Inverness was bustling during my recent trip to the city – likely due to the combined efforts of the sun and payday landing on the day prior.
I lost track of the number of food and drink businesses my boyfriend and I stopped by in the brief 24 hours. If my schedule allowed it, the visit would have been far longer.
The Highland Food and Drink Trail provided us with lunch, more specifically street food traders Oregano and JuicyNess.
We also sipped refreshing cocktails at Jimmy Badgers and R&Bs, tucked into some scran at Scotch & Rye, and walked through the Victorian Market Food Hall.
The Inverness Farmers’ Market was up and running too on the High Street.
But things didn’t stop there. A visit to the Highland capital also meant I could finally secure a Too Good To Go bag from Saffron Oriental Food Shop.
Located on Church Street – a mere two-minute walk from the apartment we called home for the night – the business has been on my must-visit list for some time. And it didn’t disappoint.
The staff members were incredibly welcoming and the store itself had a lovely feel to it. The pair of us were asked to choose from the range of mystery bags piled on top of one another inside a large box by the shop entrance, and so we did.
What I got my hands on…
I was the first to take out an item which turned out to be herbal candy. We laughed as I’ve been battling a cold for some time now and the sweets are perfect for soothing sore throats. They were plum flavoured.
Sticking to the sweet theme, milk tea was the next product to be retrieved from our Saffron Oriental Food Shop mystery bag.
The only thing I could think to compare this to was bubble tea but without the chewy tapioca pearls. However, on investigating, I discovered this is exactly what the product is. It was smooth, slightly sugary and is absolutely something I’d pick up again.
Two items down, two to go. The second lot was without a doubt our favourite.
My boyfriend is an admirer of hot sauce. Whenever the pair of us head out for a bite to eat, he’s likely to opt for a dish that features it – regardless of how much he breaks out in a sweat.
For that reason, you can imagine the delight on his face when the next item was ABC Sambal Chilli Sauce. We tried this on our return home and were pleasantly surprised by its thickness.
My boyfriend tackled the medium heat well, I on the other hand did not. However, it did have a slightly sweet and garlic flavour that balanced it moderately.
Speaking of heat, there was also a packet of instant noodles in the mix which came with a spicy jah jah flavour sauce. This too was tried and tested at home.
The spice lingered for some time afterward, but it was delicious nevertheless.
Was it worth it?
My Too Good To Go bag from Saffron Oriental Food Shop surprised me. There was variety and the products were great.
Not only that, but the team were a delight whilst stopping by the store to collect it.
The cost of only one item, the instant noodles, could be determined as a price label had been stuck on top – £5.95. Because the bag cost just £4, I have no doubt there was a hefty saving.
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