win-win. What is your top food hack? Top food hack is sandbagging, I learned this term whilst living in America, it basically means get it all cooked off beforehand. So, for example your cooking a roast dinner for friends, get all the veg cooked off in the morning, get the roast tatties on early, this gives you a chance to get the kitchen tidy before they arrive and just reheat for dinner, easy to then relax and chat with your friends If you weren’t a chef, what would you be? would have loved to become a comic book artist or a rally car driver Who is your food hero and why? Still probably Gordon Ramsay, I worked for him and really before all that, his books influenced me massively and still do. What is your favourite Edinburgh restaurant and/or bar and why? Hard to choose a fave but I love Ondine, it’s just always brilliant execution and stunning simplicity. Eleanore on Leith walk I think are doing really interesting food but more importantly delicious. What is your comfort food? Pizza is my comfort food. I really like Matto pizza in Morningside. I also make it in my Gozney oven in the garden. Stuart Ralston and Jade Johnston run the Top 100 National Restaurant Aizle and Michelin Bib-awarded Noto. They are due to open tipo this March on Hanover Street. Tipo will be a neighbourhood style restaurant that will focus on simple pastas, dishes to share and vegetables prepared in ways you’d find in Europe alongside artisanal wines. Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner.

Ka Pao, meaning ‘Holy Basil’ in Thai, is in my humble opinion, one of the better eateries in St James Quarter. The Glasgow based restaurant group Scoop, also responsible for the renowned Ox & Finch, have a branch of Ka Pao in the 'tinderbox city'. This second branch, featuring food inspired by South-East Asian Cuisine, is located next to the Bonnie & Wild food market. Unlike some (not all) of the concessions, once you are in Ka Pao you forget you’re in a shopping centre. The space is upbeat and modern, with leather seats, ironwork, and an open kitchen. Flavours are bold but prices are gentler. Me and Mr Bite visit one Sunday in the early evening and our waitress explains the menu which comprises starters, small plates, mains, and desserts. I order a Burnt Orange Margarita which is in keeping with the exciting flavour profiles of the food and drink offering at Ka Pao. Then we have Gigha oysters with green nam jim, a dipping sauce made with garlic, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and chili. This is a traditional Asian accompaniment for seafood and steamed fish. I still prefer my oyster’s naked but for those that like spice with their shellfish, this works. The other two ‘nibbles’ are chosen by Mr Bite and both are excellent. Pork and Bone Marrow Chipolatas are made with lean meat and have savoury flavour from the marrow. Pork Skins are  gigantic puffy scratchings that dissolve on the tongue. Mr Bite’s Thornbridge Green Mountain IPA is the perfect hoppy libation. Out of the ten main courses, three are vegan, but there is no ultra-processed vegan food. Hispi Cabbage is served with cashew nut butter and sriracha, but you can also choose dishes, where celeriac or broccoli take centre stage. Side dishes of healthy cucumber salad pimped with toasted peanuts and cabbage with white pepper and soy see even Mr Bite eating his greens. For the main course he has stir-fried Ox Tongue, pak choi, oyster sauce and green peppercorns. Slices of beef are lean and slim and, like the bone marrow, have that unique rich flavour characteristic of nose-to-tail cooking. I have a whole Sea Bream roasted with the bone in which is always a treat. Skin is crispy and its flesh is as snowy as that of an Arbroath Smokie. It reminds me of the fish  I ate by the sea in Crete last year. Dill, coriander, and basil are liberally piled on for a powerful herby hit. Desserts do not let the side down. Neither my Gingerbread, pear, long pepper and white chocolate yoghurt and Mr B’s Banana Crème Diplomate, peanut caramel and black sesame filo rely on sugary sweetness. My cake is fiery and moist, and the rum banana cream is pungent. We are delighted by these adult desserts. Ka Pao is one of those new breeds of eateries that are unstuffy, fast-paced and designed for sharing plates of tasty, imaginative food. This one also retains an eye on price. It’s a good ‘un. (S. Wilson) Ka Pao - Unit 420 St James Quarter, Edinburgh - 0131 385 1040.

