Another favorite for us! (I swear I don't LOVE everywhere I eat--just been having awesome luck…read morelately!) So I can't comment on the authenticity of the food, as I've never been to the Caribbean (unfortunately). But I can vouch for this stuff being absolutely delicious! And lots of it had plenty of spice, actually, which is so refreshing living around here in Scotland. Some of the bites off the starter platter had us sweating--always a good sign! Everything was so tasty. And we're both absolutely stuffed. With enough leftovers for tomorrow's lunch. (How exciting!) We've already planned what we're going to try next time we come to this place. Great food, awesome portions, lovely staff, tasty drinks... and by the way: fun music, too! Just an overall fantastic restaurant. Perfect date night. Thanks, Trenchtown!

Decor-wise this place is good & the music chosen compliments the scene well, albeit very little of…read moreit was Caribbean. Writing the winelist on mirrors may have seemed like a good idea at the time but the words obviously keep getting rubbed off as the wait staff handle them, leaving you in doubt as to the cost and varieties. Our spicy, cheesy pancake starter was good and my girlfriends rib dish was enjoyed (& ultimately defeating) but unfortunately one of my chicken thighs was still pink and slightly bloody inside so I left the greater part of my main course. The bar's rather sparsely stocked (and the plastic boxed bottle of Irn Bru looks daft) & the service ranged from pleasant to indifferent. An experience which could have been a lot better.

I was so happy to try this innovative, unique restaurant that is new to Edinburgh. I was pleasantly…read moresurprised to see such beautiful presentation of the food of each course that came out (see my pictures!) and also by how delicious each dish was. I bought a Groupon for a two-course dinner here and last night my boyfriend and I came to try out Riverlife since I had been intrigued by the Caribbean-inspired French menu. The staff were extremely friendly and welcoming, and the menu hosted a great selection of dishes. We had figs wrapped in pancetta and mushrooms stuffed with blue cheese for starters. Each dish had an explosion of flavours and was fantastic (and beautiful!). My boyfriend had the delicious jerk chicken that had fantastic flavour but would have been a tad too spicy for me to have by myself, but I enjoyed a taste. I enjoyed the rack of lamb with potatoes provincale and ratatouille. The restaurant is BYOB which works well if you are suitably prepared. It was a fantastic meal and we also enjoyed delicious coffee to round it out. I enjoyed the fantastic menu and different items that you wouldn't find elsewhere in Edinburgh.

Went for a final diner with a friend before living the country, could not have picked better, and…read moresort of disappointed I never found them sooner! We shared the plantain stater, which was great, and then shared the Fish Colombo and the Jerk Chicken breast and they were HEAVENLY. Honestly, my friend shut me up so she could enjoy her first bite in silent bliss haha! We also had cocktails, the RiveRLife Runner : super fresh and sweet, real glorious stuff! The waiter was very sweet. He got extremely busy as the evening went on but stayed on top of everything and was super kind. Cannot recommend the place enough, especially during the day. We gave our compliment to the chef.

Nice owner/chef and server. I'm a regular. Can't beat this price. Never ate anything I didn't like…read morethere. I especially love the Damoda, the Jerk, and the Trinidad. Chicken is always succulent and the Lamb is always tender. They also have ginger beer, mango lassi, and tropical rubicon drinks. I plan to come here at least twice a month. Only critique: Maybe a little too greasy, and wish they had more vegetables.

Wulmamen Cafe is simply a gem. The food is delicious and made with care, the restaurant is clean…read moreand welcoming, the chef and hostess are both very friendly, and the service is prompt. Everything I have had there has been top notch, and all dishes have been offered at very reasonable prices and in good portion sizes. I highly recommend the spicy honeyed chicken with plantain and rice for £5.75. Yes, it is every bit as amazing as it sounds.

