Glasgow

Lunch @ Tibo

There's nothing quite like a bit of ‘me' time, is there? For some it's a pampering session at a salon or a big glass of merlot curled up on the sofa watching Heroes. For me, wife and mother of two, it's all about food and being able to enjoy it slowly, in peace, and at my own pace.

So when a meeting in the east of the city was abandoned, I thought I'd use this unexpected turn of events to my advantage and indulge in some me time, instead of heading straight back to the madhouse.

I'm not too familiar with this side of the city but I spotted a rather smart café on a corner in Duke Street so I hot footed it to there.

Despite its dark wooden tables and leather upholstery, Tibo has a light, airy and friendly feel to it. Mostly that's thanks to the huge windows but it's also in part due to the cheery staff who didn't seem to mind little old me taking up a table for two.

The menu was just as inviting featuring everything from soup of the day, £3.20, to more exotic dishes like salt and chilli squid, £4.75. As much as I was tempted by the cullen skink, £4.50, on the starter options, I thought best to slowly enjoy a main.

Again, choices here come from home and away (although the menu states all produce is local) with the likes of salmon and pollock fishcakes, £8.95, sharing menu space with almond, lemon, parsley and roast garlic linguine, £7.50, moules frites, £8.95, and the choice of either a Mediterranean or ploughman's platter, £6.25/£10.95, depending on size.

The linguine looked great but as pasta is the kids' favourite, I went for the more grown up sounding poached pear, beetroot and haloumi salad, £7.95. This is the kind of dish I dream about delivering to guests at supper parties but sadly my efforts would leave the haloumi burnt, the beetroot sour and the pears reduced to baby food mush. Not so at Tibo where the saltiness of the haloumi works brilliantly with the sweetness of the wine soaked pears and the tart, sharpness of the beetroot. If I could make this at home I bet even my kids would profess a liking for this most underrated of veggies. The dish was fresh, light and just enough to allow me to linger without over stuffing myself.

It was a shame it was only 1.30pm and I was driving otherwise I'd have loved a glass of any of the whites chilling in the glass fronted fridge at the front door. Definitely a taxi next time.

To finish my kid free, hubby free, stress free lunch I ordered a creamy café latte, £1.70.

It was disappointingly good. I say disappointingly good as I often find the coffee in restaurants either too strong or too weak and that anti-climax to a meal makes it easier to leave. Not so here. Guess who was late for the school pick-up?

Lunch served noon to 4pm @ Tibo, 443 Duke St, G31, Tel: 0141 550 2050 www.cafetibo.com

Dinner @ The Giffnock Ivy

Upon deciding that a long girly gossip session between girls number 1 and 2 in the Martin family was long overdue, the only problem we faced was deciding where to go. After much debate, we decided to give the recently refurbished Giffnock Ivy a bash.

My sister Angela is a self-confessed foodie and you can tell how good a meal is by the presence of "Hmms". Generally speaking, my family has worked out over the years that the number of Hmm's Angela noises throughout the meal is directly proportionate to the quality of the food she is consuming. For this reason, I was keen to keep a mental note of how many Hmms slipped from her lips throughout our meal.

After placing our order, complimentary appetisers of homemade oatcakes and patê with asparagus arrived and certainly whet our appetite for what lay ahead.

The food here has a clear Scottish identity but with a little Mediterranean twist. This statement was something I thought I, too, could describe myself as, much to my sister's amusement.

Deflated, I consoled myself with the goats' cheese with ratatouille, £5.75, whilst my killjoy sister decided on the black pudding and Loch Fyne scallops with celeriac puree, £7.95.

To follow, I went for the monkfish wrapped in smoked bacon and Spanish chorizo with mussels and homemade cherry tomato chutney, £17.95. Angela chose the 10oz fillet of beef with dauphinoise potatoes, £18.95. I was a little suspect as to how the flavours in my dish would marry up but the monkfish and chorizo were as good a partnership as Ant and Dec.

After a lengthy rest period, my pre-holiday diet was officially declared dead with the arrival of a zesty lemon tart with an aromatic lavender ice-cream, £4.95. My sister's strawberry and raspberry pastry with homemade fig ice-cream, £4.95, was equally triumphant.

With a successful refit under its belt, the atmosphere at The Giffnock Ivy was relaxed and cosy without feeling cramped.

The staff did a grand job of making us feel like regulars, even although it was our first visit. They were efficient throughout without hurrying or harassing us.

El vino (not to mention, el gossip) flowed all night but by the time we had polished off our bottle of house Sauvignon Blanc, £12.95, it's fair to say that I had completely lost count of the number of times Angela had "Hmm-ed" throughout the meal. All in all, I suppose you could say it was a Hmm-ing good night out.

The Giffnock Ivy, 219 Fenenwick Rd, Giffnock, G46, Tel: 0141 620 1003

Drinks @ Republic Bier Hof

Other than Jessica and Alba, the only two words guaranteed to put a smile on my boyfriend's face are pizza and beer. So you can imagine his delight when I told him we were off to the new Republic Bier Hof on Sauchiehall Street to check it out for i-on.

The ‘Hof' is the latest venture by Glasgow pub God Colin Barr and joins his Republic Bier Halls in Gordon Street and Great Western Road.

Located in a basement beside the Rawalpindi Indian restaurant, the ethos here is premium and unusual beers from around the world (10 on tap and 50 bottled) and good honest grub.

The interior of the bar is, in interiors speak, industrial and in boyfriend speak, "a big cool bunker". I liked the mix of the austere seating, exposed brickwork and huge alpine murals. The BF wasn't as sure but then this is the man who'd still be sleeping in a Celtic duvet if I'd let him.

The place was just getting busy when we arrived so we managed to slink into one of the booths and people watch as we drank our Staropramen, £3.45 a pint, and a bottle of Arran Blonde, £3.55, and cast an eye over the pizza choices. When we went there was a two-for-one offer which only further enhanced my boyfriend's night. I chose the goats' cheese version while the man in my life showed his class with a Hawaiian. We got both for £8.95 but we'd have paid double as they were dangerously good.

The Hof has been getting a good pre-club reputation and it makes sense for the owners to build on that with the likes of the ever popular Buff Club close to hand. There are DJs on most nights, with the aforementioned Mr Barr still proving he's the daddy on the decks although his son Josh and other guest DJs make regular appearances.

With a heavy next day ahead, I was all for hitting the road after our second beer but he was having none of it. Not even the offer to sit through yet another viewing of Sin City could tempt him away. Who'd have thought pizza and beer could be as good as Jessica Alba getting her kit off?

Republic Bier Hof, 323 Sauchiehall Street, G2, Tel: 0141 353 0953