Berry Bros. & Rudd, the twice royal warranted spirits merchants, are recommending their Classic range to celebrate Burns Night. They send Bite a bottle of Speyside and this got us thinking (potentially expensive!) about how to pair whiskies with a traditional Burns Night menu. We took their Classic range suggestions as a jumping off point but you could do your own thing. It is an exercise in creativity and tasting to pair the whisky to the food for your very own ‘at home’ celebration. Just add candles, poetry and a sense of fun. Speyside and Cock A Leekie Soup Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (ABV 44.2%) Many of Scotland’s most famous malts hail from Speyside, known for their approachable, fruity style and floral complexity. Berry Bros. & Rudd’s Classic Speyside Malt captures the very essence of the region, balancing subtle, honeyed fruit aromas with easy-going yet complex aromas. Tasting notes The Speyside Cask delivers the essence of the region. The fruitiness is a gentle start to the evening and when mingled with this expression’s fresh grassiness and honey sweetness easily complement the shredded chicken and leek in your soup. Speyside is available to purchase via Berry Bros. and Rudd, Amazon, Master of malt, Whisky Exchange RRP £40, 70cl. Sherry Cask and Haggis, Neeps and Tatties Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (ABV 44.2%) Sherry casks are considered a luxury in whisky making. These expensive barrels imbue a spirit with distinctive notes of deep fruit, citrus and nuts. Berry Bros. & Rudd’s Classic Sherry Cask Malt is blended from the best Sherry butts to deliver a balanced expression of this uniquely engaging style. Tasting notes Enticingly dark in appearance, the Sherry Cask is invitingly seductive, and the bouquet has classic dark Sherry and prune-like notes which will riff off of a spicy haggis. Both the meat and the whisky being dark and mysterious. Available to purchase via Berry Bros. and Rudd, Master of malt, Whisky Exchange, Amazon at RRP £40, 70cl. Islay and Cranachan Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (ABV 44.2%) The Hebridean island of Islay is renowned for the distinctive peaty style and smoky flavours of its whiskies. Berry Bros. & Rudd’s Classic Islay Malt is a carefully selected blend of casks from some of the island’s iconic distilleries, creating a balanced, complex and distinguished and smoky dram. Tasting notes The Islay Cask encapsulates the powerful Islay style with tarry, peaty and oceanic notes bound in a blanket of honey and yellow fruits. The fruitiness works excellently to diffuse the peaty and smoky influencers carrying them on a creamy textured wave meaning it can easily be paired with the raspberries, cream and oats that comprise Cranachan. Islay is available to purchase via Berry Bros. and Rudd, Master of malt, Whisky Exchange, Amazon RRP £40, 70cl. Peated Cask, Cheese and Oatcakes Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (ABV 44.2%) Historically, almost all Scotch bore a distinctive smoky note, as peat was the most readily available fuel; today, however, it is much less common. Berry Bros. & Rudd’s Classic Peated Cask is a tribute to the traditional, peated dram – with expressive bursts of soot and smoke complemented by the spirit’s fruitiness. Tasting notes The Peated Cask evokes the “old fashioned” Highland style providing well balanced peat aromas married to soft yellow fruits to deliver a rich complexity. We would pair it with a selection of oatcakes (inc. charcoal) and strong cheeses with robust flavours to stand up to the smoke and peat plus some quince to complement the fruity notes. The Peated Cask is available to purchase via Berry Bros. and Rudd, Amazon, Master of malt, Whisky Exchange at RRP £40, 70cl.

“No-one wants a soggy pakora”. This is the reply I get from Mark, one of the owners of The Pakora Bar, which has moved to new premises (from Hanover Street) at 111 Holyrood Road; I am quizzing him about cooking the crispy, flaky, moreish pakoras and samosas that are the backbone of the menu at this new venue. Although he won’t reveal the bespoke spice blends The Pakora Bar use, he does tell me that for the batter the cooks mix Be Free gluten free flour with Gram Flour (also GF as it is made with chickpeas). When me and Mr Bite visit for the opening we receive a warm Sikh welcome from Mark, his brother and co-owner Paul, dad George and various other relatives. The Pakora Bar really is a family affair. Walls are painted burnt orange, tables are stencilled with mandalas and orange and yellow garlands, traditional colours associated with the Sikh religion, enhance the cheerful décor. Sisters and mum are wearing scarlet saris and they greet guests with platters of multi-coloured Indian sweets. But there is a bit of tension in the air. Everyone is waiting for the pakoras! When they are served we get to taste mushroom, vegetable, chicken, black pudding, cauliflower and haggis versions alongside minced lamb samosas and potato samosas. I particularly like the aromatic caraway that forms part of the spice mix for the chicken and when I grab a moment with Mark he emphasises how they use only fillets, discarding the pieces of inferior poultry that others may use as a staple ingredient in pakora. I also really like the lamb samosas which burst with flavour but all the food is cleverly spicy (not just hot) and delicious. Everything is well-seasoned too. The menu includes mango and passion fruit lassis, wine, beer, mocktails, cocktails and curries. The restaurant is over two floors and there are 130 covers so it's roomy; which is more than can be said for my jeans when I head home replete. (S Wilson) The Pakora Bar - 111 Holyrood Road - 0131 202 5200. Open Tuesday - Sunday 12 pm - 9.30 pm

