17
I FEEL I’VE BEEN rather tardy to the Ka Pao
party and can’t count how many times its been
recommended to me. After dining there I can
see why. Despite being in St James Quarter it
manages to avoid that shopping centre feeling.
The decor is what I might describe as
industrial elegance and the seats mercifully
comfortable.
We drank a Lemongrass Negroni and
Cacao and Sesame Old Fashioned. The Asian
twist on the classics worked a treat. They
really know what they’re doing with flavour
here and have achieved the balance of every
sip or mouthful being surprising yet subtle
and well balanced. We began with some Pork
and Bone Marrow Chipolatas which had a
lovely meaty texture and punchy flavour. Fried
Chicken followed and the crispiness of the
batter and meltingly tender chicken was a
triumph. The Fish Sauce Caramel and PickledBanana Chillis were also perfectly sweet and
aromatic. For a main we shared a Southern
Yellow Monkfish and Crab Curry from the
specials menu where the sauce was plentiful
and the fish delicately treated. A dessert of
Banana Creme Diplomat with Peanut
Caramel and Black Sesame Filo was a light
and crunchy end to the meal.
Having a window seat with a decent view
we were relaxed enough to have an extra glass
of vino and chill out. Ka Pao has the
advantage of being in a high footfall shopping
centre but in the right part of it so you can, to
some extent, forget where you are. With small
plates starting at £6 and larger at £7.50 it’s
certainly great value for the standard of
cooking and pleasantness of service. If you
haven’t been, book now. They also have plenty
of plant based options.
@kapaofeedsCulinary delights in the capital with Juliet Lawrence WilsonHoliday vibe
at Wahaca
Smokin’ hot food
on Valentine’s Day
THERE ARE CERTAIN female popular
pursuits I’ve never been a fan of. Spa days
are one of them, but the biggest bore is
shopping. My daughter appears to be
channelling Bananarama as her current style
icons and after a trek through what’s left of
Princess Street to find a suitable pair of
baggy dungarees I was grumpy and in need
of a cocktail. We headed to Wahaca, a cheery
place where the staff look like they’re on a
permanent gap year, such a free of care
youthful aura they appear to have. I liked
the music and general ambience too and
once I had a classic margarita in hand I fully
appreciated the holiday vibe. The colourful
vibrant decor make it a cheery spot to be.
The food was pretty reliable too with the
guacamole being unctuous in its creamy
chunkiness. I’d go back for a cocktail and this
alone. We also enjoyed some Chargrilled
Steak and Cheese Tacos, Trealy Farm Chorizo
Tacos and Sweet Potato Bravas which came
with a heady smoky sauce. I’d definitely
recommend ordering the Trio of Fresh Salsas
which really elevated the dishes. We
rounded off with a dessert of Churros with
Dolce de Leche Dip. The food is good service
is fast and not bad value for money. I greatly
appreciated the cheery service and could I
please have access to their Spotify playlist?
Not only do they list the calories of every
dish they also have symbols indicating
the carbon footprint of your grub.
My Guacamole had a low footprint (yippee!)
the Steak Tacos a high one (boo, hiss). They
don’t list the calories of the booze though so
that can be enjoyed guilt free (hooray).
wahaca.co.ukPutting an
Asian
twist on
the classics
Margaritas and negronis get the best from the tasty
menus at two East End restaurants
Johnathan and
Daniel from Ka Po
SMUG COUPLES take note. The elegant
setting of Le De Vin have something
special for your Valentine’s Day. They will
be hosting the Oyster Man and Miss
Caviar who will be serving customers
with complimentary freshly shucked Loch
Fyne Oysters and tastes of French Caviar
along with an ice-cold shot of Scottish
Vodka. Yes that’s right, free sex food on
Valentines Day. I wonder if the Oyster
Man and Miss Caviar are a real life couple?
That would definitely pull at my romantic
heart strings. Booking is advised.
ledivin.co.uk
0131 538 1915