Place by the sea / Esplanade - Espy

[GRANTY]

For the last few days, there have been people working inside the pub at the foot of Bath Street. They appear to be painting it today. Anyone know the latest?

[kings roader]

No doubt someone will lease it from Punch to get the summer trade, and then it will close again around September/October. That seems to have been the patern over the last few years

[cuth]

I went in today and had a chat with the new tenant. The pub is now going to be a bar/bistro serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. The pub will be divided into two sections, one of which will welcome children.

They hope to be able to offer good food and real ales in due course.

The lady has lots of experience in opening pubs, apparently, having been a publican here and down under.

Due to open in a week or so.

All looks very positive.

[bearcub]

New name - 'Esplanade'

[GRANTY]

I had a chat to the guy painting the pub today. He asked if I approved of it's new colour! He was really friendly and it'll be good to have the place open again. Good luck to them.

[Sandra]

sounds interesting. Be good to have another pub to go to

[bearcub]

Sounds like they might just be bedding in for more than just a summer-only lease then...which is a good thing. What with this and the yachting coffee-house ('Beachhouse' according to the notice in the window) the bottom of Bath Street might get a bit of life back into it.

[SoupDragon]

See The Espy seems to be open.
Anyone been in yet?

[cuth]

I popped in there this evening. It's really nice and has a much more laid back atmosphere than it did when it was Utopia.

They sell a range of fresh fruit juices and really excellent home made ginger beer as well as the usual range of drinks. They have also got a food menu, which looked interesting but I wasn't eating..

Sadly, Punch Taverns do not allow them to sell real ales until they've been open for a while. Sounds like madness to me, but that's pubcos for you. Hopefully they'll relent soon. I met a manager from Punch while I was there and vented my spleen.

The place was quite busy and had a good vibe. I took my one year old daughter who was made most welcome.

Visit soon: use it or loose it.

[Sandra]

cuth, sounds good, will have to pay it a visit.

homemade ginger beer yum

[sally_miranda]

The Esplenade! Hooray, I love it! One of the owners opened the Roseleaf(?) down in Leith Docks. She's going to do all sorts, I was telling her I could really do with a coffee on the way to Uni and she replied, "if I'm not open in the morning when you pass, don't worry I'm here and the coffee machine will be on, just bang on the door" The chef is an amazing lady who was head chef in Fishers, Leith and Skippers. I was there last week, it was yummy! Mussels to die for and completely child friendly, no child menu nonsense! just little portions of the regular menu, what a treat! not a chicken nugget or smiley face in site!

[Maria]

Ah! The homemade ginger beer Cuth mentioned, reminded me of the 'Roseleaf'. I was there last Friday. For those who aren't familiar with it, it used to be the pimp's hangout on Coburg St - The Black Swan - though the clientele is rather different these days.

I didn't eat there (we went to 'Tinnelli's' on Easter Rd, which I'm sad to say is changing hands soon), but our friends did. They seemed generally happy with their choices. Huge portions.

Was going to say that prices were reasonable, but Homer had a suspiciously empty wallet come leaving time and we didn't drink that much

[Sandra]

The Esplenade! Hooray, I love it! One of the owners opened the Roseleaf(?) down in Leith Docks. She's going to do all sorts, I was telling her I could really do with a coffee on the way to Uni and she replied, "if I'm not open in the morning when you pass, don't worry I'm here and the coffee machine will be on, just bang on the door" The chef is an amazing lady who was head chef in Fishers, Leith and Skippers. I was there last week, it was yummy! Mussels to die for and completely child friendly, no child menu nonsense! just little portions of the regular menu, what a treat! not a chicken nugget or smiley face in site!

It sounds truly great, can't wait to try

We walked past one wet sunday and all the candles lit - looked fab.

[Sandra]

Love the Espy. Just what Portobello needs. Great atmostphere and very relaxing.

We went in for a few drinks (and a baked camembert ) this afternoon.

Can't wait to go back for lunch/dinner

To quote Cuth - use it or loose it.

[Grunk]

Went in a couple of times over the weekend to see what it was like,

Spoke to one of the owners (Gareth), he's a really nice guy, so it's all looking good for the espy.

It was pretty busy on sunday too, lots of folk having food, very relaxed, very cool. The Ginger beer is great, I bet it'd make a wonderful mule.

[Lima]

Went in nearly 2 weeks ago on a Thursday evening and ordered food for 2 (1 burger and 1 portion of nachos), after waitinig over an hour I enquired as to why the delay and was advised it would be another 10 minutes, waited a further 10 minutes and no sign of the food. Asked what was going on and advised that the delay was due to small kitchens and them cooking food from scratch. We were needing to leave so we cancelled the order and left. Hopefully this was a one off and as a result of teething problems but will try again in a week or two again.

We were not the only table waitinig for over an hour as another table complained about the wait also.

[sally_miranda]

Food is taking longer than most places. A lot of tables and a small kitchen. It is well worth it when you get it. Delicious! Slow food is where it's at nowaday, all cooked from scratch on the premises as I believe theirs is... apart from the chips, they are definately frozen. You do need to know that if your tummy is rummbling. I'm sure they'll get their timing sorted out soon.

[Mark Cameron]

At last!! Since moving to the area 14 months ago my wife and me have been banging on about the type of pub we'd like to have in the locality.