Now that we are over the festive period, we can take a wee breath, and look forward to spring walks, clear skies and of course the perfect dram. I usually use winter and spring as an excuse to delve into peated and smoky whiskies. There is nothing quite like being snuggled in front of a roaring fire with an equally fierce dram to keep the cold away. But the old notion of only Islay whiskies fitting this bracket is a bit passé, as other regional distilleries have fabulous smoky incarnations of their own. For example, Talisker and Torabhaig from Skye, Cubocan from Tomatin in the Highlands, and in the lowlands "Alinta " from the Bladnoch distillery and the richly-peated "Man o Swords" from Annandale. There's more to whisky than just warming the toes and tummies though, February is the month of Valentine’s and to celebrate in a fun and unique way, I would suggest a whisky and chocolate pairing. Boring old champers and chocolate-dipped strawberries don’t come close. Instead grab yourself some amazing chocolates from Sebastian Koebelt master chocolatier and a few drams. You will be amazed at next level experiences that can be achieved. As well as stunning single malt whiskies, there's much to celebrate within the blended whisky category. At the Tipsy Midgie we will be showcasing over 100 blended whiskies ranging from heritage and almost forgotten blends to the best of new wave and modern releases. Sometimes we forget the blended whiskies of yesteryear, many of which contain old, expensive expressions that are now out of reach of most people's pockets. We will focus on whiskies from the 70's, 80's, 90’s and 00’s. It's quite remarkable to taste these ancient blends and compare them to their counterparts today. Some people like the nostalgic element whilst others appreciate the new experience that complements their existing love of single malts. Dram of the moment We are truly loving the Madeira wine cask release from Ardnamurchan, a stunning dram at 58.2% cask strength , raspberry and strawberry sweet, with enough punch and spice to be hugely satisfying , Although my infamous hot toddy is doing the rounds too! Whiskies to look out for … The latest release from Lochlea in Ayrshire, the "ploughing edition", the fourth in their seasonal releases, came out on the 25th January aka Burn’s Night. RAbbie once worked on the farm that now grows the barley and distils the whisky. Slainte. (C. Hinds) Colin Hinds runs Tipsy Midgie bar at 67 St Leonards Hill - 0131 563 9061

Wemyss Castle on the East Coast of Fife is the ancestral home of Wemyss Malts and the castle (located above caves) is the brand emblem. The company was founded in 2005 by William Wemyss and his sister Isabella selects regional whiskies to form a portfolio of blends and malts which they then curate. In keeping with such curation The Wemyss Malt Core Collection has recently been unveiled and purports to travel beyond region, age and finish to capture the experience of the different drinks. So …. The Hive, is described as: “being evocative of up-tempo evenings abuzz with anticipation or the golden glow of a warm summer’s day. It’s a sweet-blended single malt with notes of sticky blossom honey, zesty orange and a ginger tingle on the tongue and a finish of warm, clove-spiked grapefruit.” Spice King captures: “the hum of a lively terrace on a sultry midsummer night or an atmospheric place of intrigue and indulgence” and is “an intense and complex blend with notes of rich spiced orange, deep ginger syrup and aromatic spice with a lingering warm smoky finish of black pepper.” And … “Reminiscent of twilight on a shore’s edge surrounded by wisps of bonfire smoke, or a luxurious moment of contemplation, Peat Chimney is a contemplative whisky that starts with warm peat smoke, rich espresso and muscovado sugar before a flinty minerality gives way to a soft and sweet finish.” We love the collection’s artwork and the suggested signature serves: The Hive Sour Ingredients 50ml The Hive 25ml lemon juice 20ml sugar syrup 1 egg white Lemon twist to garnish Method 1. Shake all ingredients together with ice 2. Double strain into rocks glass with ice 3. Garnish with lemon twist Peat Chimney Penicillin Ingredients 50ml Peat Chimney 25ml lemon juice 20ml honey and ginger syrup Lemon wheel to garnish Method 1. Shake all ingredients together with ice 2. Garnish with a lemon wheel Spice King Sazerac Ingredients 50ml Spice King Barspoon Absinthe (we used Sweetdram) 3 Dashes Peychaud’s Bitters 2 Dashes Angostura Bitters Sugar Cube Lemon twist to garnish Method 1. In a mixing glass or shaker, add the sugar cube or one teaspoon of sugar to the whisky. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. 2. Add the bitters and ice and stir for around one minute. 3. Add a dash of absinthe to a chilled rocks glass and rinse it around the sides, discarding any excess liquid. 4. Pour the whisky mixture into the glass and garnish with a lemon twist

