Food and Drink Scotland:Spring Openings

Anything raise the spirits more than a cluster of new, indie bar and restaurant openings? Here’s a round up of those gaining the Hood seal of approval…

Barbelow - Aberdeen

Budding entrepreneurs, Emily Hailstones and Hayley Fisher, are the founders of Olive Alexanders, delicatessen in Aberdeen. The super tasteful purveyor of cheese, fine wine, meats & larder goods delivered locally and UK nationwide is a sweet nod to Emily’s great grandparents Olive Hooper and Alexander Hailstones.

Having launched almost a year ago the duo has garnered quite the following on Instagram for their exquisite taste for the finer things in life. 

Brought up in a foodie family, Emily trained as a chef at the renowned Little Chartroom, in Edinburgh under Head Chef, Roberta Hall. While qualified sommelier, Hayley, assists in pairing the deli’s wines with your food selection. This spring they will make their home at 8 Golden Square in Aberdeen. This historic and much-loved building in the famous square right bang in the centre of the City and a minute’s walk from Union Street will now be home to not only Olive Alexanders but to its new sister business, Barbelow. 

As the latest addition to the family, this basement beauty will be bringing its own menu of crafty cocktails, extensive fine wines, and scrumptious small plates from Olive Alexanders kitchen. Emily said, “The Granite City is a great contender in the growing food & drink culture, and we are extremely excited to be joining the long list of young entrepreneurs who are already making a difference.”

Olive Alexanders and Barbelow

8 Golden Square, Aberdeen

Bridge 15 - Ratho

Today sees Chef Tyler King, who was previously senior sous chef at German Michelin starred restaurant, Prism, open Bridge 15, a modern Scottish restaurant within The Bridge Inn, in Ratho.

28-year-old Tyler’s new evening restaurant, with magnificent views of the Union Canal, will focus heavily on local, seasonal ingredients showcased through simple cooking. Before moving to Germany, Tyler honed his skills at Scotland’s finest restaurants including Number One at The Balmoral and Castle Terrace. Tyler’s decision to move back to the capital was influenced by his love for Scottish produce; having grown up by the sea in the fishing village of Pittenweem, Tyler is passionate about seafood caught off the east coast of Scotland.

The skilled chef’s cuisine is influenced by the techniques and flavours he has experienced during his career and international travels. Diners can expect some exciting dishes on the menu such as Arbroath smokie doughnut, spring onion emulsion; Mushroom ravioli egg yolk pureé, mushroom broth, black garlic, puffed rice; Monkfish mussel XO, burnt leek, pine nut, vermouth sauce; and Crowdie cheesecake mousse rhubarb, toasted oats.

Tyler said: “I always knew I wanted to come back to Scotland to open a restaurant and showcase the top-quality produce we have here. I am ecstatic to be part of such an iconic Edinburgh gastropub and l am looking forward to bringing something new to the table for our guests.

“The menus at Bridge 15 at The Bridge Inn will be constantly evolving, with daily specials changing depending on what we receive from local suppliers. Being able to work on dishes with vegetables and pork sourced from the pub’s own garden is phenomenal.”

The Bridge Inn, which is situated on the banks of the Union Canal in Ratho, just seven miles west of the city centre, is famed for producing delicious, locally sourced food. Having recently won Gastropub of the Year at the SLTN Awards, Tyler will also oversee the bar menu that will continue to serve the pub favourites that it has become known for including its daily changing pie and, every Sunday, a brand-new all-day roast menu.

Bridge 15 at The Bridge Inn

27 Baird Rd, Ratho, Newbridge

 Shucks - Glasgow

The team behind Michelin starred Cail Bruich, Brett and Epicures are set to open an exciting new seafood restaurant, Shucks, in Glasgow this spring in partnership with leading hospitality investor, Oli Norman.

Shucks will be a relaxed 80-cover seafood restaurant, bar, and outdoor terrace, located in Hyndland in the heart of Glasgow’s West End. The kitchen will be serving up some of the best catches from Scottish waters and beyond from local fish merchant John Vallance at Glasgow Fish Market, all of which are fully traceable to ecologically approved sustainable sources.

