16 FOOD AND DRINK
CAFE REVIEW: Artisan Roast By Charlie Ellis CROSSWORD Compiled by David Albury
ACROSS
4 Alcoholic drink distilled from
grape wine (6)
6 Control according to a set of
rules (8)
9 Not level (6)
10 One who fights ina ring, trying to
throw or pin an opponent (8)
11 Person who manages a royal
household (11)
15 Set free (7)
17 Sharp tooth in the front of
the mouth (7)
18 Person on a radio who describes
actions taking place (11)
22 Overwhelm with water (8)
23 Be deprived of food (6)
24 Water that is slightly salty
or stale (8)
25 Male feline (3-3)DOWN
1 Word that dscribes actions (6)
2 Change around and put into
order (10)
3 Below the level of hearing (8)
4 Doorkeepers in clubs and pubs (8)
5 Agreeable (8)
7 Competent to perform (4)
8 Auditory organs (4)
12 Disease that involves painful
swelling of joints etc (10)
13 Secret, understood only by those
in the know (8)
14 Excessively interested in sexual
matters (8)
16 Title of some princes, especially
in Austria (8)
19 Inscibed decoration on the skin (6)
20 Arm or leg, for example (4)
21 Large fish related to the
mackerel (4)SPECIALTY COFFEE has inundated
Leith over the last decade. It’s a clear
sign of Leith’s much changed character
as an area.
Every month seems to see
something new and interesting
emerge as Leith cements its position
as Edinburgh’s liveliest area. Leith is
home to some of Edinburgh’s very
best speciality coffee houses, including
Little Fitzroy on Easter Road and
Williams and Johnson at the back of
Custom House at the Shore. In Gaia
(Leith Walk), Leith also has the best
spot for traditional Italian style
espresso in the city.
Artisan Roast has long been one of
the leading names in the Edinburgh
coffee scene and now has its own Leith
branch. Joining its popular cafes on
Broughton Street (opened in 2007),
Bruntsfield Place and Raeburn Place
(plus a pop up kiosk at the bottom of
Little King Street, St James Quarter)
its largest café is now near the foot of
Leith Walk.
Such is the popularity of specialty
coffee in the area, that Leith is also
home to several cafes which
superficially at least, have some of thecharacteristics of that scene. Exposed
brick, jute bags, green tiles and brown
bags of ‘artisan’ coffee. However, often
what is served in the cup doesn’t match
what you would expect both in flavour
profile and in sheer quality. Artisan
Roast on Leith Walk certainly does
uphold the highest values. What flows
out of their La Marzocco machine is
consistently good and speaks of high
quality of barista training and a
profound seriousness about coffee.
The venue itself has a shabby chic
character. The shop was previously a
long standing funeral directors. A nod
to this is the traditional font in the
corner of the café, used as a tap water
dispenser. In general, they have
retained a traditional feel, with faded
wooden panelling prominent. High
ceilings and large glass windows
combine to create a very airy feel, even
when the café is packed. The place full
of little nooks in which to sit. A nice
traditional armchair is ideal for
sinking into an absorbing novel. The
window seats allow you to people-
watch and observe the (at times slow)
progress being made with the tram
works. The vibe is arty andimprovised, reflected in the character
of many of the customers. In recent
months, events have been held in the
café, including comedy (by Soup
Group) and yoga.
Unsurprisingly Artisan Roast use
beans from their own range, as
roasted locally in Peffermill. Recent
highlights include the Janszoon blend
(with ‘massive chocolate notes, big
body and caramelised cherry like
fruity finish’) and single origin coffees
such as the ‘bright, zesty and
expressive’ Los Aguacatones from
Guatemala. For those trying to limit
their caffeine intake they offer the
Optimist ‘half caff ’ blend and decaf
options. A range of their freshly
roasted beans are available in shop,
alongside a range of coffee making
equipment and accessories.
Foodwise, there is a focus on vegan
options, with versions of classics such
as Mac & Cheese, and chilli and
Nachos. Artisan Roast’s venture into
Leith has further enhanced its
reputation as a leading specialty coffee
force in the city.
Artisan Roast
72-74 Leith Walk, EH6 5HBSpeciality coffee - serving soup and yoga on the side
An Essential re-election
ESSENTIAL EDINBURGH (EE) is
putting itself up for re-election
between 9 February and 23
March.
Only the member businesses
may vote to retain the city
centre’s business improvement
district, but it is an important
decision for all of us.
EE does many things for the
centre of Edinburgh including
sponsoring events such as the ice
rink at Christmas (jointly with
LIDL) and the organisation
employs a clean team to rapidly
respond to any reports ofrubbish on the city centre streets
which requires to be removed.
There is a lot more to it than just
cleaning up- EE works to “ensure
that the city centre excels as a
place for business, to shop and to
visit”. The levy-payers are in the
main businesses on George
Street and St Andrew Square
where EE helps to stage Film Fest
in the City.
Their campaigns also included
the Giraffe About Town when
small giraffes cheered up the
Edinburgh streets for a while.
http://www.essentialedinburgh.co.ukANSWERS4 Brandy, 6 Regulate, 9 Uneven, 10 Wrestler, 11 Chamberlain, 15 Release, 17 Incisor,Across:18 Commentator, 22 Inundate, 23 Starve, 24 Brackish, 25 Tom-cat.1 Adverb, 2 Reorganise, 3 Subsonic, 4 Bouncers, 5 Amenable, 7 Able, 8 Ears, Down:12 Rheumatism, 13 Esoteric, 14 Prurient, 16 Archduke, 19 Tattoo, 20 Limb, 21 Tuna.Seriously Leith