This was part of our International Food Night arranged by our very own International Yelper Man of…read moreMystery Rocco G. It sounded like a nice wee change and a visit to deep south of Glasgow. This was indeed a special wee Yelp outing as these don't happen very often. I was looking forward to my Caribbean treat and meeting up with my fellow Yelpers. I managed to find the Southside by train to Queen's Park Station and it's only a 5 minutes hop, skip and jump to The Rum Shack. I was unfortunately in still a bit of pain from the Kiltwalk so think I didn't get to enjoy the experience as much as I had hoped. We were seated on stools at 2 separate high tables. I think I was craving a normal seat, which are available by the way. The menu had a fairly nice varied choice of Caribbean dishes, some with a Scottish twist. So I opted for the Haggis Balls to kick off this food night. The starter was absolutely delicious, the sauce wasn't too hot and with a pleasant amount of sweetness to compliment my balls. Oh yeah! OK, so they were actually "fritters". I felt some of the menu for me was a bit on the spicy side so opted for the vegetarian dish of Cuban black bean and rice with fried plantain and sweet potatoes. I have to say it was very different but quite palatable. It was lovely décor and the staff could not be any more helpful, they were very accommodating and polite. I'm not sure I would venture back here as I felt there was nothing else on the menu I would really try, I think it would be nice to swing by for some drinks as they have a fully stocked bar and I'm sure there's a rum lurking in there somewhere that I may like. Try for yourselves, for me I just wasn't blown out my boots.

Popped in for lunch on Saturday after having it on my list of places to try for a while. It was…read morequiet and when walking in to the main bar for the first time there were no menu's on the tables. We weren't sure where to sit or the set up of the place but after finding a seat the staff were welcoming and helpful. We were in for food more than drinks, however I did have a tasty dark rum and ginger beer or two which was as nice as you'd hope. The service was quick and after ordering the waitress brought over a bottle of their house chilli sauce with a warning that it was incredibly hot - she wasn't lying! It was lovely though, not sure if they do, but they should sell it by the bottle. The menu was small which I find a welcome sign, I always hope this means the kitchen have perfected the few dishes they list and I was not disappointed. To start we had Accra and Popcorn Prawns, the prawns were nice and came with a tasty sauce but the Accra was the definite winner for the starter. For our mains we had Jerk Pit Fish of the Day and Jerk Pit Pork belly, both came with corn on the cob and rice and peas. The jerk seasoning was great, and had a good heat to it, as you would expect. The rice was well cooked and well seasoned and the fish tender and flakey. I could have done with an extra corn on the cob - that dipped in their hot sauce was a highlight for the veggie lover in me. Not eating meat personally, I never tried the pork belly, however I was told it was delicious. It's not far from a top rating for me (I'd give it 4 and a half if I could), the only downfalls I found were the atmosphere little a lacking, probably down to the time of day we visited, between lunch and dinner. I think it would be a great evening trip. I found the material of the plates a little distracting, it felt a little like eating off of paper plates. Over all I'd recommend it, I'll definitely be back to eat here again!

Wow. What an adventure this place was! Thanks to Rocco G for suggesting an outing here! It wasn't…read morequite where I thought it was but if you walk along Union Street enough times you're sure to stumble across it (or look for Japanese Bull Leader, this place is next door). Head down the zebra striped stairs and you'll find yourself in a brightly light, casual basement restaurant which is well decorated and has a large TV on one of the walls. I'd had a brief look at the menu online but it was good to check it out properly and the staff were really helpful with any questions we had. I opted for veggie samosa followed by jerk chicken for main, and shared the mukimo (traditional Kenyan mash of potatoes, green peas, corn & greens sautéed with onions) with Graeme. There wasn't much of a wait for the food. Three samosas to a portion (reasonable for £3) which were jam packed with lovely vegetables and quite a bit of a spicy kick. There's mayo on the table as a condiment which might be useful for the more spicy dishes! For me, the real highlight was the jerk chicken. It was SO flavoursome and delicious with a lovely smoky charred flavour. I really enjoyed this dish and the rice that accompanied it (Caribbean rice and beans) was really tasted, packed full of veg as well as a lot of nice flavours. The mukimo was also really lovely and tasted better than it looked (green mash potato could be a little off putting) - I'm going to try to recreate this at home as I could happily scoff a whole bowl on it's own. I also tried the African Fanta - a less fizzy version of the Fanta we know, and I actually preferred it like that. It also comes in a pretty cool bottle which I forgot to take home with me - next time! Service was good, efficient and attentive and we never had to wait long for anything. It was a really fun place to dine in a large group and I'd definitely head back for another meal in the future. The prices are pretty reasonable as well so you don't need to spend much to eat here - starters around £3-£5 and mains around £10. As it is a basement restaurant they don't have any mobile reception (and seemingly no wifi). The other downside was that the music was really loud while we were there which made chat a little difficult!

