A good espresso is like a good Guinness. The golden foam should leave a line on the cup’s side with each sip. When The Roamin’ Nose recently opened its doors, having taken the place of the Eyre Place branch of La Garrigue, I tried the coffee and was delighted that it met the criteria.
Too many cafés and restaurants hope that a small black coffee will pass muster as an espresso, just because it’s in a tiny cup! As the standard of the coffee augured well, I promised myself a return visit and have since managed to have a couple of meals from this new café /bistro that offers the same moderately priced menu throughout the day which is ideal for EdinburghGuide.com’s £10 Challenge.
A couch and comfy cushioned chairs sit in the main window creating an inviting, relaxing café atmosphere. The eclectic wooden tables and chairs in the small dining area beyond are not pre- set, allowing a visit for just a drink or snack and encouraging the idea of casual dining.
The walls are decorated with painting of actor Bill Murray in various guises, painted by a fan of his and there is always background music. It was Ella Fitzgerald on our visit.
The hard working, efficient and pleasant partnership of waitress and chef offers breakfast till 10am (12 noon at the weekend) and home-made bakery treats.
From noon onwards, soup, pasta, small choice of mains, salads and sandwiches like roast beef, green cashew nut pesto and slow cooked onions, are available. From 5.30pm the small bites and Roamin’ Selection kicks in, the former comprising a selection of breads with a large choice like hummus, tomato and basil salad or artichoke hearts in olive oil and the latter Italian cured meats with a selection of dips and crudités for a very reasonable £8.50.
There is a good selection of Italian wines on offer with a range of quality soft drinks and of course a choice of Italian aperitifs and digestifs. I decided to eat at The Roamin’ Nose one evening on the spur of the moment. On that visit, I was intrigued by the dish called Oh! Bergina! which turned out to be a lovely plate of fusilli served with finely cut aubergines, tomatoes and parmigiano.
Accompanied by a glass of Trebbiano Rubicone, it was an ideal tasty early evening meal at a modest price. But on this latest visit we were three and a bottle of Merlot Corvina (ponte pietra) at £14.50 seemed just the job. (It was!) From the mains menu, S. chose pork schnitzel.
It came with home-made chips and two dips (spicy tomato/chutney) and salad and cost £7.50 . I.’s choice was home-made tagliatelle with mushrooms, cream, parsley and parmigiano (£8.00)and my choice of Ravioli della Mamma was the cushioned pasta filled with spinach and ricotta cheese, served in a light tomato sauce (£7.00).
The portions were generous and the food delicious, but the plates were not warm enough, which was disappointing.
Coffee, however, was its usual high standard. While this open style of eating is welcome, there is somehow a sense that The Roamin’ Nose isn’t quite sure if it’s a café or a restaurant but maybe we are just not used to the concept of such flexibility.
A more permanent menu for the likes of drinks and breakfast with the typed menu for the changing daily dishes would be better as it is a bit confusing to have to go through the many pages. With its varied, changing menu of tasty home cooked food and relaxed atmosphere, The Roamin’ Nose is a place that deserves to be discovered and is a welcome addition to the area.