Edinburgh pub: The Auld Hoose and our last day in Edinburgh

We arrived home in Melbourne yesterday after our couple of days in Edinburgh.  So today I will tell you about my last day, in particular the excellent vegan nachos at the Auld Hoose pub.  I had read about them on PETA's list of Where to Eat Vegan in Edinburgh.  I tried my luck there for the second time that trip after buying some gifts for the folks at home.

The Auld Hoose is a clean modern pub that does not go in for a fussy decor of crowded toby jugs and horse brasses.  It does boast comfortable little nooks and booths.  And excellent nachos.  I was there for the nachos but was amazed at how good all the rest of the menu looked, especially the vegan onion rings that are served stacked high on a stick.  There were lots of vegan options.

When I ordered the vegan nachos, I was asked if I was hungry.  I gently chided the barman that I had been in a week or so ago with a friend and my 7 year old but we had to leave because the law does not allow children in this pub.  He was very friendly and chatted about the law not allowing kids to be in a pub where they can see the bar.  Which is the best explanation I have had and is easier to swallow than a stern no-children-allowed.  Though it is still a shame as Sylvia might have enjoyed the vegan hot dog.  Instead of sharing my nachos I drank my Curiosity Cola and read my Quentin Jardine novel.

Then nachos were huge and delicious and amazing.  Can you see the melted cheese on the corn chips.  It was really good.  I asked what it was and was told it is Cheezly white cheddar.  However it is not just that the vegan cheese is right.  It is also that there is such a generous serving of beans and guacamole.  For the chilli lovers (not me) there were lots of chilli rings too.  Top marks for presentation and taste.  The menu advises that these nachos serves two and they are right.  I wished I had company and ended up leaving quite a lot on my plate.  At £10 for the plate, it would be quite good value for two people.

The barman (perhaps owner) was really happy to chat about vegan food with me.  He said that they had tested different vegan cheeses until they found one that kept the nachos together in that impressive pile and had the right taste.  I asked if it was due to his diet that they had vegan food and he said it was in response to requests from the punters.  He was interested to hear about the vegan scene in Melbourne.  Finally I left him with a recommendation to check out aquafaba meringues. 

Then I headed back to our hotel to pack the suitcases.  It was a job to be done without others about.  We were getting up at 3.30am the next morning and so I needed as much packing to be done the night before.  As you can see, we had a lot to cram into our three large suitcases and not a lot of room.  I put a chair on Sylvia's bed to give me a bit more room.

Once I had packed as much as possible, I headed over to my sister-in-law's place where Sylvia was having a last day of playing with her cousin.  The two little girls have got along fantastically and it was sad for them to say goodbye.

Meanwhile E and his sister had spent a lot of time sorting through the family papers and photos and various possessions that had been taken from their father's house.  E was amazed that they still had his Percy train set from Thomas the Tank Engine.  He would have liked to stay longer and find what other gems were kept in his parents house but we had a plane waiting for us.  So after one last excellent takeaway curry from Voujon, we headed back to the hotel.

The Auld Hoose
23-25 St Leonard's Street, Edinburgh EH8
0131 6682934
www.theauldhoose.co.uk