May 2008

Dinner @ Mama San

A Mama San, I am told, is traditionally the hostess or ‘madam' of an Asian establishment. She is the homely mother figure who ensures all customers are satisfied. She is welcoming, discreet and generous. But will a Glaswegian Mama San be quite so welcoming and hospitable and will we leave fully satiated?

Mama San on Bath Street is the city's newest Asian fusion restaurant offering oriental style tapas. The venue, formerly Groucho St Judes, also boasts a super cool cocktail lounge and bar and a luxury boutique hotel.

Mama San's interior is striking and about as far removed from your typical Chinese restaurant as you can get. Neon pink, oriental cartoon wallpaper covers one wall while the other sports a naked tattooed lady illuminated by a light box. The bar is chic and a sushi ‘stage' is situated towards the back of the restaurant where you can watch chefs practice their craft.

As a tapas restaurant, the menu consists of small dishes, three or four of which equal a main meal. Mama San serves Chinese, Japanese and Thai cuisine and the menu is divided into dim sum, sushi, salads, robata, wok dishes and curries as well as sides and dessert.

I'm not normally one for sharing food but with a menu this good it's a great way to try everything and in our mission to do just that, my friend and I ordered eight tapas dishes between us. Within 10 minutes, bowls of colourful, aromatic food were being placed in front of us. Food at Mama San is cooked fresh to order so dishes tend to arrive as and when they are ready. This staggered presentation means food is always piping hot and straight from the kitchen. It also makes you look slightly less greedy when you've ordered enough to feed a small country.

Highlights of our feast were the seabass and king prawn dim sum, £4.95, served in a creamy and zesty ginger sauce, the crab and coconut salad, £4.75, and a pad Thai dish with chicken and prawns, £4.50, which, although the noodles were slightly under-cooked, was flavoursome and delicious. The chicken sate with peanut sauce, £4.50, was also a hit, as was the salt and pepper squid, £4.25, which was crunchy and light.

On a side note, Mama San serves up what are quite possibly the best prawn crackers in the world and at £2.50 they're well worth adding to your order.

Stuffed full of Asian edibles, we decided to skip the range of sorbets and ice-creams for dessert and settled for a cup of traditional Japanese sake to give our mammoth tapas banquet time to go down. Mama San is the only venue outside of London serving up quality premium sake and it's a great accompaniment to the menu.

Mama San is a venue with a unique interior and bags of substance to accompany its style. The menu is diverse enough to satisfy any foodie with the added bonus that you can order a huge number of dishes in each sitting. That in itself makes it a sure fire winner in my book.

Mama San, 190 Bath Street, G2, Tel: 0141 352 8800.

Food served seven days a week noon-10pm

Lunch @ Striped Bass

Striped Bass had a challenge on its hands. Firstly, seafood is without doubt my fare of choice. Secondly, the last seafood meal I devoured was at Kylesku Hotel in Sutherland the week before, where I ate fresh langoustine landed only a few hours earlier. So, the notion of dining in a newly opened city centre fish restaurant was, well, mildly unappetising.

But Striped Bass rose to the challenge and it was a case of ‘tight lines' from the moment we stepped tentatively through its doors. Located on Level 2 of Princes Square, on the former site of Café Noir, Striped Bass is the newest venture from Ian Fleming, the former owner of The Buttery, and Ashley Gallant, formerly head chef of the two AA Rosette awarded Shieldhall Castle.

My partner and I opted for the elegant interior of the restaurant, knocking back the al fresco-style dining of Princes Square's bustling terrace. Inside, the décor is oceanographic chic; fish inspired murals and deep blue walls create a subtle and intimate dining environment, whilst the banquettes and low-lighting add to the calm ambience. After wading through the wine list, we opted for a bottle of Grenache Blanc, £13.95, a perfect seafood accompaniment.

For starters I ordered the floured whitebait tossed with smoked paprika, £6.95, the daintiest of fishy fare on offer, whilst my partner chose the seared Mallaig langoustines with fresh herbs, tomato and crushed potatoes, £8.95. The langoustines were a veritable success; fresh, succulent and brimming with flavour. My whitebait was equally as notable, owing to the light, crisp batter and mild hint of warm paprika.

For main course I selected the fillet of halibut with rope mussels, saffron and spices, £12.95. The flavours were impressively subtle, complementing each other perfectly, whilst the side order of French style onion rings, £2.95, were decidedly moreish. My partner's West Coast razor clams with lemon butter and parsley, £12.95, were beautifully plump and juicy. The only criticism was that he was left longing for more.

For pudding it was New York baked vanilla cheesecake, £5.95, and, of course, two spoons. Striped Bass' homemade version packed the wallop of a professional boxer, with its amazingly unctuous creamy body and all-important biscuit base. Followed by a tasty plethora of cheeses, Isle of Mull, Truckle Cheddar, Aikit Brie and Strathdon Blue, £6.95, our meal had come to a satisfying conclusion.

Striped Bass' service was attentive without being intrusive. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming and the food, delicious and beautifully served. Indeed, one expects quality from one of Glasgow's most celebrated restaurateurs and I have to say Striped Bass delivered. A welcomed addition to Princes Square and Glasgow's restaurant scene, Striped Bass looks all set to make waves in 2008.

Striped Bass, Level 2, Princes Square, 48 Buchanan St, G1, Tel: 0141 221 7800. Open Mon-Sat 11am-9pm, Sun 11am-5pm

Drink @ Ivory

I don't know if it's because I watched too much Band of Gold when I was growing up but I always feel very self-conscious drinking alone in a hotel bar. On the rare occasions I've had to do this, I've always made a point of avoiding eye contact with fellow drinkers, scooped out the contents of my bag in hope of finding something to read and be ready with a disgusted ‘How dare you!' should anyone ask if I was looking for business.

With this in mind, my heart sank when, while waiting in the bar at the Ivory hotel in leafy Shawlands, my friend Nicky texted to say she was stuck in traffic and would be about half an hour late. Just as I was about to call her back and give her a mouthful on her atrocious timekeeping, a smiling barman approached to ask what would I like. "A watch for my friend," somehow escaped my mouth to which he laughed and presented me with his wristwatch. I politely declined but this nice gesture made me relax and I plucked up the courage to wait for my tardy pal and order a gin and slimline, £2.30.

The bar has a contemporary feel with large television screens which show either sport or music channels. There's an elegant easiness to the place with a smart, well heeled drinking crowd.

On the beverage front Ivory offers, among others, Stella, Belhaven, Staropramen, Amstel and Tennents on tap and the cocktail menu is one of the most competitively priced in the city at £3.95 for a Cosmopolitan, Mojito and the house special, Ivory Sling. A large glass of Pinot Grigio is £3.70, as is a large Merlot.

The opportunity to pop into the hotel's restaurant should you fancy a bite to eat with your pint or Pimms is clearly a draw for locals. It's a very popular choice on a Sunday when the lunchers from the restaurant spill into the bar area to make a day and night of it.

From a personal point of view, I was heartened that the staff saw my lonely predicament and went out of their way to make me feel comfortable until the late, very late, appearance of my friend.

Ivory, 2-4 Camphill Avenue, G41, Tel: 0141 636 0223