The Red Sandstone Building

106-154 Leith Walk, Leith

0131 226 6611

I can’t remember the full details of the furore over the Red Sandstone building on Leith Walk. If memory serves, some developer wanted to knock it down for student accommodation, housing, and a hotel. Leithers rebelled, revolted and railed against it and planning permission was refused.

And after a demonstration of power by the people, the art deco building still stands proud, with a whole new lease of life as a premier foodie destination on the lower stretches of Leith Walk. Where once there was a bed shop, now there is scran – and lots of it.

With selfless abandon, this glutton has been steadily chomping his way through the various offerings. Top marks go to Chorrito, of whom I have raved before. They make unsurpassable hot sauces for retail, and show how to use them in great Mexican dishes served over the bar and at a diminutive table.

It is a real Leith success story and consistently delicious. A glutton is never without one or two bottles of their hot sauce in the fridge at home. Currently, I am working through the chipotle, pineapple and garlic, having recently finished off the haberno, mango and turmeric. If you like the heat, these bad boys go with anything.

Next on my list of Red Sandstone Awards is Shawarma. You might remember the “Ottolenghi” sign going up outside when it was being converted from an empty shell. The thought that Yotam would be opening in Edinburgh caused a frisson of excitement to pulse through the Dudleys; another boon on top of the catchment area.

A woman in Morningside fainted at the thought that she might have to go to Leith for nibbles now. It was, of course, a great joke played by no-one-quite-knows-who. This kebab shop really is great, authentic middle-eastern shawarma. The meat is flavoursome, the flatbreads good, and the shawarma all rolls up very nicely indeed. Next time you have nothing but a jar of hot sauce in your fridge, you know where to go.

Third on the list is newcomer restaurant Ella. It is badged as Greek, and Greek it is, despite the fact that the Albanian owner used to run an Italian catering company. Hey, Leith has been a melting pot for centuries.

The waiter valiantly tries to tell us that this is the first Greek tapas restaurant in the UK. Nice try on the marketing, but you can’t just replace the word ‘meze’ with ‘tapas’ and claim you’ve started a new thing.

Marketing aside, or perhaps because of it, Ella is buzzing. Six weeks in, they are crammed at night, and get rave reviews. I like it. The staff are exceptionally friendly, tossing around banter and plates. Flames leap dramatically from the open kitchen.

The smoked aubergines are simultaneously deep and sharp, and taste great. The pita bread is decent, if bought in. Our cheese kofta is very good: juicy, flavoursome, served with mustard. Saganaki (fried cheese) came with a very good tomato jam. The star of the show was the fava: a yellow pea dip with excellent depth of flavour.

Moonwake have brewed a lager called Ella which tasted better than the Pinot Grigio sounded. Meze – sorry, Greek tapas – came to £30 a head including drinks. (Ella was good, but the best Greek food in Scotland is just round the corner at Kafeneion To Steki on Coburg Street.)

Bringing up the rear in this list is San Ciro, a remarkably cheery pizza joint. It might be last on the list, but that doesn’t make it bad.

It is perfectly capable. Their pizza base is good, if a little doughy, but the tomato seemed either too sweet or two watery, lacking intensity.

If you think the staff at Ella are friendly, San Ciro’s team are off the charts. But like Ella, it is eclipsed by the same cuisine being done better nearby: Razzo on Great Junction Street really does serve the best pizza in Leith.

Of course, there are other shops in the Red Sandstone. Tesco have an outlet there, in case it is too far to cross the road to, erm, the other Tesco. Cornelius will sell you a great beer or wine to take home; The Leith Depot will do the same sitting in. Hobz is doing a roaring trade baking bread and sought-after Viennoiserie; just avoid the wholemeal croissants.

Special mentions must go to Canderson’s traditional sweet shop, with jars and jars of sugar smiling down from high shelves. It is the kind of place that will still do you a quarter pound of soor plooms, or a small bag of chocolate mice if you ask nicely. Their line of sugared almonds meets with favour around these parts, in case you’d like to send me a small Christmas present.

Other news… reaches us of Askr, much vaunted in these pages. The doors are shut for good. Dan Ashmore has parted ways with Dean Banks, or perhaps Dean has parted ways with Dan. No-one is talking much and the public statements all have a whiff of legalese about them: new adventures, next chapters, wishing the company well from afar etc. Everyone seems to have gotten up off the floor without too many bruises, however.

Dan is soon to start as Executive Chef at the Schloss Roxburghe down in Kelso, and Dean is taking on the Constitution Street venue as a second branch of his successful Dulse.

Further investigations will be undertaken on your behalf. ■

P.S. A new chocolate shop La Chocolaterie by Marie Auriac. has opened on Maritime Street. Here’s wishing her well.