Huzzah and yabbadabbadoo! The wonderful Edinburgh Fringe previews start this week and the city’s restaurateurs are gearing up for one of their busiest periods.
Between performers, techies, admin staff and, of course, the paying public, it is often said that Edinburgh doubles in size over August and everyone wants to be fed and watered.
We’re not sure about the actual accuracy of that ‘double in size’ stat but we’re happy to run with the legend.
Besides, if you have ever tried to hurry from one end of the Royal Mile to the other at peak time then it certainly feels as if the world and his cousin have descended on the capital.
Interestingly, because of the way that the different Festival venues are spread out, certain restaurants are constantly busy while other less geographically favoured places find it harder than usual to fill tables.
As a result, many offer great deals and you can browse them via 5pm Dining.
Bubba Q
One place which is ideally located for the Fringe market is Bubba Q, a new basement BBQ joint on the Royal Mile/High Street.
Over the years, the site has been home to Jacksons, Real Rajput Indian Cuisine and Wild Drams, all with wildly varying degrees of success.
The 5pm Dining blog is not going to make any predictions for Bubba Q’s longevity but, at least for the next month anyway, they are likely to be rammed.
All stripped wood and corrugated iron, it is designed to look like a Deep South BBQ shack and has the menu to match.
Look out for smoked beef brisket, pulled pork, Cajun chicken, ribs, hot link sausages and something called the Bubba Q bubble waffle, a dessert which looks more American than apple pie and ice cream.
Il Calice
In more Edinburgh food news, Il Calice is now open on Picardy Place.
You may recall, we blogged about it a month or so back.
Coffee, cocktails and wine are the order of the day. Apparently, the chef has just arrived from Venice.
At present, he is finding his feet while knocking up rather pretty appetisers and snacks but is looking to develop the menu over the next week or so.
New restaurant in former Riparian Rooms site?
Finally, anyone who has sauntered down Broughton Street in the last couple of days may have noticed that there are signs of life in the former Riparian Rooms.
The Riparian Rooms went from roaring to RIP in around a year and it will be interesting to see if the next contender has come up with a format which suits the site.