16 FOOD AND DRINK
CAFÉ REVIEW: Two Children Coffee By Charlie Ellis CROSSWORD Compiled by David Albury
ACROSS
7 Instrument panel on vehicle (9)
8 Inexpensive (5)
10 Old coin, worth a quarter of an old
penny (8)
11 Small pointed sharp instrument (6)
12 Loose garment worn by ancient
Romans (4)
13 Chain of jewels worn as decoration
round the neck (8)
15 Legal authorisation given to
allow somebody to act on behalf
of others (7)
17 A sharp turn on a road, especially in
mountains (7)
20 Existing in large amounts (8)
22 Means of propelling a small
vessel (4)
25 Previous (6)
26 Powerful tool used for felling
trees (8)
27 Dish used for serving food on (5)
28 Campanile, especially found in Italy
attached to a church (4-5)DOWN
1 Sealskin-covered canoe for one
person (5)
2 Area densely populated, usually by
deprived people (6)
3 Overpowering (8)
4 Bandit or robber, usually a member
of a gang (7)
5 Person who sells supplies and
equipment for ships (8)
6 Small piece of bent wire in an office
used to hold together sheets of
paper (5-4)
9 Group of countries with common
interest (4)
14 Confuse, trick or cheat somebody (9)
16 Explosive compound (8)
18 Cute and attractive (8)
19 Adhesive notice (7)
21 Measure of land equal to 4840
square yards (4)
23 Haphazard, irregular (6)
24 Animal known as the ship of the
desert (5)STOCKBRIDGE is often criticised
for having more cafés than it can
bear, however Two Children Coffee’s
instant success seems to have
debunked this view. But some debate
remains over which side of the
Stockbridge / Comely Bank ‘border’
it lies on.
Have other cafés in the area been
deprived of business? This isn’t
necessarily a zero-sum game. Cafés
have spread more and more into our
communities, as places to socialise,
chill, study and work. In some cases,
they are taking over the role played,
historically, by pubs.
Good espresso is not something
that can be done consistently without
a lot of effort. Many cafés in
Edinburgh which have expanded
have found it difficult to maintain
standards. In part, this is due to the
shortage of (well-trained) baristas in
the city, as evidenced by the
numerous ads appearing in café
windows seeking experienced staff.
Brexit has also played a role, as many
baristas working in Edinburgh were
from the EU. Coffee quality may have
been diluted by Brexit.
Two Children has attracted a wide
range of customers, from all thegenerations, thanks to its welcoming
atmosphere. A nice feature of Two
Children is the variety of seating
options with booths, banquettes,
larger tables, and more relaxed
seating at the front. On warm days,
the café is able to fully open the front
section, allowing customers to sit
inside but still enjoy the fresh air. The
place is commendably spacious and
airy, almost cavernous in character.
Two Children rarely feels crowded
even when very busy, as it often is. It
matches the size and scale of the big
chains, though has a much fresher
feel. The décor is very sleek, with
some distinctly Scottish touches
(such as in the choices of dried
flowers along the wall). Some of the
furniture looks as if it is from Catalog
interiors a couple of doors down.
The very busyness of Two
Children reminded me of buzzing
student haunts such as Kilimanjaro
(Southside) and Union Brew Lab
(next to Old College). Indeed, Two
Children uses the same beans as
Kilimanjaro, by specialty coffee
pioneers Square Mile Roasters, based
in East London. More specifically
they are ‘Red Brick’ espresso, which
has deep, lingering fruity notes witha sweet finish. Another parallel with
Kilimanjaro is the individual booths
at the back of the café. These are
ideal for readers, laptoppers (and
perhaps those on dates). These
similarities suggest the involvement
of Edinburgh coffee pioneer,
Jon Sharp.
Most importantly, the coffee is
made with far greater care and
attention than you usually get in the
chains, where barista standards are
inconsistent at best. The cortado I
was served was balanced and
smooth. They offer a variety of
typical brunch favourites; things
which have been poached, scrambled
and smashed. There’s a definite focus
on freshness and fruitiness, and a
range of tempting smoothies. The
roar of the smoothie maker added to
the mid-afternoon hubbub.
I hope that it lasts much longer
than chocolate specialists Ocelot
whose elegant, minimalist café
closed very suddenly last year,
leaving a gaping hole in this row of
businesses. Two Children is already
a popular destination in Comely
Bank/ Stockbridge.
Two Children Coffee,
124b Raeburn Place, EH4 1HGNew place to sit back and smell Stockaree coffee
ANSWERS7 Dashboard, 8 Cheap, 10 Farthing, 11 Lancet, 12 Toga, 13 Necklace, 15 Mandate, 17 Across:Hairpin, 20 Abundant, 22 Oars, 25 Former, 26 Chainsaw, 27 Plate, 28 Bell-tower.1 Kayak, 2 Ghetto, 3 Dominant, 4 Brigand, 5 Chandler, 6 Paper-clip, 9 Bloc, 14 Down:Bamboozle, 16 Dynamite, 18 Adorable, 19 Sticker, 21 Acre, 23 Random, 24 Camel.It’s child’s play