Eating and Waiting to Eat – Details, episodes & analysis

The man, the legend, Colin Hinds, whisky guru and proprietor of the Tipsy Midgie - which has been named Scotland’s best whisky bar in 2023, 2024, and 2025 - talks to Kevin and Carlos about his life, his career, and his connection and approach to ‘the water of life.’

Visit www.tipsymidgie.com to learn about the bar and to book yourself in for one of their many whisky tastings and experiences (which are not to be missed). 

Follow Eating and Waiting to Eat on Instagram at: www.instagram.com/eatingandwaitingtoeat

General Tipsy Midgie Links:

Tipsy Midgie - The BEST Whisky Bar in Scotland for Whisky Tastings.

https://www.instagram.com/tipsymidgie

https://www.instagram.com/whiskyforager

Tipsy Midgie Whisky Bar - Forever Edinburgh

Licensee Interview: Colin Hinds, Tipsy Midgie - DRAM Scotland

The Distilleries and Bars mentioned by Colin:

https://www.malts.com/en-gb/distilleries/cardhu

https://www.auchentoshan.com/distillery-tours/experiences

https://smws.com/whisky-club-membership

Johnnie Walker Scotch Whisky Experience Edinburgh | Princes Street | Johnnie Walker UK

In this first episode of Eating and Waiting to Eat, Kevin and Carlos sit down with Elizabeth Elliott and Sharif Gergis, the duo behind Mirin, the Asian-inspired bistro on Leith Walk that The Times described as “the most exciting, unique Asian-influenced restaurant in Edinburgh.” It’s a lively chat that details Elizabeth and Sharif’s origin story and Mirin’s evolution from ramen shop to the award winning institution it is today.

Visit www.mirin.uk to learn more and make your bookings.

Follow Eating and Waiting to Eat on Instagram at: www.instagram.com/eatingandwaitingtoeat

General Mirin links: 

HOME | Mirin | Asian fusion small plates, dumplings, noodles, Leith, Edinburgh

https://www.instagram.com/mirinleith

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/mirin-restaurant-review-edinburghs-most-exciting-asian-restaurant-2dk2w2g0l

Sharif’s local Chinese takeaway in Glen Rothes:

https://www.just-eat.co.uk/restaurants-mayflower-glenrothes/menu

Omar’s Komugi Noodles (a Mirin supplier):

https://www.instagram.com/komuginoodles

https://www.instagram.com/yaoyao_noodles

Alternative Meats (a Mirin supplier):

https://alternativemeats.co.uk

Elizabeth and Sharif’s Edinburgh Restaurant Recommendations:

https://www.finandgrape.com

https://ardfern.uk

https://www.eleanore.uk

https://stockbridgeeatinghouse.co.uk

https://www.barryfish.co.uk

https://albysleith.co.uk

Among Edinburgh’s, and Scotland’s, most beloved chefs, Roberta Hall-McCarron sits down with Kevin and Carlos to talk about her chef origin story, how she splits her time across three - equally beautiful and must visit - restaurants (The Little Chartroom, Eleanore & Ardfern), and even her fast food order (true to form, it includes Irn-Bru).

This was a true joy of a conversation - you can tell how much fun we had recording this chat by all the laughter - as well as an insightful look at what it takes to set up, run, and manage several restaurants. 

Follow Eating and Waiting to Eat on Instagram at: www.instagram.com/eatingandwaitingtoeat

Roberta's Links:

https://www.instagram.com/chef_roberta_hall

https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-changing-tides/roberta-hall-mccarron/9781739174033

https://www.thelittlechartroom.com

https://www.instagram.com/thelittlechartroom

https://www.eleanore.uk

https://www.instagram.com/eleanore_leithwalk

https://ardfern.uk

https://www.instagram.com/ardfern_edinburgh

Links to the people, places, and restaurants mentioned by Roberta:

Restaurants Near Me: Nearby McDonald’s Locations | McDonald’s

https://www.meatopia.co.uk/glasgow/home-glasgow

https://www.jumeirah.com/en/stay/dubai/burj-al-arab-jumeirah

https://www.instagram.com/tom_kitchin

The Kitchin - our Michelin-starred restaurant in Leith, Edinburgh

https://www.instagram.com/shaunmccarron1

https://www.instagram.com/mcneill.hamish

https://www.dishoom.com/edinburgh/

https://thehawksmoor.com/locations/edinburgh

https://www.mirin.uk

https://www.littlecapo.com

Episode 4 is all about that schiacciata, thinly sliced fixings, and hot honey! Kevin and Carlos geek out with Andy Mitchell and Chris Thompson, the dynamic duo behind Mootz General Store in Stockbridge. Mootz produces some of the most unforgettable and mouth watering sandwiches not just in Edinburgh but in the UK. As one random reviewer noted on TripAdvisor after tasting their first Mootz creation: this is “the best sandwich I had in my life (and I’m 61).” 

