You might wonder if you should go in at all if you stop by the little door leading into The Remedy’s seating area.
I wouldn’t blame you. If you stopped there, you’d be standing on Leith Walk, and more than one award-winning restaurant, pub and bistro are just a rugby ball throw away. You’d probably be ringed by roadworks.
If you can imagine Leith Walk without mazes of fences and the promise of work crews, then you’ll be imagining the honking queuing traffic.
Go in. Ignore the distractions and doubts, push open that door and venture inside.
You’ll see straight away that’s you’ve escaped the chaos and stepped into somewhere friendly, warm and more extensive than it may have appeared.
There was a clue outside. The door into the seating area is the second portal from Leith into the haven of The Remedy. Two-thirds of the frontage is devoted to the takeaway. I can’t tell you if this was a lockdown modification or always the plan, but it’s a good idea.
Inside the Remedy
I’d watched an episode of David Tennant as Phileas Fogg in Around the World in Eighty Days before my first visit to The Remedy and now associate the two.
After all, there is a large compass on the wall at the back of The Remedy. The comfortable seats at the door look as if they could have been lifted from Fogg’s gentleman’s club.
There’s undoubtedly some around the world/travelling vibe in the decor.
I’m a geek, so the brass and some of the other furnishings give me faint whiffs of steampunk. Explore around the corner and towards the back (I told you it was larger than it appeared), and you’ll find a nook with a flickering fire, stacked wood, wine, more comfortable seats, and good sized tables. Cosy!
I’m hesitant to mention “good toilets” in reviews because I don’t want placed just to be visited for that particular feature, but, yeah, The Remedy has a good toilet. You can easily change a baby here or manoeuvre a wheelchair, and there’s even a pull cord for help. I don’t think you’d get a sizeable electric chair through the door because the changing table stops it from opening fully, but I’m not sure you’d get one of those megachairs that far into the eatery in the first place. But a manual chair? Heck yeah, so kudos to The Remedy.
The Remedy’s food
I’ve not always known what it is, but I’ve enjoyed every morsel I’ve ever eaten at The Remedy.
Let me explain. Yes, this lack of awareness is because I’m not foodwise and generally slow in general.
It is also because The Remedy sells mezze platters, and I just order them and eat them. I think about what precisely it might have been later, and it works for me! There’s a legion of Mediterranean foods that I’ve tried and enjoyed due to this approach.
If you’re a conservative British food eater, worried about going beyond burgers and chips, then The Remedy might well be too exotic for you.
I find the style works well for breakfast, brunch, and lunch. There’s always something traditional like fresh scones and jam to go with your food. You can’t go hungry here even if you’re bravely accepting a friend’s invitation for a coffee catch up.
I’m delighted to have discovered mezze nosh through The Remedy. I appreciate that’s not the usual route, but maybe it’s one you can follow too. If you already know mezze and already like the platters, then hurry up at put The Remedy on your to-visit list.
The Remedy’s service
I’ve been a few times, and I’ve been just as they’re opening, at lunch rush, and after it. I’ve always been warmly welcomed. Generally, I’m asked where I might want to sit and taken there.
There’s a mix of casual and attentive service that must be hard to master here, but master it they have. And I like it.
My order is taken quickly and, every time arrives swiftly. I suspect this is an advantage of the mezze format.
I’ve waited to pay, though. I thought the delay with the bill was all about the relaxed vibe the first few times. It’s easy to conclude that people come with friends to The Remedy to catch up and don’t want to be chased for money. I might be right about why people come here, but I was wrong about waiting.
Tip: Pay at the counter when you’re ready to go. It’s table service here or has been during my C19 era visits, but walk yourself over when it’s time to settle up and pay at your own pace.
Solo eating
While I think The Remedy oozes meet-and-greet charisma, I’ve always gone alone. The layout and warm welcome make it a good stop for solo eaters.
You’ll find a suitable table, relax, and then you’ll be brought food to eat at your own pace. Crucially, and as I finally learned, counter pay when you’re ready. No drama.
Overall
It was The Remedy’s Instagram account that put the bistro on my radar and persuaded me inside. I’m so glad!
I’m especially fond of the entirely unofficial but gorgeous little “pizza” I make for myself out of the halloumi and spicy sausage mezze. What a rainy day pick-me-up!
True, yeah, if you don’t fancy a Mediterranean platter or mezze style dish, The Remedy’s sit down menu probably isn’t for you. T think everyone else will enjoy the food.
Tip: The Remedy is on Deliveroo. I’ve no idea why it’s listed on Easter Road; perhaps it was once.
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