FOOD & DRINK
FIII & IRINK
preview
the green room
The grey skies of autumn may be locked over Glasgow, but there's a riot of colour hitting the city’s food scene. Earlier this month, blue unveiled its west coast premises at The Lighthouse (ironically coinciding with the Red exhibition) and now the green room has been relaunched under new management at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. Clearly it's not just colour, but lower case lettering that's in vogue.
The rejuvenated green room arrives with an impressive pedigree. Now managed by Leith’s, the restaurant has enticed chef John Carlyle from Cameron House Hotel and restaurant manager Aisling Maguire from Stavaigin. Their initial aim is to establish the green room not only as a must for concert-goers, but also as one of the city's premiere modern Scottish restaurants in its own right.
'Although many of our patrons eat before or after concerts, others come to enjoy the atmosphere, food and service,’ says Sally Purvis, general manager of Leith’s. 'The city of Glasgow is building an enviable reputation for world-class restaurants. We hope the green room continues this. We have
created an imaginative menu using the best Scottish suppliers - and we have one of the best views of the
city.’
Indeed, the restaurant's windows look straight down Buchanan Street and across the river to the Southside and beyond. Glance from there to your plate, and you're likely to find starters including black pudding with caramelised onions and apples (£3.25) and smoked haddock chowder (£3.50); main meals ranging from baked fillets of plaice with a mussel and saffron stew (£12.95) to paprika roasted breast of chicken set on sauteed peppers with chunky tomato and chilli
Side orders
Food news on a plate
World Vegan Day comes to Glasgow’s 13th Note on Mon 1 Nov, when the cafe drops the price of its menu to a mouth-watering £1 per course. The offer lasts between noon and
True colours: the green room
sauce (£10.95); and puddings such as lemon tart with honey ice cream (£4.25).
Certain starters are available in heftier portions (at
Wholefood heaven: Grassroots Cafe
10.30pm, but only subject to the availability of food — and in past years, demand has been so great that the cupboards have been bare before closing time. If the vegan menu takes your fancy, stacks of literature relative to that lifester Will be close on hand.
not quite twice the price), while some of the mains also come in a ’light’ version, thereby bringing versatility to the menu and flexibility to the eating routines of the busy culture vulture or more leisurely gourmet. (Alan Morrison)
I the green room is open at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchieha/l Street, Glasgow Mon —Sat
5.30pm— 7 lpm, 337 2555. A special offer of two courses for f 70 is available Mom-Wed until 24 Nov
Everyone — meat-eaters included »— are welcome to enjoy 100% GM-free food Without any preaching.
I 73th Note, SOs-~60 King Street, Glasgow, 400 944i.
Grassroots, Glasgow's wholefood supermarket, now boasts a cafe that’s in full working order after haVing been open a few weeks now. Open from lOam—lOpm, the menu SUIIS those dropping in for coffee and a snack, a pre-theatre menu or a full three- courser. A brief glance at what's on offer uncovers Thai potato cakes
' served With chilli jam and a lime and
lemongrass dressed salad for lunch (£3.45) or evening starters (£2.95); a tangy house salad featuring orange and couscous (BBQ/£4.75); tempura and sushi platter (£6.95); and sticky date pudding (£2.95). All dishes are sunable for vegetarians, and there’s a vast range of organic beverages — coffee, tea, beers and jUices — available to wash it all down.
I Grassroots Cafe, 20 Wood/ands Road, Glasgow, 353 3278.
1 white from
Spit or swallow
A taste of things to come.
With the festival season fast approaching, there's a lot to be said for buying Wine in bulk, espeCially With rich dinners to be eaten and parties to be held Most retailers Will give you a disc0unt on a mixed case of twelve bottles and deliver it to your home too Langlois, Cremant de Loire N.V. (LOire, £7 99, £5.99 when you buy six) Made from Chenin Blanc, . this sparkling Wine has a floral quality reminiscent of parma VIOIQIS. Its soft smooth bubbles and off-dry palate, full of buttered toast, make it agreeable to everyone when the occasion reqwres a little fizz. Chablis, Domaine Marguerite Carillon 1998 (Burgundy, £4.99) A cheap Chablis normally comes in about £8, so this is a real bargain. While it may not have that trademark flintiness, it does have its fair share of deliCious Burgundian yeastiness. Delicater fresh With subtle melon frUit, this Will impress even discerning drinkers. Vivian Durcourneau, Gascogne 1998 (Southern France, £3.99; £3.49 when you buy two) Another delicate, fresh
*3:
i In {ll/um
France. Made from the Colombard grape, it is full of tropical fruit and livened up With hints of kiWi, lychee and lime. Best drunk on its own, it’s never boring, Wynn's Coonawarra Shiraz, 1996 (Australia, £6.99; £4.99 when you buy two) The inky black colour hints that this is a Wine not to be taken lightly and a full black cherry jam nose backs this up. The palate is - ~ crammed with rich damson fruit and White pepper With a long dark chocolately llfllSh. Definitely a Wine to accompany heavy festive fare.
(Jane QUinn)
I All wines available at Majestic Wine Warehouses — minimum purchase of a mixed case of twelve bottles required
21 Oct—4 Nov 3999 THE “ST 105