Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe
20 George Street,
Edinburgh
EH2-2PH
Tel: 44131-260-3000
Fax: 44131-225-4530
We’re in Edinburgh on one of the most historic days the city has ever witnessed – the inauguration of Scotland’s new parliament.
So after being serenaded by Garbage’s Shirley Manson in Princes Street Gardens, watching the classical concert beamed onto the big screen at the top end of Princes Street and fighting our way through the laughing, jovial crowd, we’re extremely tired and need some rest and replenishment before this most remarkable evening comes to a close.
When you’re in the midst of such an atmosphere, time has a habit of getting away from you. And, by the time we realise that the loud rumbling is not the sound of celebratory drumbeats but our own stomachs, it’s already 10.30pm.
Lucky for us, the Hard Rock Cafe chain now has an Edinburgh outlet and they are more than welcoming, despite the rather late hour of our arrival.
There are no sulky looks from surly staff hoping to nip off early. Instead, we are led to our table by a waitress with an American-style cheery attitude.
The bottles of beer, ordered to quench our thirst before turning our attention to the massive menu, are chilled to perfection.
The menu may sound like something from a vegetarian’s worst nightmare, with four or five choices in the ‘burger’, ‘smokehouse’, ‘speciality’ and ‘really big sandwich’ sections. But meat-lovers will feel they’re less than three steps from heaven. The standout burger has to be the Hickory BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger. A half-pound of meat is smothered with caramelised BBQ onions, mounds of smoked bacon and lashings of cheddar cheese.
It isn’t only the burgers that come in big, big portions. The grilled marinated chicken breast won’t be featuring on any weightwatcher’s diets - not with 9oz of chicken basted in special marinade sauce and served with roast garlic smashed potatoes, gravy and vegetables. However, compared to the ‘Pig Sandwich’, it sounds like the modest choice.
The ‘Pig Sandwich’ is the most popular selling item. A select pork shoulder is hickory smoked for 10 hours, then hand pulled to ensure it is tender and tasty enough to grace a Hard Rock customer’s plate. To complete this ‘Southern Delicacy’, a vinegar-based bar-b-que sauce is added.
However, there are some vegetarian options on offer. It’s just that they’re well-hidden. Within the salad section, vegetarian’s can pick either the house salad or the Caesar. If they’d rather have a hot meal there’s everything from the veggie burger to the grilled vegetable sandwich.
However, it seems that meat is what the Hard Rock Caf� does best. And, being a firm believer in following where others have ventured first, it has to be the aptly titled ‘Pig Sandwich’. As the menu says, "If you’ve been to the Hard Rock and haven’t had a ‘Pig Sandwich’, then you haven’t been to the Hard Rock!"
When I see a mountain of food arriving at my table I begin to sweat…er…like a pig. Surely they can’t expect me to manage the sandwich…and the fries…and the coleslaw?
Actually, it’s not all that hard. The pork is as juicy and tender as promised, the sauce is definitely delicious – and those southern fries just fly down my throat.
And this being a Hard Rock Caf�, there’s plenty to gaze at during mid-meal pit stops – there’s the U2 memorabilia corner, Madonna's leather bustier, Rod Stewart's shirt, and a Bay City Roller’s jumper, to name but a few of the unusual items.
Eventually the white of the plate begins to break through, and the end is in sight.
The food is fabulous, the atmosphere fun, the staff friendly…but those portions are massive. I’ll definitely be back, but in future I’ll be sharing my sandwich with a friend.
- Jacqueline O' Sullivan
