Glasgow

[christm]

Hi

I posted a while ago looking for London restaurant recommendations and got a couple of crackers. Hoping you can help me out for closer to home. I live not far from Glasgow but as it's almost 'too close to home' we rarely go for meals there and if we do, go to a couple of old favourites that the family know about. I've never really researched quality restaurants. With a birthday meal coming up in the next few weeks, I'm looking to find somewhere really nice.

Any cuisine is fine - we're open to anything at all, just looking for some real quality.

We'd consider Glasgow city centre or anywhere within maybe a 15 mile radius. I see there is a quality topic already on Edinburgh but I don't see similar for the Glasgow area - apologies if it exists and I just can't find it. So....

Any suggestions?

Thanks

Martin

[Ross Boyce]

I'll be interested to see what comes up here, I've often eaten in Glasgow with business (the usual suspects like Gamba and Rogano) and while they're perfectly satisfactory, nothing has been too special.

[curiouseater]

hello, I have lived in Glasgow for the last 16 years and have seen the culinary scene change and evolve. I have often despaired at what's on offer compared to Edinburgh or London, so am happy to share what I know so that you too can avoid disappointment! For special occassions I reckon the most reliable places are Hotel Du vin, La Valle Blanche and Michael Caines at Abode.

Hotel Du vin's chef Paul Tamburrini seems to be aiming for a star his cuisine has all the foams and small portion sizes that seem requisite for such ratings, despite this the food is pretty tasty. The setting is very old man's club, dark wood and leather.

Neill Clark of La Valle Blanche used to be the chef at Etain the Conran venture that folded years ago. His restaurant is very chalet chic and the service attentive. His food is very good, albeit slightly more rustic in size and presentation.

Abode again, is part of a chain, the setting is far more contemporary and the food good again, but compared to the other two, maybe less individual.

There is of course Martin Wishart at Cameron House. I love Martin Wishart in Edinburgh,but have not yet been to Cameron House. My friend has and said the food is comparable but the service at the Edinburgh venue has the edge.

The other place that's good but not as fancy is downstairs at Stravaigin.

Hope that's of some help.

http://www.curious-eater.com/

[PhilD]

hello, I have lived in Glasgow for the last 16 years and have seen the culinary scene change and evolve. I have often despaired at what's on offer compared to Edinburgh or London, so am happy to share what I know so that you too can avoid disappointment! For special occassions I reckon the most reliable places are Hotel Du vin, La Valle Blanche and Michael Caines at Abode.

Hotel Du vin's chef Paul Tamburrini seems to be aiming for a star his cuisine has all the foams and small portion sizes that seem requisite for such ratings, despite this the food is pretty tasty. The setting is very old man's club, dark wood and leather.

Neill Clark of La Valle Blanche used to be the chef at Etain the Conran venture that folded years ago. His restaurant is very chalet chic and the service attentive. His food is very good, albeit slightly more rustic in size and presentation.

Abode again, is part of a chain, the setting is far more contemporary and the food good again, but compared to the other two, maybe less individual.

There is of course Martin Wishart at Cameron House. I love Martin Wishart in Edinburgh,but have not yet been to  Cameron House. My friend has and said the food is comparable but the service at the Edinburgh venue has the edge.

The other place that's good but not as fancy is downstairs at Stravaigin.

Hope that's of some help.

http://www.curious-eater.com/

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How is the "UB Chip" these days? I remember it's heyday 20 years ago, but was interested to see it was on the Good Food Guide's shortlist for restaurants if the year this week. Does it deserve its place on the list?

[adey73]

And what about No.16 on Byres Road?

My favourite place when I was Uni there.

[Peter Green]

How is the "UB Chip" these days? I remember it's heyday 20 years ago, but was interested to see it was on the Good Food Guide's shortlist for restaurants if the year this week. Does it deserve its place on the list?

←

I'd be interested in hearing how the Ubiquitous Chip is faring. I had a very good meal there back in 2000. Moreover, the collection cookbook Glasgow On A Plate indicated that a large part of the kitchen crowd from that time had a spell at the UB Chip in their resume.

[curiouseater]

It's just me but I find the Chip a bit too trad Scottish for my liking but I know other people that like it. There are a lot of places that do food like it- the Sisters, Tattie macs, the Bothy. Out of those the Chip and the Sisters would be the best. There is a place on Great Western Road Cail Bruich which is meant to be ok but I have not been.

If you want hearty Scottish produce at reasonable prices then Fanny Trollopes and Roastit Bubbly Jocks are the places for you. They are not fancy but homely and Roastit's is usually packed with quite a buzz. Fanny's is smaller and more for couple's.

I liked the food at No. 16 but have not been back because the service is so bad. Time between sitting down and drinks orders and then food orders and food arriving-way too long. I think there was an hour between starters finishing and mains arriving. It's the only place I have considered leaving out of hunger. This was over a year ago so things may have changed, so give it a go but don't go hungry.

[adey73]

Service was always the cow heel at No.16 as was the lack of Air Con, but price always trumps time when you're a student.

[Sea Urchin Ragout]

Read somewhere that no. 16 has shut down?

I'd recommend Asia Style at Charing Cross. Low-key venue and interior but fantastic, authentic, fresh and delicious Malaysian food. Just order a few dishes and share around the table, can't think of a better birthday dinner.

And what about No.16 on Byres Road?

My favourite place when I was Uni there.

←

[curiouseater]

Yes I agree! I love Asia Style, we were there on Saturday, the Malaysian pancakes are excellent as are the salt and pepper king prawns and the soft shell crab. Fast and spicy but not that fancy.

[Amy D.]

we were a bit gutted to find Asia style was closed due to water damage during our one night stop over in glasgow, too tired to go much further we decided to stop at the next restaurant we got to - Asia Gourmet was just round the corner the uninviting exterior gave me second thoughts but when we entered to look at the menu we were won over by the really pleasing aromas and tasty looking dishes being eaten by the other diners. we ordered a tofu sechwan hot pot (as the waitress indicated this was the spicy version) and tofu in black bean sauce, the hot pot came out in a sizzling clay pot with nice pieces of perfectly cooked veg and some of the best textured fried tofu I've had, shame about the complete lack of flavour in the broth and total absence of chilli I had been expecting. The hot pot was disapointing but the black bean sauce was absolutely awful it actually tasted like someone had added black beans to bisto gravy. yuck. it makes me shudder to remember that taste.

We left feeling really unsatisfied & suprised that the restaurant seemed to be doing a reasonable trade we could only conclude that possibly the chinese & English menus were different. even so it doesn't excuse that disgusting sauce.

So not so much a recomendation but rather one to avoid.