FOOD & DRINK RECENT OPENINGS
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SURF ON TURF A pop-up street fooder has settled into a permanent home in Shawlands dispensing gourmet hot dogs, as David Kirkwood discovers
G lasgow’s street food scene has grown up to the point that many traders have made the move into bricks and mortar. Fortunes have been mixed, and some have already been and gone. But everyone likes a hotdog. Surf Dogs might ring bells as one of the original outlets at Taste Buchanan – the street food shopping centre set-up. And these dogs have nice credentials: Bavarian smoked pork with lovely, chewy skin, and rolls made nearby at Newlands Bakery. Loaded extras like jerk chicken (the ‘Bob Marley’) or chilli (a classic chilli dog) are all made in house, too, though perhaps lack a wee bit in ‘oomph’ and character. But, hey, this is dude food, that’s just the topping, and it all comes in under the price of your typical gourmet burger-fries combo. Students and other younger customers will fit right in (lunchtime deal; free refills on soft drinks). Owner Martin Capaldi gloriously demonstrates an affection for his formative years with décor that gives us Star Wars, Thundercats, Nintendo and The Goonies. A solid debut, with delivery service and a brunch menu on the horizon.
SURF DOGS
49 Kilmarnock Road, Southside, Glasgow, G41 3YN
0141 230 6392, surfdogsglasgow.net £12 (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 ‘BABS
KEBAB HOUSE
49 West Nile Street, 0141 465 1882, babs.co.uk, £16 (lunch/dinner) The Bread Meats Bread team have turned their sights on kebabs. A Med-Middle East vibe covers both menu and décor, while their charcoal-fired grill is essential – can’t do kebabs right without one. Chunks of lamb in the shish are a tad inconsistent – some beautifully blushing, some less so – but that’s grilling. A tuna version feels summery and sun-kissed – nicely grilled fish, minty pea purée and pickled veg. There are various toppings for skin-on chips or fries, plus salads, including an enjoyable Greek classic, and a burger or two. No bookings, and no licence yet so BYO.
– patties with succulence and smokiness, addictive ‘onion strings’, good fries. And if it’s not good, you’ll be mainly to blame.
EPOCH BISTROS & BRASSERIES
Princes Square, 48 Buchanan Street, City Centre, 0141 261 0291, epochglasgow.com, £18 (lunch/dinner) / £25 (six-course taster) Swanky shopping centre Princes Square is home to this rather dramatically named newcomer. Independently run by a husband and wife team, it’s a stylish contemporary bar and restaurant – with tables ‘outside’ next to the open ground-floor space (perfect for parents letting the kids have a runabout). Various menus offer predominantly sharing plates but also full mains, with culinary nods to Scotland and the continent. Dishes are diligently prepared, with the occasional flourish befitting the setting. There’s a six-course taster option with wines to match if you feel like settling in and soaking up the surrounding swish courtyard action.
THE COUNTER BURGER BAR
Edinburgh
Springfield Quay, Paisley Road Road, Southside, 0141 418 0873, thecounter.com, £17 (lunch/dinner)
RABBLE TAPHOUSE & GRILL BISTROS & BRASSERIES
The burger bubble has deflated enough recently to approach this US newcomer with a less jaded palate. Tucked away in Springfield Quay leisure complex, it’s the first UK outlet for the custom-built specialist. The tick-sheet menu gets a bit Trainspotting: choose protein, choose size, choose style, choose cheese, choose sauce, choose toppings, choose sides, choose premium. With 100 boxes to swither over, it’s borderline gimmicky but fun. And when it comes, it’s good eating
55a Frederick Street, New Town, 0131 622 7800, rabbleedinburgh.co.uk, £17 (lunch) / £26 (dinner) After 17 years, the Montpeliers group have retired the once style-setting Ricks. Now relaunched as Rabble, Edinburgh’s first ‘rough-luxe’ low and slow taphouse and grill is already pulling them in for cocktails and unpasteurised beer. The redesign has opened up the room into a see-and-be-seen space: an island bar, turquoise banquettes, a bare brick, glass-roofed backroom and foliage throughout. If dining, start with coal-fired asparagus with poached duck egg and hay hollandaise or salt-baked beetroots with crowdie. Splash out on a tomahawk steak for two, cooked for six hours, or a range of mains done over an open
fire pit. Finish with a hot chocolate espresso martini brownie and ice-cream sharing dessert. THE PANTRY CAFES
2–4 Bridge Road, Colinton, 0131 629 4420, thepantryedinburgh.co.uk, £12 (lunch) / £22 (dinner) Based in leafy Colinton, Edinburgh’s second Pantry is a picturesque pit-stop for walkers and locals. The bright, spacious dining area features Scandi-style décor – neutral tones against colourful soft furnishings. Their ethos of simple, fresh food translates to an emphasis on all-day brunch featuring homemade waffles, while dinner (available Wed–Sat) far exceeds the usual café offerings. Seafood stew is a hearty bowl of queen scallops, meaty king prawns, mussels and tender white fish, subtly seasoned with smoked paprika. For dessert, toasted pecan and caramelised butter tart delivers a melt-in-the-mouth sweet shortcrust.
CLARK AND LAKE BARS & PUBS
8 Gillespie Place, Tollcross, 0131 281 6021, clarkandlake.co.uk, £15 (dinner)
Tollcross newcomer Clark and Lake describes itself as a charcuterie and bar and while the charcuterie is indeed interesting, the cheese definitely deserves equal billing. Don’t miss the gooey, squidgy raclette, whatever you do. Select from around 20 meats and cheeses to create your own grazing board, or plump for one of three pre-selected boards. There’s also a compact range of small plates (the cauliflower frittelle is a must). For drinks, there’s a well thought-through wine list, and a neat selection of craft beers. Informal and simple, this is a solid addition to the neighbourhood.
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
38 THE LIST 1 Sep–31 Oct 2017