April 2008

Dinner @ Guy's

As much as I enjoy my friend Alastair's visits to Glasgow, they do come with a bit of pressure. We have this deal where I choose the restaurant and he pays. Good deal you might think but as Alastair is a head honcho at a top US company and regularly eats in the world's finest restaurants, I take choosing our eatery very seriously. So far all my choices have been given the thumbs up but I can't help feeling that one day I'll pick a stinker and my hard won culinary cred will follow the food to the bin.

So it was with trepidation that I booked dinner at Guy's in the Merchant City. My trepidation was down to the amount of time I'd previously waited to be fed there. It was in the early days of the restaurant but it was still long enough to stick in my mind. Would the kitchen's timekeeping have improved with age?

Guy's was just as quirky as I remembered. A friend once described the décor as a ‘posh wild west saloon decorated by a charming French brothel madam' and that's pretty spot on. You get the feeling chef proprietor, Guy Cowan, has a story to go with each curio or picture that graces his restaurant.

Our 9.30pm table became available at 9.15pm which, with my punctuality obsession, was an encouraging sign. The menu features everything from sushi to haggis to pasta and is a lot to take in on first inspection although I'd rather a menu with too much choice than not enough.

As a starter I went for the tuna and scallop sashimi with ponzu sauce, £9.95, while my dinner date played safe with a tomato, mozzarella di bufala and avocado salad, £5.50. Both appeared quickly and beautifully presented from the kitchen. I know raw fish is not everyone's cup of tea but I can't recommend this sashimi enough. If you're tempted to try sashimi, try it here. Alastair's salad was just as fresh, colourful and heartily enjoyed. Guy was off to a great start.

We sipped some Merlot, £4.50, while awaiting our mains and this is where I expected things to become tardy. But me of little faith had to eat humble pie, well actually duck ravioli with fennel sauce, £17.50, as the mains had perfect timing. The ravioli is a house speciality and I could taste why. The pasta was silky, the fennel sauce light, not overly aniseed and a great partner to the duck. Alastair's steak tartare and skinny chips, £23.50, was finished with an egg on each of the two raw steak mounds which gave the plate the unfortunate appearance of a pair of wobbly breasts. It didn't put me off sampling a forkful though and found it expertly seasoned with just the right kick of Worcester sauce and onion.

Over coffees and some IJ Mellis cheeses, £8.95, we were joined by Guy himself who visits the tables at least once a night to ensure guests are enjoying themselves. Now that's the mark of either a brave chef or a good one. In Guy's case it's definitely the latter.


Guy's Restaurant & Bar, 24 Candleriggs, Merchant City, G1, Tel: 0141 552 1114

Lunch @ Firebird

Firebird is one of those restaurants that I've ventured into on many a night time munchie quest but for some reason I've never visited this Argyle Street institution during the day.

Feeling a little hungover from my sister Leonie's pre-birthday drinks, I was in serious need of some alcohol mopping carbs but as I was treating aforementioned sis to her birthday lunch, my usual cure of Pizza Hut Hawaiian wouldn't cut it.

Unable to shake my craving for pizza but still wanting to spoil the birthday girl, Firebird sprung to mind. Not only does it do great pizza, it's casual enough to feel comfortable but gourmet enough to satisfy picky palates.

After a celebratory glass of bubbly, a very nice Prosecco at £3.65, Leonie chose to start with the tomato and basil bruschetta with mozzarella, £3.95. I went for the steamed mussels in cider, £5.95. Well, hair of the dog and all that.

My mussels were big in portion and in flavour. The cider, shallots and creamy liquer was the business and the mussels were plump and fresh. Leonie's bruschetta was lightly toasted with loaded tomato topping. She said she'd have liked a little more garlic but with a French mother we were brought up with food near drowning in the stuff and even too much isn't enough at times.

For a main, it was pizza for me but because of my generous starter, I went for the half pizza and salad option, choosing the roasted butternut squash, pea, feta and mint, £5.50, from the intriguing combinations on offer. Leonie chose tagliatelle with rabbit ragu, £6.95, from the daily specials board which came with garlic bread. Both were the perfect portion size for lunchtime - enough to satisfy but not to stuff. My pizza, handmade to order, had a light, thin base with a fresh tomato sauce and was dressed with smoky but sweet butternut squash and a generous helping of feta. The salad featured a selection of leaves and marinated green olives, although I think olives used in salads should be pitted - I like to wrap three in a salad leaf and pop them in my mouth.

My sister's pasta and rabbit ragu was demolished almost as soon as it was served. Between fork twists and chews, I'm told she would have sacrificed our childhood pet bunny had she known rabbit could taste this good. A little callous perhaps but on trying a forkful, I confess she had a point.

The choice of dishes and quality of food at Firebird is impressive, and the service swifter than Linford Christie in his heyday. Birthday or not, my sis has a strict one hour and not a minute more lunch break so slow service often leads to a rushed, and at times, half finished lunch. No such worries here. In fact we managed to sneak in another cheeky glass of bubbly. It was her birthday after all...


Firebird, 1321 Argyle St, G3 8TL, Tel: 0141 334 0594

Drinking @ The Goat

The Goat, to my mind and not inconsiderable experience, is the best first date bar in the city. Before you shake your head in disagreement, let me explain.

First of all its prominent corner position means even if your potential Mr or Mrs has never been before, they're unlikely to miss it meaning you're less likely to be waiting alone at the bar like a Billy No Mates.

Then there's its I-am-quite-cool-but-not-in-a-flash-way vibe. The name might be a bit postmodern but the well worn (OK, tatty) leather Chesterfields and dark wood kill any possible pretension.

But by far its biggest draw for a first date is that should the looker you met on Saturday have been tragically hit by the ugly stick on Wednesday, the dimly lit balcony area is the perfect spot to hide from your mates or get quietly merry in the hope their appearance will improve after a few drinks. You're sure to find others doing the same. Apologies to anyone who this has happened to but at least you now know why they never wanted to see you again. Sorry, but some people really are that shallow.

For those with drinking rather than dating on their minds, The Goat offers plenty of options. Tennents, Staropramen, Stella Artois, Amstel, Peeterman Artois, Heineken, John Smiths, Guinness and Scrumpy Jack Cider are all on draft. Spirits include Hendrick's, Bombay Sapphire, Havana Club 3 and Bullet Bourbon. They also do a mean cocktail. Try a Loch Almond if you have a taste for whisky and are a fan of marzipan. Prices are on a par with most bars in the area; £3.20 for a pint of Stella, £4.30 for a large pinot grigio and £3.40 for a Hendrick's and tonic.

I'll end on another bit of dating advice because I trust you'll get the hang of the drinking quite easily. If you're looking to secure yourself an Old Firm footballer, like dressing to the nines and swigging back the champers, The Goat probably isn't for you. But if you like friendly bar staff, free Wi-Fi and a decent drink with cool but comfortable fellow boozers, it's definitely worth a visit. Go graze.


The Goat, 1287 Argyle St, G3, Tel: 0141 357 7373. Open Mon-Sat 11am-midnight, Sun noon-midnight