Congratulations to the team at The Espy - you've got it spot on.

Friendly owner and staff, fabulous food, table service (at last somewhere in Edinburgh picking up on customer service) and a very nice vibe in the place.

I wish you all the best success and hope to see you sticking around for a long time to come.

[sally_miranda]

Food's coming out faster now, which is great. It's still not fast food but then quality rarely is. Lots of amazing specials. Finnan Haddie topped with the likes of asparagus, spinach, goats cheese or poached eggs. I had lamb kofta with spiced puy lentils, pitta bread and mint and cucumber yogurt tonight, let me tell you it was amazing! The only thing I think it's lacking is some real ale. The barmaid said something along the lines of it being down to what the brewery gives them, but the owner came over later and promised that two guest ales will be on next week as the brewery realised they were pretty busy and deserved it. The coffee is the best I've had in Edinburgh! Especially when the Australian owner makes it! They get their own blend made up. I'm going to try and get a job there, so I can get free coffee!

[sally_miranda]

Sadly, Punch Taverns do not allow them to sell real ales until they've been open for a while. Sounds like madness to me, but that's pubcos for you. Hopefully they'll relent soon. I met a manager from Punch while I was there and vented my spleen.

Hey there cuth, looks like your spleen venting may have paid off!

[Maria]

Yep, good luck to them. 'The Espy' certainly ticks a lot of boxes, though as a Punch leased pub they'll be hard pushed to make much profit from the drink they serve and, unfortunately, I don't see their food menu raking it in. As folk have said, it takes a while to get served (limiting the number of covers) and portions are generous, so profit margins there won't be great either.

Hope they manage to last longer than most Punch licensees. Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen.

[kings roader]

Lets hope that they can weather the storm that most pubs are facing at the moment - but the omens are not good !!

[Stray NO.666]

Ill have to go and try it out! we're beside the tides inn at the mo wonder whats happening with that?

[Porty]

Think its closed-denied licence.

[Lima]

Been in several times since I experienced the delays and the service has been fantastic as has the food. The table service is great also, although I got a bit too comfy on Saturday and ending up staying the whole night.

on 3 occasions that I have been there recently it has had to turn people away or ask them to wait for a table for food.

[Robin!]

What about night time entertainment? Quizzes, live bands or karaoke?

[Sandra]

heard live bands are going to feature shortly.

[wangi]

Went past this afternoon for a late lunch... Walked in and was warned that it'd be at least an hour for food (this was at 2). Top marks for honestly, but can't help pondering how it could be so long...

Swapped a late lunch for a late dinner after walking past the other new place (Bar-whats-it-ollo)... Couldn't face the emptiness, forest of chairs and 80s-esque dark décor! So, it was a scoot along to Leith tonight (past the police and ambulance mobbed Seafield Rd) and into the Compass. If anyone thinks preparing from fresh and have a small kitchen is a reasonable excuse for the Espy then they need to see the wonders at Compass from a kitchen half the size of your smallest bedsit kitchen, and without waiting for ages.

L/

[Porty]

aye right

[sally_miranda]

The food in the compass nowadays does not compare to the food in the Espy or its own food in the old days. When the chef/owner sold up it was never the same again!
Unless they do have a new wonder chef in there; this would be great although I can’t go anymore as they have a ‘no kids’ policy now. I did go again after the take over 'sans son' and it was a great disappointment. Mind you in the days when Billy was cooking there it could take ages but was well worth the wait! He now chefs on Monday and Tuesday nights in the Ship on the Shore if anyone is looking for the old authentic Compass menu. Oysters, lobster, scallops and crab were featuring heavily when I went in last week although I was gutted to learn he was out of crab (much tastier than lobster me thinks )

[wangi]

Hi Sally, of course you have the advantage on me having tried both... I'm sure I'll manage it someday! Still, why's the wait so long at Espy?

[Porty]

Hi Sally, of course you have the advantage on me having tried both... I'm sure I'll manage it someday! Still, why's the wait so long at Espy?

Does Graham kitchener have a share?

[sally_miranda]

I think the main reason it's taking ages is the 15 tables and only two wee fridges and a domestic cooker in the kitchen, hopefully when they've made a bit of money they can spend it on kitchen. I used to chef myself in Fishers in Leith on a 4 ring burner although we did have two grills, it was stresstastic! By the time I worked there though it was all bookings and you can time the tables and co-ordinate. At the moment Espy is largely walk ins so it's probably really hard to pace it well. For example if everyone came in at 1pm on Sat, it's bound to take ages. At the moment I cook in Bells Diner and a saturday night of 70 covers is easier than a monday night of half that as it's all bookings and you can time it well. Apparently the Espy did 140 covers on Saturday. That is quite a lot. Although I don't mind waiting for food, my four year old wont, so I really hope they can speed it up a bit more. It's been fine the last few times I've been in but not quite consistent yet. Still want to get a job there. The coffee is 4 million times better than anywhere else I work! Don't think I could take the heat in their kitchen though.

[sally_miranda]

Ok, it's official ! I now have a job at the Espy so I better stop wittering on about it here and get a move on. Lets speed that food up now! I think the owners had read my chat on here and that helped get the job, Well that and my natural charm of course!

[Poppy]

Congratulations and Good Luck!!

PS Do talkporty folk get discount?