David Bann: Vegetarian Deliciousness & a Birthday Surprise

We are penny-pinchers. Even though the scholarship that got us here was quite generous, the combined pressure of the weak dollar (2:1 against the pound) and the high prices of Edinburgh festival season mean we have been trying to save money when possible. Sometimes it doesn't work out so well-- as was evidenced by the free comedy show that I reviewed in my last post. Sometimes it does work out well. We've been happy making sandwiches to bring into the National Library everyday, and the eating the vacuum-packed Indian meals we brought with us and the Gladcorn and powerbars that my dad so kindly sent us-- and have been saving a lot of money in the process.

However, long before we traveled to Edinburgh, Damien and I had our eye on a vegetarian restaurant called David Bann. Partially motivated by our awe-inspiring culinary experience at Prinz Myshkin last summer in Munich, we decided that we would go to David Bann in Edinburgh in hope of another fantastic vegetarian meal (even though both German & Scottish cuisine is typically meat-heavy).

We went to David Bann last Saturday. The meal began with marinated black and green olives-- the biggest olives we had ever seen-- with homemade bread and herb olive oil. For our main entrees, I had "risotto with artichoke heart, pea and mint. Carnaroli rice cooked to order in our own broth with shallots, white wine, broad beans and parmesan, topped with thyme marinated artichoke heart filled with pea and mint" as it is described on the menu, and it was absolutely scrumptious. Damien asked the server what she recommended and she told us that her favorite-- and k.d. lang's apparently-- was tart of mushroom, spinach and Criffell cheese: wild and cultivated mushrooms cooked with wine, garlic and tarragon blended with fresh spinach and Criffel, a semi soft cheese from Dumfries, baked on homemade puff pastry. Served with baby potatoes, carrots and onion gravy. It did not disappoint.

Last month, DP told me he had a surprise for the other part of my birthday present (the first part being American Idol for the Wii) but that I wouldn't get it until August. Each week he has allowed me to ask a few questions about the surprise, but I honestly didn't get anywhere close to guessing what it was. Over a dessert of fresh strawberry pannacotta with chocolate whisky liqueur, the secret was revealed-- we are going to travel to Paris for the weekend! I have always wanted to go and am very, very excited.