I wouldn't be surprised if you walk down Union Street every day and had no idea that there is a…read moreAfrican restaurant located there. It is basically just a door with a small sign above it. Once through the door you descend down the zebra wallpaper lined staircase into the fairly large restaurant. Decor wise there are simple tables and chairs, with it being in the basement there is no natural light and the ceilings are pretty low. They also have the crackliest sound system in the world and the music was pretty loud which was annoying, bizarrely there was also TV's showing a music channels on silent mode? I would describe it as basic but comfortable enough. To start with I chose the Lamb Samosas these were fantastic deep-fried thin pastry parcels which were filled with seasoned lamb and came served with lemon wedges. It was a generous serving of 3 samosa of which I only managed to eat 2. The pastry was light, buttery and melted in the mouth and the meat was succulent and tasty - an excellent first dish. For my main I wanted to try the Samaki which is a grilled fresh water tilapia fish. However as soon as the lovely waiter told me it came as a whole fish eyeballs and all that was immediately changed to my second choice which was the jerk chicken. Yeah I am a chicken but eyeballs on a plate are a serious no-no to me. The Jerk Chicken was described on the menu as a ¼ Chicken portion lovingly marinated in jerk spices & grilled to perfection served with Caribbean rice & peas. What arrived was 2 pieces of gorgeously flavoured chicken which had a bit of a lemon taste. The rice portion can only be described as mammoth and was peppered full of beans, onions and peppers - it was so good and a meal in its self. A really fantastic dish which I didn't even come close to finishing. For sides we choice Cassava chips, this is a root vegetable which was slightly bitter but really delicious when you dipped it in the accompanying sauce. I was desperate to try the Plantain which is deep-fried African semi-ripe bananas, this was probably my favourite part of the meal cause it had this seriously lovely savoury/sweet thing going on which I adore. We also got a side of chips which impressively were hand-cut fresh chips when in all honesty I half expected frozen. I wasn't sure what to expect from African cuisine but all in all I was pretty happy with my choices and definitely think I choose wisely. If you are feeling adventurous I think a jaunt to Africa might be just the thing for you.

The West End Festival is one of my favourite events of the year in Glasgow. The parade is a mix of…read morecolour and music as the people in it dance down the streets of the West End. Mouths won't go hungry as local businesses set up stalls and seats outside. Burgers, pizza, chips, cakes and pastries: there's lots to fill you up whilst you're entertained by the parade. Outside Hillhead Bookclub is the over 18s area which is a good escape from the pushy prams. You just need to make sure you get a good spot or you might not get to see a lot!

Did anyone make their way to Glasgow Mela last weekend? Cause I thought it was FAB! Lucky enough…read morethat the weather was on our side last weekend too. The festival had so many things and I'm glad that it was free too seeing as it was in Kelvingrove Park! The atmosphere of family, children and friends of different cultures (many Indian folk, locals and a bunch of other random nationalities including myself :D) came by to chill out at the park. Whether it was to play with outdoor installations or at the fun fair, or listen to music with a pint under the sun, or watch silly performances by street artists (and magicians) or even dance along with the amazing traditional performers (and also Irish line dancers) the day was just great! My partner and I explored everything! We were down at the smaller stage listening to Indian music with toddlers dancing everywhere. And then we watched as a parade of what seemed to be circus performers walked by. We slept on the grass while having Pimm's cocktails and listening to some dj sets. And then watched the amazing performers by so many tradition local clubs! If you haven't been before, you should really consider going in the next years to come :) Update: also, went to Chop Pop's exhibition of her Love Letters to Glasgow in the Hillhead Library and it was wonderful! Her artwork is amazing and meticulous! She's also a friendly wee lady and I love her. Check out her facebook if you didn't manage to catch her!

