Pop Up Food Review: Tony Singh's Road Trip
Apex Hotel Waterloo Place (also available at Apex Hotel Grassmarket) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Around this time of year, as thousands head to the Capital from around the globe, it’s become a tradition that Leith’s very own celebrity master-chef, Tony Singh, invites Edinburgh to join him on a culinary road-trip, as he serves delicious street food inspired by some of his favourite places on the planet.
Having enjoyed the experience once before in his pop up restaurant in the Grassmarket Apex, this August, it was their Waterloo Place establishment that beckoned.
Once there, you can’t miss the main event, the restaurant is bedecked in Tony’s signature colours, bright reds and sunshine yellows - it hard to believe this is the same room where generations came to pay their rent and rates back when this was Edinburgh Council’s housing department.
A cocktail as we explored the menu seemed a good idea and a smooth Long Island Tea proved a cooling choice on an rare warm Edinburgh evening.
With the menu spilt into mains (Meat, Fish and Plant), sides and puddings, we decided to pick three mains and two sides to share. We’d been assured it would be plenty.
Amongst the meat offerings were The Gaúcho, a fine flat iron steak smothered in chimichurri. It came with the suggestion that a Fierce Hoppy IPA would be the ideal beer beer to accompany it.
In fact, each course has a beer pairing on the menu. The Haggis Pakora, for example, noted that a Fierce Cerveza Lager with lime would be the ideal liquid compliment.
However, the first of our choices was the Chicken Tikka Pie, which the menu noted combined two of Scotland's best loved dishes. The second was the Korean BBQ pork belly, marinated in sticky, spicy Korean sauce and cooked until melt in the mouth.
While the last choice on the meat section was Tony's Curry of the Day, served with cumin rice, chutney, spiced onions and fur furr crackers, we instead moved onto the Fish section for our third choice of main, marinated king prawns with a satay sauce and bashed cucumber salad.
Other options included Single Haddock and Sauce, and the Fish Taco, filled with spiced haddock, Mexican sour cream, mental salsa, guacamole and ‘slaw.
From the Plant based section, Masala Dosa Chaat, a South Indian crepe made from rice and lentil batter with a spicy potato filling and coriander briefly caught the eye.
Two sides had been recommended so two sides it was, we chose Skin on Skinny Fries with Tony’s thick, buttery curry sauce on the side, and some Ngiom, a Cambodian salad with lime, chilli, herbs, roasted peanuts and cabbage.
Each dish is served as it is ready to ensure it’s as fresh as can be, it also ensures a fairly constant flow of dishes, not too fast, not too slow. Just what you want when sharing. In this case, the Korean BBQ Pork Belly and the Satay Prawns arrived first, the former proving rich and sweet with a nice sticky texture and a little zingy spice explosion.
The latter was an gentle aromatic alternative, the juicy, plump prawns smothered in nutty sweetness that was perfectly balanced by the tart edge of the bashed pickled cucumber.
When the Chicken Tikka pie arrived it was a sight to behold, a little work of art that seemed a shame to cut into. But open it we did to discover that inside it was stuffed with tender chicken, beautifully flavoured by the rich sauce that accompanied it.
Together with the sides, there was more than enough for two people, so much so that we eschewed to offer of a pudding, although the Cheese and Pickle Toastie, did sound tempting - an alternative cheese board, I suppose.
With friendly, relaxed service, great flavours and its tapas-like approach to dining, Tony Singh’s Road Trip isn’t just an evening of good street food, it’s the ideal way to catch up with friends or family in a laid back and fun atmosphere, just make sure you check it out before it moves on.
If Tony’s Road Trip was a Fringe show it was would be a tasty five stars.
Tony Singh’s Road Trip runs until 3 September
Credit: Líam Rudden Media