IT’S A CHIPPY WITH KRUG ON THE MENU
Edinburgh Evening News – Friday 1st February 2002

Fish and chips and £120 bottles of champagne. It can only be the New Town’s favourite fast food stop says Lara Macmillan
Raucous laughter can be heard on entering L’Alba D’Oro, and it’s emanating from Filippo Crolla, a loveable and larger-than-life eccentric – a man who can quite rightly be called an Edinburgh institution.
But then the owner of the best fish and chip shop in town has a lot to laugh about. His chippy has just been given a top award for its quality of food from VisitScotland.
It’s strange in itself that a chippy should be awarded with the first four stars in a new scheme by tourist officials. But even stranger is the fact that his shop is located in Henderson Row, in the heart of Edinburgh’s New Town where delicatessens and specialist food shops serving up sun-dried tomatoes and organic pastas are normally the order of the day.
That his shop exists at all, in an area where well-heeled professionals and some of Edinburgh’s oldest monied families reside, is an anomaly. That it is thriving is even more bizarre.
But this is not your ordinary run-of-the-mill chip shop.
L’Alba D’Oro – Italian for Golden Dawn – also happens to sell Krug at a mere £119, Moet, Scotch, wine, beer, and Ben & Jerry’s and Haagen Dazs ice cream.
And foodwise, it offers both the old reliables and some more adventurous treats. Filippo has gained recognition over the years for selling fast-food versions of crocodile, kangaroo, ostrich and venison, although presently they have been dropped from the menu.
But he insists the problem isn’t that the good people of Stockbridge, Inverleith, Dundas Street and Silvermills aren’t adventurous enough, it just got a bit too expensive for their tastes.
“The demand for crocodile was wonderful and we sold thousands of pounds worth but then the price went up for us,” he says. “I was charging £6 per portion and then I had to go up to £8 and £10. It was too dear.”
But he is working on some new and exciting additions to his menu, although remains tight-lipped on what exactly they are.
Whatever he ends up serving, there’s no doubt that his clientele, which includes some major celebrities, will love it.
Robbie Coltrane strolled in one night to place a sizeable order of fish and chips, two pickled onions, and a black pudding all drenched in salt and vinegar. He must have enjoyed it because he has since come back for more.
Gavin and Scott Hastings are also frequent visitors as is royally-connected Julia Ogilvy, the managing director of jewellers Hamilton and Inches.

At present his offerings include haddock, prawns, scampi, tuna, salmon and squid. In fact, he claims to have the largest range of fish any Edinburgh fish and chip shop has to offer. Also on the menu are pizza, traditional and vegetarian haggis, while deep-fried potato fritters, babycorns and cauliflower are also there.
“But I don’t do deep fried Mars bars. The chocolate melts with the fat and spoils the fat for other people. It’s the wrong thing to do,” he says in his still-strong Italian accent.
Society has, of course, become far more health conscious in recent years, and he says he has moved with the times.
“We provide food for health-conscious people and vegetarians. We used to use animal fat but we switched to vegetable fat a long time ago. The customers really appreciate it. And this food is not nearly as fattening as people say. During lunchtime, we sell a lot more sandwiches, pasta and pizza.
“Our biggest seller, however, is fish. We spend more buying the best quality. That’s why the customers come back.”
L’Alba D’Oro is the first establishment to be awarded the four-star distinction by VisitScotland, in the first scheme of its kind which aims to promote tourism and reward quality and achievement in the catering industry. It also encourages people to use Scottish ingredients wherever possible.
The food grading scheme was developed with the catering industry, including input from some of the best-known chefs in Scotland. VisitScotland expects that up to 1,000 businesses will join the scheme this year.
There are nine categories with five stars available in each – fast food, takeaway, bar food, restaurant, self service restaurant, tearoom and coffee shop.
“It was very good to win the award and it is wonderful to be able to say that we are a four-star establishment. But I knew we were good anyway,” he laughs. “
“I love the business. We’ve been going since 1975 and it gives me great pleasure.
“We have had a lot of celebrities in. I never recognise them though. And when they leave, the staff tease me about it. But I can’t even tell you any of their names now because I can’t remember. Anyway, my regulars are more important to me.
“I think our success is as much down to our friendliness as it is to our food. Customers must be served with a smile. I think it’s very rude just to serve someone and take their money. In fact it’s very nasty.”
As if bang on cue, a woman comes in with her five-week-old baby and Filippo nearly dives over the counter to help her. She has been going there ever since she was a child and has just popped in to say hello. He oohs and aahs over them both.
In fact, he has the knack of making every customer feel special. Good food aside, this really is a feelgood place, as his customers are more than happy to testify. Brian Davis, 32, who works for Scottish Life nearby, says: “I come in at least once a week for the haggis. It tastes great. The chips are fantastic too.”
Jeanette Simm, of Silverknowes, agrees: “I’ve come in regularly for fish and chips for the last ten years. It’s so friendly. The staff are always chatting away and laughing. And the food is good.”
And Charlotte Bain, 31, who lives in Stockbridge, says: “I love coming in here. It always puts a smile on my face, no matter what. The atmosphere is great. He really is larger than life. I didn’t ever try crocodile to be honest, but I’m a big fan of the squid and I’m addicted to the chips. They definitely deserve this award.”
Filippo is a man who clearly adores his job. And it is easy to see why people keep going back for more. The 48-year-old is just so Italian – warm, passionate and, of course, loud. As he sits for our photographer, his staff and customers tease him about being a poser. He just shrugs and thanks them. “I like having my picture taken like this,” he laughs. “I could get quite used to it. Maybe I could become a model?”
Filippo, who lives in Portobello with his wife Celeste, says he owes the existence of his shop to the Italian army.
“I was working on my dad’s farm at Cassino when I fled to Scotland in 1972 rather than do 18 months’ National Service. I’m an ex-farmer who’s never been afraid of hard work.
“I arrived in Glasgow and worked in a chippy for two years. But then I met Celeste in Edinburgh and here I am. I’ve got to say, otherwise she’d hit me, that the shop, which has tripled in size, wouldn’t have been a success without Celeste.
“We have been married for 28 years and we are on our third generation of customers.”
Celeste was born in Edinburgh but her parents are Italian. She works by her husband’s side full-time and they clearly adore each other. They tease each other unmercifully. She complains that she does all the work and he gets all the credit. He shoos her back to the kitchen.
“Handling him is a full-time job,” she laughs.
I don’t think anyone would disagree.

– Lara Macmillan