Restaurant review: Ooud Kitchen

"If you're catching the train that's pulling up at platform four, make sure that you've got a flask and a sleeping bag with you." I once heard this announcement made over the Tannoy at Haymarket Station, to alert passengers to the "slow train" which runs between Edinburgh and Glasgow's Central Station.

This phrase popped back into my brain on a visit to Ooud Kitchen, a new caf/eatery in Bruntsfield. When my boyfriend Rolf and I visited on a recent Saturday lunchtime, we wished that someone had told us about the snail-like service, so we could have brought a book/sudoku/ Connect 4/something-to-talk-about.

Now that I've vented, however, I can describe this place. It has a whitewashed interior, big windows, arty lithographs on the wall, and a very affordable menu which is inspired by the Levant (the eastern Mediterranean).

For starters, an optimistic version of Rolf (un-scarred by waiting), ordered the mozzarella with chargrilled cherry tomato (2.50), while I went for zatar – thyme in olive oil (2.50).

To be fair, these dishes only took about 25 minutes to arrive and they looked vibrant, in Moroccan-style pots on a turquoise-coloured sharing platter.

My choice featured a sprinkling of sesame seeds, garlic, sea salt and herbs in a pool of olive oil, as well as a few black and green olives. It was a gritty textured, intensely savoury mixture; excellent when scooped up by the pieces of herby, bubbly flatbread accompanying our dishes.

My dining partner's simple option consisted of small chunks of creamy cheese, which were tossed with halved tomatoes (which someone had forgotten to chargrill) and chopped spring onion – all of which was drizzled with a slightly too dilute anchovy dressing.

For mains, Rolf went for the confit chicken flatbread (6) and I opted for the roast aubergine (6); then kicked myself when I spotted one of Ooud Kitchen's meze platters, which looked droolworthy.

With hindsight, I probably had time to swither and choose this instead, as it took around 40 minutes for our next courses to arrive. The owner did, however, offer us a complimentary pot of mint tea, which distracted us from gnawing at the corner of our farmhouse table.

So ravenous Rolf's main was sucked up almost before I had time to take a good look at it. I can, however, report that it appeared to consist of a wafer-thin pizza-like base, topped with jalapenos, black olives, capers, rocket and Parmesan shavings. On the side was a tiny ramekin containing a salad of bright green peas, feta, red onion and a dab of minted yoghurt dressing. This was a colourful offering that had (probably) been worth the wait.

My option featured a whole baked aubergine, blanketed by a softly spiced rice mixture that was dotted with spinach, capers, olives and chunks of salty halloumi cheese. There was also a bowl of the aforementioned salad, as well as one containing flaked almonds (as they'd run out of the billed pine nuts).

It would be difficult to fault either of our dishes, especially as they were beyond what you'd expect at such a low price.

However, if I had to nit-pick, I'd say they could have both done with a little more spice, or seasoning generally.

After we'd munched every last morsel, I sent the waiting staff a psychic message; "Clear our dishes, please." However, they weren't receptive to my brain-waves, so I eventually took our plates up to the counter myself, where I ordered our puddings (toasted brioche, 3, and caramelised pear, 3) to save time.

There was then another painful pause, before someone came over to tell us that there was a backlog in the kitchen, and would we accept alternative desserts – the sweet tahini and almond basket and a chilli chocolate and hazelnut basket (3 each), both with marinated berries? I'm not sure why it took another ten minutes to take these ready-made pastries out from under the glass cloche on the counter and present them to us, but they were tasty and we weren't charged for them.

So I'd definitely recommend that you sample the fantastic food at Ooud Kitchen.

Just stick to one course, bring cash (they don't take credit cards) and a copy of War and Peace.

Three to try

Alla Turca

192 Pitt Street, Glasgow (0141-332 5300, www.allaturca.co.uk)

Expect fantastic meze (the baba ganoush is especially recommended), at Glasgow's only Turkish restaurant.

Rendezvous at Nargile

106-108 Forest Avenue, Aberdeen (01224 323700, www.rendezvousatnargile.co.uk)

This huge restaurant offers a fusion of eastern and western cooking styles. Expect plenty of chargrilled meat, couscous and halloumi.

Byzantium

13 Hawkhill, Dundee (01382 221946, www.byzantiumrestaurant.com)

The braised Moroccan lamb with mint and mango couscous tickles our fancy at this recently reopened Mediterranean eatery.