Follow Eating and Waiting to Eat on Instagram at: www.instagram.com/eatingandwaitingtoeat

Follow Mootz on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/mootzgeneralstore

If it's a day of the week, odds are that you'll find Carlos stuffing his face at The Palmerston. An Edinburgh institution (despite not even being five years old) and a "not to be missed" pit stop for anyone visiting the city, The Palmerston is among Scotland's best restaurants. James Snowdon and Lloyd Morse, the pair behind The Palmerston, chat with Kevin and Carlos about their meet cute, their guiding philosophy towards food, and Taylor Swift's best albums. 

Follow Eating and Waiting to Eat on Instagram at: www.instagram.com/eatingandwaitingtoeat

General Links

The Palmerston

https://www.instagram.com/the_palmerston

https://www.instagram.com/lgvmorse

https://www.instagram.com/jamesasnowdon

The Palmerston and Newbarns to open pub in Edinburgh - DRAM Scotland

Restaurants Mentioned on the Episode

The Harwood Arms

Primeur

TIMBERYARD

noma

FIN & GRAPE

Sabzi

LOWDOWN COFFEE | Specialty Coffee | Edinburgh

SOTTO

Lannan | Bakery & Pantry in Stockbridge, Edinburgh

Norah Newhaven

Stockbridge Eating House

Anchor Home Page

eòrna restaurant

Mosque Kitchen Edinburgh - Authentic Indian & Middle Eastern Cuisin

l'escargot bleu

Homepage - Kitchen Table London

Jolene | Bakeries & Restaurants in London

Some Other Links

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0749263/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/06HL4z0CvFAxyc27GXpf02?si=mS44EF3VQzagxmlfPbrFTA

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2d0hyoQ5ynDBnkvAbJKORj?si=FQvCVq_wS5Ky1O_9DS29tQ

The vibe - and the food - at Sabzi is undeniable. A truly family run, multi-award winning, North Indian restaurant, Sabzi is among Edinburgh's most memorable, unique, and delicious establishments. Stevie Singh, a member of the Singh family who own and operate Sabzi, drops by the podcast to delight Kevin and Carlos with family stories and mouth watering descriptions of Sabzi's fare. This conversation was pure food-loving joy. 

Follow Eating and Waiting to Eat on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/eatingandwaitingtoeat/⁠

General Links⁠:⁠

⁠https://www.sabzistreetfood.com/⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/sabzi.streetfood/⁠

Restaurants Mentioned in the Episode

⁠https://www.thepalmerstonedinburgh.co.uk/⁠

⁠https://www.chorritosauce.com/

Amaro, agave, fernet, and shenanigans. Kevin and Carlos welcome Alex Palumbo and Rachel Bailey Palumbo, the dynamic duo behind two of our favorite Edinburgh watering holes - Hey Palu and Chancho - to the show and, as you’ll hear, a great time was had. Alex and Rachel give us a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to open up a bar (during a pandemic no less) and the grit that's required to adapt and to grow a hospitality business against many a headwind. The only way this episode could have been more fun to record would've been to actually been drinking martinis and margaritas while recording it!  

 Follow Eating and Waiting to Eat on Instagram here. 

