Toby Atkin-Wright

I had lunch at the Tailend Restaurant and Fish Bar with Kate, Beth, and Mary. Tailend is the new chip shop, fish shop, and café on Market Street, where long-term St Andreans may remember the Joe’s chip shop used to be. It is owned and run by people who used to own the well-marketed world-famous Anstruther Fish Bar. The café was bright and pleasant, and despite a fish-oriented menu, they were happy for me to order veggie food from the chip shop menu. With bottles of HP Sauce and Heinz Tomato Ketchup, and the food presented on real plates, the presentation was good compared to Anstruther.

My soup arrived quickly, but the main courses seemed to take an age. Kate and Mary had fish & chips, Beth had a salad and a bowl of chips (which due to being in a slanted bowl, she described as looking like a loo full of chips), and I had veggie haggis with chips and peas. The peas didn’t appear, despite me reminding the waitress when the rest of the food arrived. The veggie haggis was excellent — I’ve never had it battered and fried before — and worked well with HP. The chips on the other hand were nearly good, but on my plate they were overcooked, too dry, and rather tough. It’s hard to judge an eaterie this early in its life, and I hope they do better, but a chip shop needs to serve better chips.

It was busy in the café though, and the takeaway counter was buzzing. I think they’ll do well.

I had lunch at the Tailend Restaurant and Fish Bar with Kate, Beth, and Mary. Tailend is the new chip shop, fish shop, and café on Market Street, where long-term St Andreans may remember the Joe’s chip shop used to be. It is owned and run by people who used to own the well-marketed world-famous Anstruther Fish Bar. The café was bright and pleasant, and despite a fish-oriented menu, they were happy for me to order veggie food from the chip shop menu. With bottles of HP Sauce and Heinz Tomato Ketchup, and the food presented on real plates, the presentation was good compared to Anstruther.

My soup arrived quickly, but the main courses seemed to take an age. Kate and Mary had fish & chips, Beth had a salad and a bowl of chips (which due to being in a slanted bowl, she described as looking like a loo full of chips), and I had veggie haggis with chips and peas. The peas didn’t appear, despite me reminding the waitress when the rest of the food arrived. The veggie haggis was excellent — I’ve never had it battered and fried before — and worked well with HP. The chips on the other hand were nearly good, but on my plate they were overcooked, too dry, and rather tough. It’s hard to judge an eaterie this early in its life, and I hope they do better, but a chip shop needs to serve better chips.

It was busy in the café though, and the takeaway counter was buzzing. I think they’ll do well.

Seven years ago I bought a pair of Birkenstock sandals, to wear to a Roman feast at Andrew’s house. (What else does one wear with a toga?) They became my regular shoes for wearing around the house and garden, and for walking into town. Seven years later they are beginning to fall apart; the soles are heavily worn and the heels are crumbling. So when I passed by Country Casuals on Market Street I couldn’t resist seeing if they had some replacements, and I was delighted to find exactly the same kind of Birkenstocks that I’d bought seven years ago. I walked home wearing the new sandals, happy with the thought that I’ll be buying another pair in seven years time.

Seven years ago I bought a pair of Birkenstock sandals, to wear to a Roman feast at Andrew’s house. (What else does one wear with a toga?) They became my regular shoes for wearing around the house and garden, and for walking into town. Seven years later they are beginning to fall apart; the soles are heavily worn and the heels are crumbling. So when I passed by Country Casuals on Market Street I couldn’t resist seeing if they had some replacements, and I was delighted to find exactly the same kind of Birkenstocks that I’d bought seven years ago. I walked home wearing the new sandals, happy with the thought that I’ll be buying another pair in seven years time.