It couldn’t be Leadbetter
This lovely cafe has delicious sandwiches and sweet treats too – just make sure you know where it is, writes Gaby Soutar
Margot
7-8 Barclay Terrace, Edinburgh (0131-281 4170, www. margotedinburgh.co.uk)
Idon’t like being wrong, though I often am. For example, I was trying to describe the location of this new cafe to an acquaintance. It’s on The Meadows, I said, before giving her the full address.
Technically, that’s Bruntsfield Links, she replied. How I bristled. Don’t tell an old Edinburgher how to suck Scotch eggs, I thought.
I blame low blood sugar for my irritation, but it turns out she was right. It’s quite near the putting green bit, so it would've served me right if I’d been hit in the head by a golf ball.
Time to eat humble pie, at this box fresh cafe. It’s in the former premises of Castello, and is owned by the team behind the excellent Leftfield restaurant, which is on the corner, just a few doors along.
They haven’t really changed the look of the double-level space, with its green views, too much, apart from giving it a lick of paint.
There’s also the word Margot painted on the window, with a lovely lavish loop on the g’s tail. I wish my signature looked like that, instead of an ECG chart.
I’m still not sure who they’ve named it after. I meant to ask, but got distracted. Maybe Barbie-star Robbie, or Fonteyn. I doubt it’s my favourite of all time, The Good Life’s Leadbetter.
The menu features a good selection of brunch and lunch friendly options, which you order up at the counter. (Nobody told us that, so we were waiting expectantly, like baby birds in the spring nest, until the penny dropped).
On another day, I might have gone for the croque Margot (£12), with pancakes, eggs, spinach, ham and bechamel, or the sourdough with Rhyze mushrooms, miso, sesame and broccolini (£9).
However, as I’d just been to my Sunday morning double exercise class sesh, I went for what I imagined might be the most filling of options, along with a restorative glass of their own Leftfield rhubarb soda (£4).
The pulled beef brisket, gochujang mayo and purple slaw sandwich (£11) was the correct decision.
It was a burly and feral meaty sourdough doorstop, with subtle heat from the Korean condiment and crunch from the finely chopped cabbage. The side salad was good too – rocket, but well-dressed with loads of salt and lemon, which made it as addictive as crisps, and with pale strips of mooli and red onion pickle on top.
My pal had gone for the white onion tart-tatin (£9) – a smallish coppery tile of puff pastry, topped with caramelised and sticky sweet onions. It came with their take on romesco sauce, but with lots of vinegary capers added to the terracotta pulp. And there was more of that rocket, with thin slivers of pickled radish on top.
We’d also ordered the soup of the day (£6.50), which was a spiced butternut squash. Thankfully, it didn’t have the dreaded thick and baby-foodish texture, but was smooth and spangly hot, with herby oil on the top and two slices of wellfired sourdough, plus a cube of butter on the side.
There are a couple of sweet dishes on the menu, as well as cakes up by the window, with bostocks, cookies, pecan brownies and scones galore. There was even a whole cake, about the size of a fascinator, for £15. I did briefly consider it.
However, we couldn’t not order the hot option of pain perdu (£9), which was utterly heavenly.
There was a thick slab of buttery brioche, which was toasted until tortoiseshell, as well as half a tender poached pear, an ocean of sticky toffee sauce and a blob of whipped creme fraiche.
I am filing this one under Favourite Dishes of the Year. Please NEVER take it off the menu.
Their flat whites (£3.30 each) and cakes are lovely too. My friend went for the raspberry blondie (£4) and it was a sturdy beast, rather than a sugary frippery. It could probably keep you going up a Munro or two. The apple and sage cake (£4) was more up my street, with a loose crumb and tang from the fruit.
So, it’s just a shame that this fab cafe doesn’t serve humble pie.
If you’re hoping to visit, it’s on Bruntsfield Links. Not The Meadows.
The Verdict
The pulled beef was a burly and feral sourdough
doorstop
How much?
Lunch for two, excluding drinks, £43.50
Food 8/10
Ambience 8/10
Total 16/20