FOOD & DRINK RECENT OPENINGS
SUPPORTED BY
CHIP AHOY
As a run-down corner of Finnieston emerges as the place for Glasgow’s best dining and drinking, Jay Thundercliffe visits a new sea dog with old tricks
L ocated not far from stylish Crabshakk, opposite retro-revived Kelvingrove Café and near to long-anticipated newcomer The Gannet, Old Salty’s gives itself the rather prosaic billing of a traditional chippy. However, this is a café that’s as trendy and agreeable as its neighbours. The derelict-chic exterior is only one of many artistic leanings, from the wall of writers’ names to the old-masterly paintings and wood-sculpted embellishments. With nods to Glasgow cafés of old, the place is an appealing mix of Victorian conceits and arty flourishes, notwithstanding the industrial edge of fryers and open ducting. From breakfasts through to fish, pie and haggis suppers, the lineup is surely familiar to most of the city’s inhabitants. Menu surprises include Crinan scallops and corned beef hash, but there’s no sign of mushy peas (nor poshed-up pea purée for that matter). Chips are cut smaller than is common elsewhere, but they hold on to that mix of crisp and fluffy, and the fish is satisfyingly sized with fresh meaty chunks in a light batter that’s easy on the oil. Prices are fairly traditional too, especially for the quality of setting and food on offer. All in all, it’s a place to make a fish supper feel special again.
OLD SALTY’S
1126 Argyle Street, West End, Glasgow G3 8TD Ave. price two-course meal: £14 (lunch/dinner)
The best of the new restaurant, café and bar openings in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Prices shown are for an average two-course meal for one.
Glasgow ALL STAR BRUNCH BAR AMERICAN CAFÉ & TAKEAWAY
531 Sauchiehall Street, West End, G3 7PQ, 0141 222 2848, £7 (lunch) This Charing Cross café, signalled by two Vespas outside, is the latest venture from the original owners of TriBeCa in Partick, who recently sold the American diner to set up this smaller, but again US-flavoured, operation. On offer are breakfasts, including filled croissants and pancake stacks, lunchtime sustenance such as panini melts and wraps with transatlantic themes, as well as French dip rolls of various meats for dipping in gravy. Takeaways for local businesses drive much of the footfall but the revamped interior, long and thin, is a good spot for taking a little more time over a brew, an indulgent ice-cream shake or a cupcake.
THE HOPE BARS & PUBS
6/8 Waterloo Street, City Centre, G2 6DA, 0141 226 2482, maclay.com, £8.95 (set lunch) / £15 (dinner) Nestling in Glasgow’s business district, this latest venture from Maclay Inns will have no trouble finding an audience, especially considering the warm interior with dark wood and multicoloured upholstery. The long, welcoming bar boasts a decent selection of draft beers and spirits, and serves an area that soon fills up at logging-off time. Dining, more comfortable in the raised
rear section, covers dependable pub staples, including fashionable pulled pork, a range of impressive burgers and an imposing Italian sharing plate. A number of good-value lunch deals cater to those most susceptible to the pub’s charms.
NY SLICE PIZZA BAR & TAKEAWAY 369 Sauchiehall Street, City Centre, G2 3HU, 0141 353 1698, nyslice.co.uk, £8 (lunch/dinner) A cut above the booze-fuelled takeaways of Sauchiehall Street’s nightlife, NY Slice offers New York- style ‘pies’ that are among the best pizzas to be had in Glasgow. There’s a dedication here to authentically replicating that unique Big Apple pizza via a week- long-matured dough, made and spun on site, then stone-baked to create an enticingly crispy yet chewy and foldable base. In-house marinaded and cooked meats as well as fresh pineapple and garlic make the resulting pizzas a real treat, vibrant with flavours rarely found on rival offerings. Available in grab-and-go slices or sit-in with a full 18in pie – also available for delivery to postcodes G1–G5.
EDINBURGH BREAD STREET BRASSERIE BISTROS & BRASSERIES
The Point Hotel, 34 Bread Street, West End, EH3 9AF, 0131 221 5555, pointhoteledinburgh.co.uk, £10 (set lunch) / £20 (dinner) Recently acquired by the Hilton Hotel Group, the Point Hotel’s refurbished brasserie and adjoining bar feature heavily designed monochrome surfaces – with fashionable accents of teal and magenta – providing a classy if slightly cold backdrop. The menu ranges from burgers and pies through to salads and risotto, with set-price lunch and pre-theatre deals along with special theme nights also taking place, including a popular vegan evening. Generously sized mains are the strongest draw, with a full-flavoured lamb tagine or a
pulled-pork bun that hits all the right notes for those in need of culinary comfort.
THE POTTING SHED BARS & PUBS 32 Potterow, Old Town, EH8 9BT, 0131 662 9788, thepottingshededinburgh.com, £15 (lunch/dinner)
The craft beer revolution continues apace with this new opening slap bang in the middle of the university precinct. Comfy couches by the window attract those fancying coffee and cake, and there’s a
long bench table for large groups keen to sample the dozen or so rotating draft beers served in schooners, with smaller tables spread across the split-level rear for diners. The menu is a notch above standard pub fare, as you might expect from the owners of Dalkeith’s Sun Inn, featuring chicken kebab served with ‘proper chips’ or salad, or a satisfying pork, chorizo and lentil pot.
BODEGA MEXICAN 62 Elm Row, Leith Walk, EH7 4AQ, 0131 556 7930, ilovebodega.com, £15 (lunch/dinner) In its corridor-bar-style space on Elm Row, Bodega sets about bringing the fresh combinations of the Mexican taquería to Edinburgh. The snug room fits just 20 diners and there’s a simplicity to the seasonal menu. For a starter, cod ceviche is the standout: a Peruvian staple, the deceptively meaty flesh in a citric marinade balancing heat and spice with the freshness of the ingredients. Warm taco mains with breaded pollock, chicken with a successful molé, prawn with chipotle and pulled pork are wheeled out one after another, the clean flavours of the salsas holding their own against the deeper savoury of the meat and marinades.
Independent write-ups on all the restaurants worth knowing about in Glasgow and Edinburgh are available on our online Eating & Drinking Guide at list.co.uk/food-and-drink 36 THE LIST 17 Oct–14 Nov 2013