Badger & Co brunch sharing platter goes down a treat

There are two types of people in this world. The first will sit down at a tapas bar in excited anticipation. Living for the thrill of a foodie roulette, they trust that each shared plate will be a hit.

The second will take their place round the table suitably uncomfortable, knowing they’ll likely be paying through the nose for three forkfuls of food, then picking up a bag of chips on the way home.

I invariably slot into the latter group. Hollow legs as a youngster meant the concept of sharing platters was quite beyond me until my university days. Nowadays, though, I do enjoy the odd one; but I need to know it’s fairly priced, it’s big enough for everyone at the table, and it’s packed full of flavour. When we went to try out Badger & Co’s brunch platter, it really did live up to expectations.

My plus one and I decided to have a leisurely start, so sat down to brunch at 11.30 in the morning. The service was slick, and we were put in a window table so we could do some people watching.

The Badger Brunch Board consisted of a selection of goodies – there were two of each item, I’m pleased to report, so neither of us missed out.

Piled high with savoury bites, the platter included salmon and avocado roulade on rye bread, beef shin Reuben, and home-baked focaccia topped with burrata cheese, peppers and basil. The sweet selection consisted of a mountain of fresh fruit, croissants and a sugary dough ball, so it was certainly a substantial brunch.

Cocktails included in the Badger Brunch sharing platter are passion fruit mimosas, espresso martinis, or Bloody Mary’s.

My personal favourite was the focaccia which oozed with salty pesto flavours and melted in the mouth. As for the sweet dough ball, we expected to cut into it and see some sort of cream or jam spilling onto the plate, but instead it was pure dough. That said, with the additional preserves on the side we were still very happy to partake in this sweet treat.

The sweet dough ball was served with accompanying preserves.

Alongside the platter we were allowed four drinks each. With drinks ranging from teas, coffees and juices to a more indulgent boozy brunch option – the passion fruit mimosas and espresso martinis were a huge hit with us – it was a very welcome way to kick-start the weekend.

Considering the drinks were included in the £25pp bill, it seemed a reasonable price (essentially £5 per cocktail and £5 for all your food doesn’t seem extortionate by Edinburgh’s standards).

Badger’s Brunch Board is available on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 3pm and must be booked in advance. The platter includes a selection of sweet and savoury treats as well as your choice of four drinks and costs £25 per person.

To make a reservation, visit their website or phone 0131 226 5430.

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