When we got turned away at Nok's Kitchen, we were recommended over here to Street Box. (Just a note…read moreI have noticed is that almost all the restaurants in Stockbridge need reservations as they are all fully packed with no chance of walk-ins). Luckily enough, Street Box offers a back-up alternative even though it is meant to be a take-away spot. Nonetheless, they still offer one communal table with a couple stool at the window still for those who want to dine-in. The menu is extensive with all types of Thai cuisine ranging from curry to rice and noodle dishes. my go-to Thai dish is a Pad See Ew, which was not on the menu but the waiter told me they could make it for me off menu --what a wonderful thing to hear! He was very friendly with our group as well. The only problem was that everyone else in my party got their food except me only to find out that they forgot my order. The waiter did notice right away and assured me it would be out within minutes. Although I was a bit upset, the food made up for it. The off menu Beef Pad See Ew (£8) was very flavorful and delicious. The noodles and vegetables were seasoned very well. The dish did use a thinner, dried rice noodle (used in Pad Thai) instead of a flat, wide rice noodle. They also did not skimp on the spiciness, which I appreciated since Thai food is meant to be spicy. Overall, affordable and delicious Thai food that is great for take-aways. The space had a hipster and eccentric vibe with unique Thailand decors as well. This is a great go-to spot whenever you're craving Thai food.

I see you shiver with antici... …read more.. ... pation. This quote superbly describes this past week, as I skipped past, smushed my face against the window and all out stalked their website waiting for Ruan Siam's new sister restaurant Street Box to open. Did I learn about this little spot because I was taken aback when Ruan Siam was closed for a week during the launch? Yes. Was a week without thai take away worth it to have this little outpost right around the corner? Heck to the yes. The Lazy Gal default setting is strong in this one. Here's what we know so far: This tiny (and I mean TINY) place is run by the same folks that own Ruan Siam just up the street. They have expanded the menu and offer delivery between 6pm - 10:15pm seven days a week. They have one picnic style table and bench seating to sit in. It's small but they've done a good job with the space. They have quick meal boxes for those looking for great lunch take away in the area and are open in the afternoons. The new menu items like Pad Kee Maow (spicy rice noodle stir fry with Galangal, lemongrass, chilli and mixed vegetable) are deliciously on point. Their curries are still as bad ass as they were when Ruan Siam was dishing them out. I will be here ALL the time. More options for great thai food? Win.

Baked goods right next to my house?…read more Check. Decent breakfast deals? Check. Cute decor? Check. Nice staff? Check. Amazing punnage? Check. A bakery that might be so kind as to sell you soakage when you're wandering back home at a less than respectable time? Triple Check. Nice one Dough Re Mi, you've won our approval!

This little bakery based in Polwarth is one of Edinburgh's new-found gems. Israeli-born Nir Badini…read morewho owns and bakes here is the best baker I know - professionally trained in France- and he's a lovely guy too. He supplies a handful of shops (mine included) and restaurants throughout Edinburgh with exceptional breads and patisseries - from genuine Sourdoughs, Brioche, and Challa to the best croissants you can buy. His walnut bread is near legendary (in a very quiet, Edinburgh way). From the front of the shop, the open plan layout lets you see the fresh loaves and pastries being baked while you stand salivating in the queue. If you're a lover of real bread - no additives, well-proved, using genuine starters - then you simply must pay a visit to Dough Re Mi. The shop is building up a loyal, growing following, so it's only a matter of time before this hidden gem becomes a well known haunt. Get there early, as they run out quickly and there are queues at the weekend for the 'hot from the oven' pastries.