Grazing habits

Published on Wednesday 18 October 2006 11:21

WE WORK, we eat, we play then sleep – well, that's the general idea anyway. But the lines have become somewhat blurred between our working and social lives, and that has led to something of a revolution in the way we eat.

It's all very well going to a nice restaurant and paying 20 for a steak, only to find it marooned in the centre of a gigantic plate with only a sprig of herb to mask its loneliness. Grazing terms

Antipasto - Italy

Dim sum - China

Hors d'oeuvre - France

Kemia - Morocco

Kujulpan - Korea

Meze - Greece/Turkey

Minutas - Argentina

Sushi - Japan

Tapas - Spain

Zakuski - RussiaSadly, it has become all too common for restaurants to price every conceivable item, and it can't be too long before the butter becomes an option for the bread, not merely an accompaniment. Little wonder then, that less pocket-draining dining options are in demand.

The fierce competition between Central Belt restaurants means they have to adapt to survive and prosper. The savvy among them recognise the need to provide the right choice for the consumer, who may not have the time to sit down for a few hours to enjoy the indulgence of three-course dining.

Of course there are still some restaurants out there where pitching the idea of sharing a selection from the menu will provoke uncontrollable eye-rolling from your waiter. Formal dining is one thing, but sitting down to a meal between the next pub, club or show is entirely another, and therein lies the simplicity of the light meal option, namely the cost, speed of delivery and abundance of flavours the light meal represents: a definite step up from the chippie and a giant leap from the burger bar.

So take the opportunity to become a little more adventurous in your culinary habits and indulge yourself in flavours that you may have been reluctant to experience in a more expensive formal dining setting.

And with this in mind we have researched a list of restaurants across Scotland where you can sample a whole host of culinary delights from around the globe at a pace that suits your lifestyle.

Amber Restaurant at the Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre: 354 Castlehill, The Royal Mile, Old Town, Edinburgh

Tel: [phone]

Amber Restaurant offer a "Scottish tapas" menu, which encompasses the unique tastes of Scotland in small portions. Originally a concept devised for slightly squeamish tourists and their aversion to a full helping of haggis, the tapas has proven to be a popular addition to what is already a well received menu. Tapas include haggis, smoked salmon, herring, mussels and venison.

Review by Richard Bath, Scotland on Sunday

Argan Caf: 1166-1170 Argyle Street, City Centre, Glasgow

Tel: [phone]

Argan Caf serve an eclectic menu that combines a variety of tastes from the Arab world. With a choice of Moroccan Kemia, Turkish meze and Spanish tapas, the variety should cater to just about every taste.

Barioja: 19 Jeffrey Street, Old Town, Edinburgh

Tel: [phone]

Barioja is the adjoining restaurant to the award-winning Iggs, and serves authentic Spanish tapas with an emphasis placed upon creating traditional regional variations while utilising the best of Scottish and Spanish produce. There is a wealth of different tapas to choose from, and a selection of regional beers, wines and sherries to sample too.

Review by George Kerevan, The Scotsman

Dragon-i: 311-313 Hope Street, City Centre, Glasgow

Tel: [phone]

Considered to be one of the best Chinese restaurants in Scotland, Dragon-i combines style with substance, serving traditional and western influenced dim sum dishes using quality local ingredients.

Review by Emma Cowing, The Scotsman

Kokuryo: 1138 Argyle Street, West End, Glasgow

Tel: [phone]

Kokuryo is said to be the only authentic Korean restaurant in Scotland. The dishes benefit from an abundance of flavours, namely the use of kimchi, a strongly flavoured pickled cabbage, as well as chilli, garlic, anchovy and ginger. The taster plates offer the chance to combine different dishes to create unique flavours.

Konaki Greek Taverna: 920 Sauchiehall Street, City Centre, Glasgow

Tel: [phone]

Konaki is a vibrant, authentic Greek restaurant offering a range of meze appetisers, freshly made in the kitchen. The Greek nights can be lively, but the plate smashing is now a thing of the past as health and safety laws restrict all activities which harbour the potential to take your eye out.

