][1]The 5pm Restaurants blog enjoys listening to stand-up comedians examine their navels as much as the next man. However, there comes a time during every Edinburgh Fringe when you want to feed your soul with a show that educates as much as it entertains.
Ladies and gentlemen, may I present The Thinking Drinker’s Guide to Alcohol. Running at the Assembly Rooms on George Street for the second year, this is a comic two hander which has the noble intention of encouraging us all to drink less by drinking better.
Bawdy romp
An oft bawdy romp through the history of alcohol, it examines the links between alcohol, religion, art and society. For reasons which seemed obvious at the time but elude me in the clear light of day, it also features a race between what we will coyly call marital aids.
Over the course of the show’s hour, samples of six different drinks are handed out around the audience to help illustrate the duo’s points and lubricate the laughter.
Free rum
For example, passages on piracy and the carnival customs of Caribbean islands are underlined by giving everyone a nip of Angostura 1919 rum.
Via dim recollections of cramming for exams, the 5pm blog seems to recall that alcohol and study don’t often mix well but The Thinking Drinker’s Guide to Alcohol has helped disprove such erroneous thoughts. I’d recommend it.
Whisky and dancing
If you prefer your evening’s entertainment to be more energetic then you may wish to book into the whisky dinner and ceilidh nights taking place at the Scottish Cafe and Restaurant on selected nights in August.
Guests will enjoy a three course meal, ceilidh music by Shenanigans and a dram of Glengoyne Highland Single Malt to finish off the night. The first one takes place this Friday (9th August) and then others follow on the 16th, 22nd, 23rd, 29th and 30th of August.
The Scottish Cafe and Restaurant is run by the same team as Centotre on George Street – a handy spot if you fancy a bite after seeing a show in the Assembly Rooms.
Book Edinburgh restaurants online
Of course, you can browse all of Edinburgh’s 5pm member restaurants from here. Booking ahead at this time of year is usually wise.