Café Source

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• What are these?

• Average price 2 courses:
   £8.50 (lunch)
   £14 (evening meal)
• House wine: £10.50 per bottle

• High point: Incredible side dishes
• Low point: Sparse décor
• Food served: Mon-Thu noon-3pm, 5-9pm; Fri noon-3pm, 5-10pm; Sat noon-10pm; Sun 12.30-9pm
• Bar open: Mon/Tue 11am-11pm; Wed-Sat 11am-midnight; Sun 12.30-11pm
• Private dining: Up to 200 covers
• Open since: 2000
• Also offers: Childrens portions, Childrens high chairs, Wheelchair access, Pre-theatre menu

The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 is now in the shops.

This review is from the 2007 edition.

With words like 'skirlie', 'whirr', 'rumbledethumps' and 'fligmagaeries', the language of traditional Scottish music and traditional Scottish food - often with a little helpful translation - go well together. This is something that Café Source, in the basement of renovated St Andrew's in the Square church, has grasped. Scottish classics, such as a glorious pillar of black and white pudding, might be served alongside a towering Mediterranean tian of goat's cheese and aubergine. Alternatively, a modern version of the Scotch pie with aforementioned rumbledethumps (mashed tatties with cabbage) might partner a course of bacon-wrapped cod served with creamy Dauphinoise potatoes, the latter of which should make any Frenchman proud. A succulent lamb shank with an outstanding black pudding mash, on the other hand, should open up the floodgates of Scottish patriotism. As the converted church has become a busy venue for traditional Scottish music and dance, as well as jazz concerts, Café Source can be packed pre-show (at which time reservations are recommended). But once the performances begin upstairs - and as long as there's nothing scheduled in the bar/café - the primary company you're likely to have are the photographs of musicians that adorn the walls and possibly Johnny Cash playing on the sound system, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.