The magic Circle

Published on Sunday 13 May 2007 01:13

WE SHOULD be thankful to Barry Bryson. He, along with many like him, is revolutionising the eating-out experience in Scotland - and this time it's from the bottom up. While Andrew Fairlie, Martin Wishart, Keith Braidwood and their competitors are doing their bit for Caledonia's haute cuisine, Bryson and his fellow café-owners are staging a quiet revolution in the way we eat during the day and when we're on the move.

There were plenty of decent restaurants in most corners of Scotland 20 years ago, but the chances were that if you went looking for a caf you would end up in a greasy spoon. Out in the countryside there might be the occasional Withnail and I-style tearoom in tourist hotspots, or perhaps something deep-fried to death in a pub, but the options were pretty limited and largely unpalatable. But this has changed over the past ten years.

As an experiment, I asked a dozen friends at random from my address book, and I discovered that all have a very good caf - often doubling as a deli - within ten minutes of home. Whether it's the Seaview Caf in Wemyss Bay, Clive Ramsay in Bridge of Allan or the Real Food Caf in Tyndrum, every town in the country seems to have benefited from an explosion of interest in quality food at sensible prices, much of it locally sourced. Pub grub may still be languishing in the dark ages, but our caf culture has recently undergone a gastronomic enlightenment.

Bryson's establishment is a classic example. The 30-seater Circle Caf, a stone's throw from the Water of Leith and Edinburgh's botanic garden, attracts a wide cross-section of customers and is routinely brimming with patrons. It has a takeaway deli counter, but thanks in part to its owner's infectious personality and the comfortable surroundings - walls stripped back to the stone, with wooden floors and huge sash windows - most people prefer to sit in and be ministered to.

The main reason that the Circle Caf is a runaway success, however, is the food. Virtually everything - from the carrot cake to the coriander hummous - is produced on the premises, and the menu is revamped every month. When it comes to ingredients, Bryson scours the country for the best on offer, whether it's top-quality smoked meats from James Robb in St Monans or peerless bread from Au Gourmand in Dalry, and that attention to detail shines through.

I started off with two large skewers of grilled tuna coated in a soft lemon-and-garlic dressing, which came with couscous studded with red onion and olives. Lucinda strayed on to the specials board, ordering a bowl of spicy parsnip and pear soup. My tuna was succulent and well cooked, but didn't have me reaching for the superlatives. This wasn't true of the soup, which was a gloriously velvety concoction that mixed subtle undertones of pear with a big, booming burst of flavour from the chilli. This was a dish that could hold its head up high in virtually any restaurant in the country.

Our next course followed a similar pattern: I chose from the menu, with solid if unspectacular results, while Lucinda raided the specials board, and was richly rewarded. My huge pastrami wrap with horseradish and pickles was enjoyable enough, but could have done with something other than the horseradish to make it less dry. This was in stark contrast to the Thai fishcakes, which were a beautifully moist blend of diverse tastes and textures, all of which were heightened by a nicely layered sweet plum sauce.

I rounded off with a superbly rich yet light chocolate dessert, which came with a huge dollop of clotted cream and the following description: "This is what would be left if a vat of chocolate was sitting next to a Black Forest gteau and there was a large explosion." A double espresso that was so strong I could smell it from the other end of the room was the postscript to a thoroughly enjoyable lunch.

As we left, a professorial type sat down with a cappuccino and an almond croissant, all set to read his broadsheet from cover to cover. Two retired blue-rinsed ladies got stuck into a bowl of olives and some gossip while nursing extra-large gins. Across the room, a couple of young mothers were enjoying a huge Caesar salad. And as we left, two businessmen took a seat by the window and tucked into the sort of exquisite glazed fruit tarts we used to have to go to France to eat.

Caf culture has arrived. And if the Circle Caf is any guide, it's here to stay.

Vital statistics

Circle Caf

1 Brandon Terrace, Edinburgh (0131 624 4666)

Out of pocket Breakfast 2.75-6.95 Soups 2.95 Cakes and pastries 1.65-2.50 Bagels, wraps and sandwiches 4.95-6.95

Rating ***