Review by Jane Cassidy, Scotland on Sunday

La Bruschetta: 13 Clifton Terrace, Haymarket, Edinburgh

Tel: [phone]

La Bruschetta is one of the capital's most revered Italian restaurants, and offers bruschetta and antipasto options for those who wish merely to nibble while enjoying the house wine selection.

Moonfish Caf: 9 Correction Wynd, Aberdeen

Tel: [phone]

Moonfish offers a selection of Spanish and Greek dishes from the tapas and meze menus. The emphasis is on sharing, as all the dishes are placed in the middle of the table to be enjoyed in an informal group setting.

Nargile: 73 Hanover Street, City Centre, Edinburgh

Tel: [phone]

Nargile: 77-79 Skene Street, City Centre, Aberdeen

Tel: [phone]

Nargile is a Turkish restaurant that presents a wide range of hot and cold Middle Eastern meze dishes, accompanied with freshly baked, warm pitta bread. There is also a full vegetarian meze option by request.

Review by David Lamont, Edinburgh Evening News

Ndebele: 57 Home Street, Tollcross, Edinburgh

Tel: [phone]

Ndebele is a unique South African deli that offers an array of delights derived from regional African cuisine. A popular stop for the homesick traveller as well as curious and converted locals. The hot meal options change daily, and there are also a number of vegetarian dishes to choose from. Try some authentic Boerwors, (a beef and coriander sausage), Biltong, (dried and spiced beef), or an African taster platter.

New Loon Fung: 417-419 Sauchiehall Street, City Centre, Glasgow

Tel: [phone]

New Loon Fung is one of the best venues in Glasgow to find authentic home-made dim sum. The easy tick box system ensures your order is delivered as one veritable feast of small, flavoursome dishes - including steamed and fried dumplings, satay, rice and noodle dishes - all accompanied by an array of dipping sauces.

Russian Caf Cossachok: 10 King Street, Merchant City, Glasgow

Tel: [phone]

For a taste of authentic Russian cuisine, Russian Caf Cossachok serve a zakuski menu - the Russian version of the appetiser - comprising traditionally of cold starters using a selection of meat, fish and vegetables accompanied by home-made pickles and dips.

Sushiya: 19 Dalry Road, West End, Edinburgh

Tel: [phone]

Fast becoming a local institution, Sushiya is an authentic taste of Japanese fast-food culture. Owner Chris Yuen travels daily to the Glasgow fish market to create the freshest possible sushi for his customers. There are also soup, noodle and rice dishes with a choice of meat, fish or vegetables.

The Anderson: Union Street, Fortrose, Black Isle, Inverness-shire

Tel: [phone]

Owners Jim and Anne Anderson have made the Anderson a grazers paradise in this far-flung region of Inverness-shire, serving a range of traditional Spanish tapas and Italian antipasto options - all to be enjoyed by the open fire in the bar while working your way through Scotland's largest Belgian beer selection, or a tipple or two from the collection of malt whiskies.

The New York Steam Packet: 31 Rose Street Lane North, City Centre, Edinburgh

Tel: [phone]

The hamburger has rapidly become a quick bite staple in Scotland, but New York Steam Packet has brought credibility back to the baddest snack on the block by serving top quality burgers using the finest ingredients. It's a burger all right, but probably not as you know it.

The Rainbow Arch: 8-16 Morrison Street, West End, Edinburgh

Tel: [phone]

This restaurant epitomises all of the Chinese restaurant clichs - complete with fish tank, funhouse mirrors and wallpaper chosen from the bad taste catalogue - but the food is excellent quality, especially the extensive dim sum menu.

Urban Angel: 121 Hanover Street, City Centre, Edinburgh

Tel: [phone]

Urban Angel use a wide range of locally sourced, free trade and organic food for their menu, and the tapas in particular is great value for money.