Menu highlights include: Shucks gilda-house preserved sardine, smoked olive & guindilla chilli; Tater tots, chive crème fraiche, herring caviar & Sardinian pecorino; Smoked salmon crumpet, crème fraiche & pickles; and Shucks champagne clams, green chilli, coriander & charred sourdough.

Heading up the talented kitchen brigade will be chef Shaun Haggarty, previously head chef at Cail Bruich. Shaun has honed his craft and passion for seafood whilst working in top restaurants around the world in foodie destinations such as Australian restaurants, Stokehouse and Circa at The Prince Hotel. Combining his passion for Scottish fish and shellfish with Asian influences from his international career, Shaun and his skilled team will be utilising a wide range of techniques; from in-house curing and smoking to classic fish cookery in the state-of-the-art kitchen, which will be equipped with a wood-fired grill.

Paul Charalambous, co-owner of Cail Bruich and Shucks said: “We are delighted to be opening up our fourth venue in our hometown. Like all our venues, we have been working closely with our suppliers from across Scotland to ensure the very best produce will be on the table for guests to enjoy. The menu is experimental but approachable showcasing the simplicity of the seafood from our Scottish shores.

“Shucks has been a long-awaited opening for the team and we’re looking forward to opening our doors to the great people of Glasgow and beyond.”

The drinks menu includes a champagne trolley and seasonal cocktails focusing on providing a progressive drinks selection as well as a carefully curated wine list by the group’s head sommelier. 
Shucks

168 Hyndland Rd, Glasgow

Bross Deli - Edinburgh 

Early morning bagel breakfasts to late night noshing boards served up with beer and beats, are the order of the day, as local food favourite Bross Deli at St James Quarter has officially extended its opening hours and introduced the official Bross Deli menu, curated by the local Edinburgh community.

Bross Deli at St James Quarter welcomed its first evening diners at the weekend, extending its hours to 10pm, and unveiling a brand-new bar, created in collaboration with local beer brand, Brewgooder, alongside a cocktail menu from Edinburgh’s Electric Gin.  A resident Deli DJ will set the soundtrack to Saturdays and Sundays, smashing out the tunes in what is set to become a happy hour ritual in St James Quarter’s own bagel land as it launches Bross Beatz weekends.  The new bar and DJ booth will collectively set the Deli apart as the epitome of convivial café culture.

The final menu from Edinburgh’s first ever Jew-ish deli of its kind champions all-day authentic Montreal street culture, given a playful Scottish twist.  Making it to the final menu, Edinburgh’s firm favourites following a month of tasting, trials and foodie feedback, included; a Jew-ish twist on French Toast, with Bross’ authentic Challah Bread as the hero of the dish which won over foodie fans from across the city, as did the brand’s unique Scottish twist on the Knish – the McKnish which put haggis at the heart of this Jewish classic, and not forgetting Bross’ signature Matzah Ball Soup, which nourished the souls of hungover, cold and weary diners from Edinburgh and beyond.

Commenting on the final menu, founder of Bross Deli, Larah Bross says: “They came, they tasted and they told us exactly what they thought!  We tested our menu against the sophisticated palettes of your average Edinburgh foodie and now equipped with their feedback and the best local ingredients - our talented Bross hole-filling heroes are ready to set the final menu free.

“We’ve created a menu that brings comfort to the soul, whether you’re feeding the family from our unbeatable kids menu, finally face to face with friends, or want to revive some of that party vibe we’ve all missed for so long.”

The new Bross Deli presents a truly unique concept, taking the brand beyond bagels, to introduce all-day authentic Montreal Jew-ish deli culture to the city of Edinburgh.  The Bross Deli will now be open from 8am until 10pm, every day.  The new premises features vibrant colour combinations, comfy classic diner-style booths, bar and bar seating, a bustling open kitchen and a deli counter, that combine to transport guests straight to the delis that grace the streets of Montreal or New York.

The menus showcase a modern take on traditional Jewish cuisine in a unique culture clash of founder Larah’s Jewish-Canadian background, her experience living in New York, and her passion for locally sourced Scottish ingredients.  The new venue is designed to create a convivial concept, with a come-one-come-all notion where morning meetings can spark creative conversation, families can dine on deli classics to keep even the fussiest of eaters happy, and friends can gather for cocktails and comfort food in an unashamed celebration of carbs and classic deli deliciousness.

Bross Deli

St James Quarter, Edinburgh