The Blue Parrot Cantina
- Food served: Tue–Thu 5–10pm; Fri 5–11pm; Sat noon–11pm; Sun 5–10pm
- Number of wines sold by the glass: 2
- Also offers: Vegetarian options (at least ¼ main courses), Gluten-free options, Children's high chairs, Takeaway
- Music on stereo: World music
- Capacity: 28
- Largest group: 28
- Open since: 1993
- Average price 2 courses:
£13 (lunch)
£13 (evening meal) - House wine: £11.60 per bottle
- BYOB: £5 corkage
This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2009 – in the shops now or buy online.
On the face of it, everything about The Blue Parrot Cantina is understated: a modest sign at street level, a compact kitchen where chef David Downie churns out a consistently high standard of traditional Mexican fare, and a cosy dining room with a capacity of only 28. Even the plates are small. But when it comes to the food, size is everything, from the lengthy menu to big flavours and substantial portions that demand a healthy appetite. For starters, hongos al ajillo – mushrooms in a lightly spiced tomato sauce served in a tortilla basket – is a tasty option to ease the diner gently into a choice of main courses. Mexican steak is a succulent slab of beef in a traditional adobo sauce that comes with sweet potato, mushrooms and salad. Several dishes are suitable for vegetarians, and non-meat eaters may also be drawn to pescado baja–a finely balanced breadcrumb-topped haddock baked in a lime and coriander tartare sauce that adds zest to the dish. Servings are ample, but it’s worth leaving room for a dessert such as a Blue Parrot, which is a boozy combination of ice-cream and liqueur, to top off the meal in style.
- High point: Good varied menu
- Low point: Large helpings on small plates
Comments
- 1. The Blue Parrot, Edinburgh – 17 March 2008, 1:30pmReport
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We went for a birthday dinner to the Blue Parrot firstly there was some confusion over our booking time which we were made to feel particularly bad about, moving on from that a nice looking restaurant. We had to ask to order our drinks after half and hour and had to wait 45 minutes to get them!
Our starter arrived about 30 minutes after this and unfortunately the main course did not follow soon after. When I enquired about this I was faced with a very hostile (waitress/manager?) who explained this was actually our fault we waited 45 minutes for drinks due to the booking mix up. Eventually we received our food at 9.15 and had arrived in the restaurant at 7.30. I would like to say it was worth the wait but..... The advertised fajitas had no peppers or onions a couple of measly bits of chicken hidden under some tortillas! The rest of our parties’ food was adequate but after such a long time what was salvageable of the meal was lost.
The bill was reasonable at £130 for 7 of us and drinks but really not worth the wait or the attitude.
- 2. Emma M, Glasgow – 21 February 2009, 6:10pmReport
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We recently enjoyed dinner for six in the Blue Parrot. Our party included a vegetarian, two commited carnivores and one person requiring wheat free food. The waitress could not have been more helpful in talking us through the options to suit all our requirements. The food was well above the average Mexican fare available in Scotland. We particularly enjoyed the ceviche, the home made tortilla chips, the generous portions of the main courses and fresh taste of the ingredients overall. We did not have to wait long for our food, but did not feel at all rushed - in fact the relaxed atmosphere was a bonus. The only criticism was that the margaritas were so good we ended up sharing several pitchers, which we paid for the next day!
- 3. Louise F, Northumberland – 22 March 2009, 10:43pm
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Me and five friends were renting a flat for a few days on St Stephens Street, it was pouring with rain but we needed to eat. To cut a long story short, The Blue Parrot was there. We were very impressed, they managed to fit us in straight away on a Saturday night, the Strawberry Margaritas were amazing, the food was amazing and the waiting staff were friendly and attentive but not overly attentive so that we couldn't relax. In fact, we were so impressed with this little restaurant, that we are looking to go on Easter weekend when we are back up, hopefully we will be able to get a table booked as the food is the best Mexican I have ever had from a restaturant in the UK.
- 4. Tulkfatha, Edinburgh – 28 March 2009, 10:44pm
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We walk in to a welcoming, humming atmosphere where, pleasingly, the ambience was more akin to someone's living room than a restaurant. However, the compliments end there. After an adequate margarita, we ordered from the simple yet sure-to-deliver menu. Oh dear. Starters arrived in the form of guacamole and quesadillas. If we'd wanted Tesco value brand range, we'd have gone there. The guacamole was green - TICK - but the flavour lacked anything to improve it above the aforementioned. The quesadillas can be summarised as cheese, cheese and more cheese (and a helping of a serious amount of grease). In fact, cheese featured heavily in the remainder of the meal. So much so, that we often wondered if it was to mask the severe lack of any other flavour. The mains of enchilada and burrito were ample, yet so bland that the meal became an endurance test rather than a pleasure. Overall, there was a distinct lack of any sort of kick, heat, spice, fire, taste. I'm sure there are a lot of people that would consider this a decent Mexican restaurant, but for those who like their taste buds to be challenged, you're perhaps better off with a DIY kit and a jar of jalapenos. Oh aye, and the Sangria (?): cheap red wine mixed with sour apple and an unidentifiable spirit.
- 5. JohnAG, Edinburgh – 5 April 2009, 6:34pm
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Cosy, friendly atmosphere. Great Mohito, but the food was a bit on the tasteless and ordinary side.
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