Top-tasting alcohol-free beers and ciders to see you through January and beyond January is almost upon us. It brings short days, cold snaps and New Year’s resolutions, and for many people this equates to moderating their alcohol intake for the month - or abstaining completely. While millions of Brits will opt to go ‘on the wagon’ for January in 2023, the trend for drinking No & Low alcohol all year round has exploded in recent years as the old stigmas and taboos associated with alcohol-free drinks dissipates. Choosing between an original alcohol version or alcohol-free option is increasingly becoming more popular. New research* shows that the number of No & Low drinkers has more than trebled since 2018 (715,000 new people have started drinking NoLo during the period) and it’s estimated that as many as 13 million Brits are currently moderating their alcohol intake. What’s more, it’s the younger generation who are leading the charge – the data shows that 50 per cent of 18 – 24-year-olds are trying to moderate their alcohol intake, an increase of 9% versus five years ago. North of the border, the increase in the popularity of No & Low alcohol drinks is even more pronounced. The number of No & Low drinks sold in Scotland in 2022 was more than five times the size compared to 2018, and Heineken 0.0 has played a big part in driving that growth - it accounts for one third of all alcohol free beer sales in the country. In addition, and more broadly speaking, data shows that those in Scotland who have tried No & Low drinks have reduced the amount of alcoholic drinks they consume on a weekly basis as a result. As to be expected, more and more No & Low products are hitting the market – the latest count showed there to be more than 200 different beers, ciders, wines and spirits available in the UK. The HEINEKEN product line up, that includes some of the best tasting No & Low beers and ciders out there, comprises the following: Heineken 0.0 (330ml bottles and cans) Heineken 0.0 is the nation’s favourite alcohol-free beer and it is often cited as being one of the best tasting beers on the market, alcohol or no alcohol. It’s made with the same quality ingredients as its famed alcoholic stablemate, boasting the familiar and characteristic fruity notes of the 5% ABV Heineken Original – the only difference being that 0.0 is without the alcohol. Heineken 0.0 bottles and cans (330ml) contain just 69 calories. Heineken 0.0 Draught In early 2022 Heineken started rolling out Heineken 0.0 on tap across hundreds of British pubs. It was a huge breakthrough in the world of NoLo beer, and it’s great news for those people who want to go to the pub this January and hold and drink a proper pint – just without the alcohol. A pint of Heineken 0.0 Draught contains just 115 calories (so it’s a good option for those maintaining a balanced lifestyle after any Christmas over-indulgences). Birra Moretti Zero (330ml bottles) Birra Moretti Zero is a premium beer. Brewed with Italian passion and made using the finest quality ingredients, Birra Moretti Zero is perfectly balanced with fresh, hoppy and citrus notes. The beer has an ABV of 0.05 per cent and there are just 66 calories in each 330 ml bottle. Old Mout alcohol-free Fruit Cider (500ml bottles) Long gone are the days when it was just alcohol-free beer on offer. If you’re more of a cider drinker but want to keep things strictly NoLo in January then Old Mout has you covered. Old Mout Pineapple and Raspberry Alcohol Free Fruit Cider is an exotic delight, ideal for those taking a break from alcohol but still wanting zest and excitement from a cider. Alternatively, Old Mout Berries and Cherries Alcohol Free Fruit Cider is built on a legendary three-berry trio – strawberries and raspberries with notes of blueberries, all finished with a refreshing burst of juicy apple. Available in 500 ml bottles, It’s as refreshing as ciders come and is the perfect choice for those looking to inject a sense of summer into the start of the year. Brixton Brewery: Switch Alcohol Free Pale Ale Limited Edition (330ml cans) Created specifically for those looking to drink more mindfully this January, Switch is packed with all the juicy flavours one might expect from a Brixton-brewed pale ale – and at just 0.5% ABV. Bursting with notes of pineapple and coconut, Switch is the latest limited edition to originate from SW9 and is a tribute to the power of small changes making a big difference. Available in 330ml cans, Switch is the perfect choice for those who fancy a bev without the buzz! *All statistics quoted from Kantar research conducted for Heineken, 12 months ending July 2022.

