Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan

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April 13, 2015 By cheryl

Spoon (Edinburgh): Haggis and Harry Potter

Jams

J.K. Rowling, as you might imagine, is big in Edinburgh.

The Elephant House, with its sweeping picture window views of Edinburgh Castle, is constantly packed with camera-toting tourists, as Rowling wrote bits of Harry Potter there — back when she could still wander the world incognito, of course.

Besides this cafe, however, there is one other spot that is something of a Rowling shrine — though one that’s considerably less mobbed, as it’s morphed into something else since its Rowling years: Spoon, a bright and cheery first floor restaurant that used to be Nicolson’s Cafe, otherwise known as the place where Rowling wrote some of the early chapters of Harry Potter.

As much of a fan as I am of the series, I’ve never wanted to get in the perennially long line at the Elephant House. Spoon, on the other hand, not only doesn’t have the lines but is also a restaurant whose food I’d heard good things about.

So on a drizzly Sunday, D.B. and I set off for a little look-see …

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Filed Under: Breakfast, British, Brunch, Restaurants, Scotland, Scottish, Tales From the Road, Travel Tagged With: Bacon, Black pudding, Breakfast, Brunch, Edinburgh, Egg, Elephant Cafe, Haggis, Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, Nicolson's Cafe, Sausage, Scotland, Spoon Edinburgh

August 14, 2014 By cheryl

Coltman’s Delicatessen & Kitchen (Scotland): The Pleasure of Peebles

IMG_0361There’s a charming story about a lord near the tiny town of Peebles, located in the rolling hills of Midlothian, Scotland, right by the beautiful River Tweed.

When the conversation turned to Paris once, this lord recounted how a local woman once sniffed: “I’ve been to Paris and I’ve been to Peebles — give me Peebles for pleasure anytime.”

Which may have been why Dorset Boy chose to take me to Peebles on our very first Sunday drive. I’ve been to Paris, after all. Peebles, on the other hand — now this was virgin territory.

What was in store? A cozy little cafe named Coltman’s …

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Filed Under: Bacon, Breakfast, British, Brunch, Restaurants, Scotland, Scottish, Tales From the Road Tagged With: Black pudding, Breakfast, Brunch, Cafe, Delicatessen, Edinburgh, Eggs, Peebles, Sausage Roll, Scotland

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