Where it all began

Matilda’s is on the site of the much-missed Heart Buchanan in Byres Road, Glasgow.  I’ve mostly visited for morning coffee, afternoon tea + cake and once had their full Scottish breakfast.  I’ve twice watched The Loon having lunch in the middle of the afternoon as his meal system is a bit different from mine.  And I’ve watched Rama having breakfast pancakes with banana instead of bacon when he first turned vegetarian, at an hour I considered well past breakfast time.  The breakfast I did eat was with My Favourite Niece but I had to stave off hunger pangs for four hours after getting up.  Is it me that’s out of step: do mealtimes not exist any more?

What I remember most about that breakfast plateful was the chopped scrambled egg; how on earth was it produced?  Any time I’ve made scrambled egg, it’s formed clumps so how and why did they chop it up?  Can it be ‘machine made’ in some way?  Next time, I’m going to ask but only if I’m not with a teenager as I don’t want them passing out with the shame of it all.

Their flat white coffee is very good and I’ve enjoyed an individual lemon tart.  It was maybe not the freshest as the pastry was a wee bit soggy but it must be hard to keep them fresh and crisp, even over the course of a day.

They really need to do something about their toilet.  Yes, it’s unisex so that’ll keep the West End folk happy but it needs a good clean, a coat of fresh paint and a new bin for the paper towels as you can’t open the teeny one they’ve got with your foot.  Downstairs smells very strongly of damp but I don’t see how they’re going to get fresh air in that corridor.  Nor can they do much about the steepness of their stairs – ca canny when you’re going down and up.

I’m now fonder of it than ever before as it’s here that “Splendid, Bella!” was born.  I know The Loon suggested it in desperation when we were in here one day to save himself from having to listen to me commenting  or complaining live, as it were.  Now I think he was inspired.

 Jessie Biscuit in Milngavie is becoming a favourite.  It’s small, independent, decorated in cream and grey, tastefully bedecked but with maybe a few too many motivational sayings.  Their flat white coffee is excellent and they have a fine-looking array of cakes, including fly cemeteries which you don’t often see nowadays.  I was severely tempted by their Victoria sponge but then I remembered a saying of my Aunt Jeanie: “a moment on your lips, forever on your hips”.

They do have artificial flowers on their tables but they’re at the tasteful end of the scale.  There’s a radio on but it’s not overwhelming and is on a speech station.  They seem to have regulars coming in although there’s quite a choice of places in Milngavie now.  The toilet is clean and well-kept and has a couple of boards with biblical quotes so they’re catering for body and soul.

Enough of these witterings.  I’m supposed to be making leek and potato soup.  I wish I could remember whose advice it was to put in your leeks in three different stages; it has made all the difference to my life.  However, you need to seek out leeks with dark green tops for the third and final stage.  Don’t liquidise, though you can press on your tatties a bit with a masher.  And do not add cream as this is basic, healthy cooking.  Full recipe available on request.

The best lunch in the Highlands

This is to be had in a small village café in Sutherland.  I’m reluctant to give its name in case you all descend on it but I’m maybe kidding myself there: I doubt there’s many folk going to be reading this blog.  The loon might, because he set it up for me and he could be keen to see if I’m able to follow his instructions.  I was going to say it was “so far, so good” but I accidentally deleted my first two paragraphs and I’m now trying to recreate them.

I’m recently home from a week in the Highlands.  I was in The Pier in Lairg for the first time though it’s been open for a while.  For once I was one of the younger customers in a popular eating place.  It’s got a lovely setting with big windows looking out on to Loch Shin. I had a good bit of non-flabby salmon with savoy cabbage and crispy potatoes.  I ordered a sparkling water which came partly poured into a glass with ice and a straw – two of my pet hates in one go.

It wasn’t a bairn’s birthday party so what was the straw about?  These nasty plastic tubes are completely unnecessary and go straight into landfill or, even worse, into the ocean.  On the way out, I mentioned it to the lassie at the till and a youngish man, who I believe is one of the owners, helped her out by joining the conversation.  To give him his due, he was aware of the issues and thought that a tax was coming in and maybe a ban.  When he worked in a Glasgow bar, he said they got through about three boxes of straws a night. What wicked waste.  I suggested he kick off the ban and set an example.  I kept quiet about the ice for once.  The toilets are unisex so that would please the loon.

In Dornoch, there’s a new café open – Cocoa Mountain.  They’re the same folk who have a business in Durness making chocolate and they have their products for sale in the café.  They’re expensive but very fine.  You can have a selection of small chocolates with a coffee or hot chocolate and they do the usual croissants, cakes etc.  They could maybe do with stocking a couple of products for children; their stuff’s in low baskets at the perfect height for children to pick out of but it’s adult stuff and adult prices.  It’s a good big space – the old gift shop in the main street – nicely done up in my favourite shades of cream and brown and orange.  More gender neutral toilets here too.  I was in three times and had a flat white each time; the first one was definitely the best so the staff have got varying skills but they’ll be new to the trade and will get all get better,  I hope.  I’m still fond of Gordon House for coffee or lunch; it’s in the back street on the other side of the cathedral.

I’m very pleased to say that there’s a new place open at the Shin Falls though it’s maybe on the small side.  Most of the space inside is café with a small gifts area on one side; it doesn’t have all that tat from before but I’d have liked to have seen more space for local products.  There is Tain Silver jewellery but it’s pretty expensive. The building itself is of wood with lots of glass and has a curved walkway in from the carpark with boards telling about salmon etc.  There’s a great photo of the old green-painted wooden café which is what I remember as a child.  This new building is salmon-shaped which I hadn’t realised at first.

It’s table service in the café which is better than that long wait to approach the till with your food cooling on a tray system that was in the previous building.  I had very good – and filling – haddock and salmon chowder with a brie and cranberry sandwich; I’d to wrap up half the sandwich and put it in my bag for later.  Maybe it’s the materials used inside but I found it kind of noisy.  I wonder what they do when a bus party turns up to be served but maybe they don’t stop any more.  The outside space is very nicely done with the crazy golf and the children’s play area much the same as before.

And that “best lunch”?  It’s in Bonar Bridge’s Caley Café and is their Lentil and Cheese Wedge Salad.  Everything on the plate is just right: the wedge, the potato salad, the avocado, the plain couscous, the always-fresh salad leaves with firm cherry tomatoes, the olives and the blue borage flower.  You get olive oil and balsamic vinegar separately to add if you wish – none of that drench of vinegary dressing you get in some other places.  It’s usually plenty but I’m occasionally tempted by their apple crumble or strawberry ice cream that tastes of real strawberries.  Soups are freshly made and served with their own bread.  No fancy coffees though.

“Better a dinner of herbs …… than a stalled ox …….”

Get off that North Coast 500 and explore the heart of Sutherland