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Intimate but not intimidating, Guy’s is a welcome addition to the Glasgow dining scene and an ideal choice for a Valentine’s Day meal.

GUY'S RESTAURANT AND BAR 24 Candleriggs, Merchant City, Glasgow 0141 552 1114

Mort-Thu

noon:é.30pm, seme Fri/Sat rio‘ori—‘ésopin‘; assess““"““‘“““”

off meals eaten and paid'forvbetween Mon-Sat 5-7pm.

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PAGE 101

THE MEAL .

hen chef/proprietor (iuy (‘owan first opened his eponymous restaurant on North Street in December 2005. the basement premises with alcoves provided an intimate space which seetned tailor- made for dining. When he relocated across town last November to a narrow and deep shop conversion (formerly ()blomov and Arisaig) in (‘andleriggs. watchers wondered whether that intimacy could be transported.

In short. and in different ways. the answer is yes. (iuy‘s Restaurant & Bar offers the unforced homeliness that will relax most gttests. The walls here are no longer the oppressive blacks and greys of the previous operators. but lightened considerably. (‘ream hues have been applied to the original tongue and groove panelling: walls are decorated with oil paintings as well as cheerfully glazed plates and crockery with Mediterranean designs. Lest it sound overly

informal. tables are neatly dressed at all times with flowers and candles. Indeed. flickering towers of tallow are

dotted about the rear dining space. providing a romantic backdrop. (Live piano playing

on your average Friday night only accentuates the mood).

Because of the menu‘s range. it is difficult to categorise (iuy"s cuisine. The bar menu has sandwiches. such as warm salt beef on a ‘sweet and sour bagel.~ Lunch specials might include parmesan and leek risotto and chocolate cheesecake. The standard a la carte selection varies from prawn cocktail to tuna and scallop sashimi. steak pie to Chinese style roast pork plus lots of pasta and a few fresh fish dishes.

Delivering such a diverse menu comes naturally to (‘owan who previously oversaw location catering for feature films.

A hint of chilli sharpened the parmesan and leek risotto (lifted thanks to a squirt of the accompanying slice of lemon). The chicken in the Thai red curry was a tad overcooked. But the creamy. coconut—infused sauce was tangy and the dish was served with egg-fried rice.

l‘or puddings. a simple dish of crepes with syrup and fresh fruit was a light finisher. Alternatively. a chunk of warm crumble with apples and rhubarb served amid a pool of custard was solid comfort food.

As the menu warns. ‘patience may be required‘ as food is prepared fresh. There wasn‘t any noticeable delay on this admittedly rather quiet day. but evidence of cooking from scratch was apparent.

Valentines’s Day at Guy’s includes the option of dishes to share with three courses plus champagne aperitif and coffee at £35 per person. See information panel (left) for booking details.

‘- 15) I (ll) RUUI‘ THE LIST 99