Seasonal Salads, by food writer Fi Buchanan, and companion book to best-seller Seasonal Soups, will be published by Kitchen Press in January 2023. Packed with 52 delicious recipes, one for every week of the year, ‘Salads can be anything you want them to be’ says writer Buchanan. Each recipe features Fi’s trademark inventive flair and ability to combine flavours and textures in the cleverest of ways, which make the most of what’s plentiful in each season. Each recipe is 100% vegetarian, with helpful recommendations of protein additions, and are ordered by month for full seasonality. The recipes are interspersed with beautiful photography and hand drawn illustrations. From quick weeknight throw-togethers to dinner party-worthy showstoppers, there’s something for every occasion. Amongst the salads included are: Winter: Roasted Mushrooms with Spelt, Walnuts and Spicy Greens / Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Chermoula Spring: Seared Hispi with Cherries and Smoked Almonds /Quick Pickled Carrots with Whipped Ricotta and Garlicky Breadcrumbs Summer: Courgettes with Hazelnuts and Pistou / Mango, Coriander and Cous Cous Salad Autumn: Wild Rice, Bramble, and Pistachio/ Sesame Miso Aubergine Salad Fi Buchanan is a food writer and chef who owned Glasgow’s legendary Heart Buchanan Café and deli. Winner of a Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland Award, she presented the BBC series Teen Canteen; has worked behind the scenes on many TV food shows and has given a TEDx talk on courage. Seasonal Salads by Fi Buchanan is published in hardback by Kitchen Press on 5 January 2023 and will be available nationwide, priced at £15.

They are not ones to brag, but Kaleidoscope Bar in Queen Street have won some prestigious awards over the past two years. Global Whisky Bar of the Year is the latest accolade from Whisky Magazine’s World Whisky Bar Awards 2022. Entry depended on an earlier win - Icons of Whisky Scotland 2022 Award for best whisky bar. The excellent restaurant 28 Queen Street closed in 2019 and this allowed the Scotch Malt Whisky Society to focus more on its raison d'être, the ‘Uisge Beatha’ and membership. However, you can still eat in the Kaleidoscope Bar, which is warm and welcoming with a real fire, leather sofas, tallboy tables, a bar stacked with gleaming bottles and splashes of colourful art on the walls. It is located on the ground floor of this Georgian townhouse. The bar is open to non-members and acts as an introduction to the society. Our ‘DRAM-cierge’ Jeremy explains that The Scotch Malt Whisky Society has a huge range of ever-changing single cask, single malt whiskies. These bottlings are highlighted in the brochure Outturn available in print in-house and online. The SMSW visits distilleries, choosing from casks, and the whiskies are then nosed and evaluated by the society's panel of experts. The whiskies are then put into branded in SMWS bottles and made accessible with flavour profiles and themed, fun descriptions. The December Outturn features Sweet Dreams (are made of this) aka a Speyside, aged 18 years in a bourbon barrel and one of only 212 bottles available : “The palate combines dreamy crème anglaise and comforting apple pie with relaxing camomile, before the forbidden pleasures of chocolate and tobacco seduce the finish.” Someone somewhere is blushing. A cheese plate comprises Cooleeny (so buttery!), Baron Bigod (creamy and nutty) and St Andrew’s Cheddar. The paired recommendation for the cheddar is Shades of Sherry which is full of dried fruit flavours. It would also have worked well with Kate’s Sticky Toffee Pudding which she said was a “real sweet treat”. Our first two courses had been up to the standard of the deceased 28 Queen Street restaurant. Cauliflower Hummus was livened with dukkah and hot curry oil while Kate had tender on the inside, torched on the outside Fillet of Peat-Smoked Haddock. The chefs clearly know how to cook fish as my main of Roast Hake also has moist flesh and crispy skin. Kate’s Haunch of Venison with creamy polenta and blaeberry jus is a dish to return for. When I comment on the blaeberries, Jeremy confirms that the kitchen buys from a forager. There are not many who will input the labour required to harvest this delicious berry. Plates would have benefitted from a warming but apart from that the food was good. I enjoyed myself so much that I resolved to buy Mr Bite a membership for Christmas … as long as he takes me along of course.