carnivore.
GLASGOW
I Amber Chinese Restaurant 130 Byres Road 339 6121. Mon ~1-‘ri noon—2pm. 5—-I 1.30pm (Thurs/Fri till midnight ); Sat noon—midnight; Sun 5—11.3(lpm. Long established in the West End and specialfiing in Cantonese and seafood dishes. Try the set ‘banquets' for varying numbers of people: good value and a bit ofan adventure.
I Amber Royale 336 Argyle Street 221 255i). Mon—Sat noon—2. 15pm. 6pm—midnight. Small and friendly with a reputation for food a cut above the
or prawns.
mealtimes.
BLENDING TRADITIONS
Chinese-American cook Ken Hom is best known in Britain for his BBC series on Chinese cooking. Elsewhere in the world — in the States, France, Australia and the far east for example — he is highly respected (and paid) for his unique personal style ol cookery, which, he writes, ‘arose out of my own efforts to blend the cuisines of Asia, America and Europe.“
In Edinburgh to promote his latest book, ‘Ken Hom's Cuisine: East meets West', now out in paperback, he demonstrated how his recipes often use Chinese techniques such as steaming and stir-frying to cook distinctly cosmopolitan mixtures of ingredients, including such things as sun-dried tomatoes, lresh basil and goats cheese. His book also includes wine suggestions after each recipe — a very un-Chinese touch.
He was delighted to have been given free rein by his publishers to include a long introduction describing his philosophy of food and eating, and his development as a cook. It ranges across his upbringing in ‘Chicago‘s miniscule Chinatown’, his travels in Europe, where in France and Italy he discovered two cultures that valued loud as much as he had learned to from his Cantonese mother, to his early and significant decision to move to California—a region only comparable to southern China in its year-round gastronomic abundance.
He studied Art History at Berkeley before deciding to devote his energies to food and cooking, and first made a
name for himself in 1981 by writing a book on Chinese Technique, much of which he had learned as a ‘kitchen drudge' in his uncle‘s restaurant in Chicago. Horn himself has ‘no intention ever of opening up a restaurant', partly
normal. Vegetarians are welcome and the presentation ofsculptured vegetables would tempt the most confirmed
IIhe Gourmet House 19 Ashton Lane 334 322‘). Mon—Fri noon—2pm. 5pm-—midnight: Sat noonw2pm. 5pm—-2am; Sun 5pm—midnight. Serves Cantonese and seafood as specialities along with an extensive traditional menu. Not your average Chinese: try the yam basket filled w ith a selection ofvegetables
I Loon Fung Restaurant 417 Sauchichall Street 332 1240. Mon—Sun noon—midnight. 'l‘he haunt of many Chinese and close to (ilasgow's own Chinatown. (iarnethill.wherc dragons i dance up the streets at New Year. Serves many | specialiticsincludingDim 1 Sum. Opt for a revolting l tabletoaddanewslantto l
BACK LIST
I filings Fast Food Kiosk Food Court. Princes Square 221 7005. Mon—Sat lllam—7pm: Sun 11am-5pm. Fast food with a difference: watch the chef as he stir-fries your noodles. or opt for the dish of the day.
I Peking Inn 191 Hope Street 332 712i). Mon—Thurs
noon »1 1.30pm; l‘ri Sat noon- midnight. (iood food and courteous. swift service. The ideal place fora family gathering. IAmber Regent 5lchst Regent Street 331 1655. Mon-Sat noon-A2. 15pm. 6pm - midnight. The most recent addition to the
city ‘soriental eating places. Plush interior with a cocktail bar. The service is good and the Peking Duck ls tobe recommended.
I H0 Wong 82 York Street 221 3551). Mon Sat
noon- 2pm.
530-1 1 .3tlpm; Sun 5.30 11.3(lpm. Another excellent restaurant
because he is a such a perfectionist, and partly, obviously, because olthe enviable jet-set lifestyle he has managed to create for himself. He has homes in Paris, Hong Kong and Berkeley (where he also works out in a gym to keep his elegant figure), and had just flown in, via Bangkok, from a three-week teaching stint in Australia to do the cookery demonstration in Waterstones before flying out first thing the next morning to cook this year‘s ‘Observer Dinner‘ in London. Despite all this he is charming and unpretentious, as are the recipes in his book, many of which exhibit his natural affinity with the best, simplest and most imaginative sort of Nouvelle Cuisine.(The book was short-listed for the prestigious Andre Simon memorial prize for books on food and cooking). Hom is now working on a book about Hong Kong, another on quick and easy cooking (simple — use a wok) and starting to think about anotherTV series. He has also promised to participate in next year’s Book Festival if he can (he would like to get to know Edinburgh). Anyone interested in the real Art of cooking should be there. (Lucy Bailey). Ken Hom‘s Cuisine: East meets West, published by Macmillan at £6.95.
