The Evening News in Edinburgh has been trumpeting the fact that one of the buildings in which JK Rowling wrote her Harry Potter novels has turned back into a cafe, called Spoon, after a few years as a Chinese buffet. Back in the Nineties, the Nicolson Street premises operated as Nicolson’s and, along with the Elephant House on George IV Bridge, the caff was a regular haunt for the then single Mum as she wrote the books which were to change her life.
It’s a good local news story but, for those of us who get more excited by great grub than boy wizards, it misses a few points.
Called Spoon Cafe and Bistro, the new place is run by the husband and wife team who have operated Spoon on Blackfriars Street for the last few years.
The chef is Richie Alexander who previously worked for Dogs owner David Ramsden at his Fitzhenry and then Rogue restaurants. Ramsden reckons Alexander is one of the best chefs in Edinburgh and a look at Spoon’s menu reveals that it shares the same gutsy ethos as Ramsden’s current operations.
A bacon and duck confit omelette, pressed ox tongue and a hake stew were all on the menu at Spoon yesterday.
If you fancy Spoon but find it is packed out with Potter rubberneckers then nearby 5pm members include Blonde, the Bridge Restaurant, Calistoga Southside, Le Sept, Pink Olive and Ten Hill Place.