As mentioned at our October event, I’m pleased to be back involved with the Total Food Geeks, after a hiatus that followed the meltdown of the previous website.

We were invited by the folks at One Square to come for an evening of dining, drinking and playing in the kitchen, entirely at their expense. Accordingly, we assembled a little group of likely sorts to put new chef Craig Hart through his paces.

I was there ostensibly with my Lunchquest hat on, but as I’d already reviewed the place and really enjoyed it, I suspected that my quill wouldn’t be needed in quite the same way as usual.

I thought I would give it a wee mention here, though, as I was impressed not only by their commitment to local produce and producers, which extended to their excellent collection of local gins, but by the way they accommodated our vegan and vegetarian diners.

Now, I can’t speak for the dishes beyond the gazpacho, which was very good, and the butternut squash soup, which was very elegant, but the consideration given was notable. For one thing, I think the veggie dishes looked prettier by comparison with their meaty counterparts.

Earlier in the year, we’d kicked around some ideas in relation to seeing what we could do to improve vegetarian dining options in Edinburgh. Fiona Leith, who is behind the popular Twitter account and hashtag Veginburgh, was the instigator of the discussions. I think we should pick up the strand again, perhaps at a future salon, because there is still an issue to address, I think.

One Square illustrated beautifully the type of thing to which places should be aspiring: dishes that are attractive on the palette and the eye; dishes of real imagination and care; dishes that omnivores would select as their first preference.

For a more comprehensive run-down on the evening, Arianna – our vegan – has written things up splendidly. The Food Geeks site has great words and photos, too.

So, it’s fair to say that One Square impressed, as it had done on previous visits and it’s always good when memorable meals spark the embers of slightly neglected thoughts that need some further consideration and attention.