Street 220 1688. Mon—Fri noon-2.30pm. 6pm—midnight; Sat 2pm—1am; Sun 4—11.3(lpm.Civilised and intimate Cantonese/Pekinese restaurant. Excellent seafood and good Dim Sum at weekends.
I North Sea Village 18 Elm Row 556 9476. Mon—Sat noon—2.30pm. 5pm—1am; Sun 5pm—1am. Newish and much acclaimed seafood restaurant. A bit upmarket. but they still do carry outs.
I Premiere Mandarin Cuisine Abcrcromby Place 5562313. Mon—Sun noon—2pm.
5.30—1 1.30pm. Classy restaurant with a wide menu and particularly
Peking and Szechuan cooking. Chans is an unassuming but pleasant place. and is particularly good for vegetarians.
I Chinese Home Cooking 21 Argyle Place 229 4404. Mon—Sun 5.3(l—1 1pm. Compact. friendly place with basic decor. btit lots ofgood. freshly-cooked food which sizzles out of the tiny kitchen through the back.
I Dragon Pearl 21) Union Place. l.eith Walk 556 4547. Mon—Sun noon—midnight. Endless restaurant which can get very hot and lively. Once you’ve deciphercd the menu. you're in for some excellent edibles.
I Imperial Restaurant
105 lIl‘)1.othian Road229 77-17. Mon—Fri good ‘banquets' for two. 4.3(lpm—midnight; three or four hungry
Sat Sun lpm—midnight. I people.
Vast. plush restaurant I Pats Chung Ying Chinese ideal for post-cinema Supermarket 201 l.eith eating. (iood. well- Walk 554 0358. Mon—Sun presented food and 10am—6pm. A wonderful friendly staff. barn of a place. packed
I Loon Fung 2 Warriston with exotic vegetables. Place. Canonmills 556 fresh and tinned. teas. 1781. Mon—Fri snacks. dried fish. frozen noon—midnight; Sat foods. woks and vast pots 2pm—1am; Sun and bamboo steamers and 2pm--midnight. (‘ramped teapots and cheap. pretty upstairs. but there's often china and endless spices and unidentifiable
whose forte is Cantonese dishes. Vegetarians are well catered for.
I Chung Ying Chinese Super Market 245 Dobbies Loan 333 0333. Mon—Sun 9.30am—6pm. A little oltthe beaten track, this large supermarket cum cash and carry hasthe largest stock of Chinese kitchen tools and ingredients in Glasgow.
I Lim's Chinese Supermarket Cambridge Street. Mon-Sat 9am—5pm approx. The city centre branch of Chung Ying. from bamboo calendars to flattened dehydrated chickens (delicious). You'll find everything necessary for experimentation with your wok (Britain‘s second most popular wedding present; first is the jug kettle). Don't forget the fortune cookies.
EDINBURGH }
I Canton Chinese Restaurant 22 Valleyfield Street 22‘) 1978. Mon-Sun 5pm—2am. Not plush. but wonderful food at unbeatable prices.
I Chans l Forth Street 556 7118. Mon—Fri noon—2pm. 5.3(lpm—midnight: Sat 3pm—midnight; Sun 5pm—midnight. | Specialising in Cantonese.
room below. and it‘s even worth queueing for their classic lemon chicken.
I Lunetown 38 William
stickysweets. A must.
l l powders. and sickly.
RESTAURANT Tue—Sat (evenings only) Table d‘Héte and a la Carte menus BRASSERIE Seven days: lunchtimes and evenings. Wide range of meals available.
A totally different eating experience fondue with hot oil or stock
30 Sandport Street 70LD FISHMARKETCLOSE Leith, Edinburgh EDINBURGH 031 225 54281 Phone 031554 2921 for reservation
azteca
Over 10 years direct trading with dozens of families in Mexico. Central and South America. Ceramics - Jewellery Weavings Masks Music Hand-painted Mexican tiles 16 Victoria Street Edinburgh EH12HG Tel: 031 226 6695 Wholesale and Retail
Splitfaced mask; State of Guerrero. Mexico
The List 14 — 27 October 1988 53