Connect with this episode’s guest(s) on Instagram:

Hey Palu

Chancho

Next Door by Hey Palu

Alex Palumbo

Rachel Bailey Palumbo

General links from the episode:

Hey Palu’s Website

Chancho’s Website

Next Door by Hey Palu’s Website

Friday Finally Newsletter on Substack

Hey Palu’s Neo Soul Spotify Playlist 

Fernet on Wikipedia

Amaro on Wikipedia

Agave on Wikipedia

Restaurants and bars mentioned in the episode:

Razzo Pizza Napoletana

Gleneagles

Bramble Bar

Panda & Sons

The Last Word

Ardfern 

The Palmerston

Chorrito

Zero Zero Wines

Hawksmoor

What’s your favorite cake? Where do you stand on scones: sweet or savoury? Carrot cake, nuts or no nuts? Ashley Harley, Chief Operating Officer of Mimi’s Bakehouse and Nami (and daughter of Mimi herself) stops by the studio to answer these questions for Carlos and Kevin and to tell them the truly epic origin story of the beloved Edinburgh institution: Mimi’s Bakehouse. Ashley also expertly outlines the many challenges currently facing the Edinburgh hospitality industry. She speaks the truth in a way that is informative and hopeful. This episode is a masterclass in the entrepreneurial mindset required to both build a business and to make legendary vanilla on vanilla cupcakes (the best kind of cupcake there is). 

 Follow Eating and Waiting to Eat on Instagram ⁠here⁠. 

Connect with this episode’s guest(s) on Instagram:

Mimi’s Bakehouse

Mimi’s Gals

Nami

General links from the episode:

Mimi’s Bakehouse

Nami

Scottish Bakers Association

Underbelly

Plate Expectations 

The Shore Business Collective

Royal Yatch Brittania 

Restaurants and bars mentioned in the episode: 

Machina Coffee 

Williams & Johnson Coffee Company

Lanaan

Twelve Triangles

Port of Leith Distillery

Three Marys

Ocean’s Mist

Heron

The Kitchin

Martin Wishart

Roseleaf

Malt & Hops

Tapa

Kvasa Bakery

What does it take to open up a restaurant in Edinburgh today? What about opening a new restaurant in a spot that used to belong to a beloved, decades old institution? Well if you’re James Clark, the Edinburgh-native and restauranteur behind the Italian enoteca and trattoria Sotto in Stockbrige, the answer is: an entrepreneurial spirit, grit, respect for a venue’s roots, and a deep love of wine and pasta. James joins Kevin and Carlos on an entrepreneurial-themed episode of Eating and Waiting to Eat. Come for James’ (and Sotto’s) multi-faceted origin story (we think James might have been a spy), stay for the geeking out about wine and pasta. Did we mention we talk about wine and pasta?

Follow Eating and Waiting to Eat on Instagram here.

Connect with this episode’s guest(s) on Instagram:

Sotto

James Clarke

General links from this episode:

Sotto

Splintr

Ping On’s Kenny Mac lunches in James Clark’s Sotto

Vittoria Restaurant Group

Lidl Champagne 

Trattoria Wikipedia Entry

Sotto’s Michelin Guide Entry

Erbaluci Wikipedia Entry

Restaurants and bars mentioned in this episode:

The Palmerston

Divino

The Kebab Mahal

LYLA

Cafe Gallo

And just like that, season 1 of Eating and Waiting to Eat comes to an end! And what an episode to close out on: Matt Carroll, Co-Founder and Co-Owner of Fortitude Coffee Roasters, joins Carlos and Kevin in the studio. Fortitude holds a special place for Carlos and Kevin. Not only is Fortitude among the first places that they (independently) became regulars at but it was the fact that they kept seeing each other at Fortitude that cemented the friendship; one could say that Eating and Waiting to Eat exists because of Fortitude! Matt tells his origin story, his learning curve as both coffee shop owner and coffee roaster, and the realities of sustaining and growing a coffee business. Sit back, make yourself a double (quad?) espresso, and enjoy the season 1 finale! 

Follow Eating and Waiting to Eat on Instagram here.

Connect with this episode’s guest(s) on Instagram:

Fortitude Coffee Roasters

General links from this episode:

Fortitude Coffee Roasters 

Best Coffee App 

Led Zeppelin Spotify Page

Golden Hare Books

Stand Comedy Club

National Galleries Scotland: Portrait  

Coffee Seasonality 

Studio Arhoj 

Lost Shore Surf Resort

Becca Marriner 

Restaurants and bars mentioned in this episode:

Short Long Black Coffee 

Patricia’s x SLB

La Cabra

Artisan Roast 

Origin 

Cairngorm Coffee Roasters

Cult Coffee Roasters

Razzo Pizza

Civerinos  

Prolog Coffee