The Bailie Restaurant
Food in Scotland
The Bailie
Food served daily 12:00 – 5:30
2-4 St. Stephen Street
Stockbridge
Edinburgh
Tel: (0131) 225-4673
Most residents of Edinburgh’s Stockbridge area and beyond know The Bailie as their local - a traditionally oak-clad landmark always ready to offer a rescue from the banalities of life with its cosy fire and welcoming and well-lit bar.
The Tuesday night pub quizzes have a steadfast following and the locals mix easily with the students who’ve come to test their intellectual talents. But what of The Bailie’s daytime repertoire? We decided to sample their lunch fare after a particularly long Sunday lie-in, recovering from the effects of a Burns Supper and whisky. The Bailie’s interior, with its hearth fire and dark walls, was enough in itself to perk up our appetites but the menu definitely provoked an audible rumbling in our stomachs.
The standard lunch menu follows a range of culinary traditions, from appetizer-sized nachos, stuffed chilli peppers and a choice of two daily soups (which on a Sunday included a yummy blend of Stilton and Roasted Red Peppers), through to smaller portions of cheese and chicken or roasted vegetable enchiladas.
There’s also a choice of club sandwiches including bacon & chicken or the more exotic goats’ cheese and red currant. But the mains are the real attraction. Take your pick from the sizzling Steak with Garlic Sauce, Kashmiri Chicken, Fish & Chips or at least five specials, including such delights as a fresh seafood platter, smoked salmon and fish cakes and, of course, the full Scottish breakfast.
We both started with the Stilton and Red Pepper soup, a gorgeous pink and creamy creation swirled attractively through with melted Stilton and served with a hot crusty roll. With our accompanying spicy Bloody Mary’s, we were already beginning to feel like Saturday night was a distant memory.
The main courses were soon to arrive and we weren’t disappointed. The steak comes straight from the grill on a cast-iron skillet, served with just the right amount of garlic and butter, perfectly seared to be slightly crisp on the outside with a rich, succulent interior. The shoestring chips on the side soak up that delicious garlicky sauce magically.
The Kashmiri chicken is served with a mound of coconut-infused rice, and like the steak, is cooked to a perfect degree of tenderness. The sauce is a delicate balance of sweet and spice, light enough not to overpower the accompanying rice. If you’re in the mood for a sandwich, the goats cheese and red currant club, served with crispy shoestring chips, is a guaranteed winner. The mild cheese and slightly sweet currant are well proportioned and the additional feature of toasted and pressed bread makes for an easy eat.
The Bailie also offers several daily pudding specials which looked extremely tasty,but which we couldn’t quite fit inside our belts. Alas, time to leave the comfort of The Bailie and get back to real life. With its bistro quality menu and deft chef, The Bailie is definitely worth a try on one of those days when you don’t quite fancy the usual, and with the added value of reasonable prices, addictive warmth and hearty pints, you’ll find yourself back again in no time.
- Cate Mills
