FOOD & DRINK
Czechin' in and Czechin' out
East meets west as Ron McCulloch resurrects OBLOMOV. Words Rory Weller
he eastern end of Great Western at ::‘.e'ly izlessed with great vtlrmkznr; piazes, but now an East Eiurepean :nspzred bar has opened to ‘z'! the trap :‘~.tany ‘-.‘/r|| remember the name Oblomov's from the (ham of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee ‘.'.’i‘.?t '1 were terribly t'ashronable ar:>und a detade ago, but Ron '.tt('uil:;;it, designer of these
lta's e'r
,rIlazes, has resust tated the name fer hrs latest pro;e<t lvl<Cullo<h, the head of He Big Beat group who also own Cul De Sat, Ctrppet Tl‘eatre, Tunnel 5:7":' The suit" 1:: reappear liaxafuna, Fever been one to :ash r.'r on the
rant
Le Sept
7 Old Fishmarket Close Edinburgh
Lunch and Dinner Monday to Thursday. Friday, Saturday and Sunday open all day telephone 0131 225 5428
\.‘.illi(‘ 30s style varndev-is
this Is get, Austrian, Russian
theme bar probably as near as he drawing on P-DilSil, C/etlro-sltmtkrarr and rnfluen<es
Oblomov rs on the srte of the old Brlko bar, down from the Kelvrrthrulge underground and rt has changed beyond retognrtron Cone rs the rather shoddy sketth of Phrl Silver‘s on the outside, repla<ed by the Mt Culloth trademark attention to detail The name of the bar Is Si)("ii("(i out along
explosion, but
w |
McCulloch has never been one to cash in on the theme bar explosion, but this is probably as near as he will get, drawing on Polish, Austrian, Czechoslovakian and Russian
influences.
the frontage rn subtle hatk lrt sguares
"it Mr: t"\ .\ .t (li/
til:
("'0\ ’ "nu e
12 ASHTON LANE
let»: G
25 years of traditional Scottish cooking
10“
Tel 0141-334 5007
102 THE llST 8 22 Jan 1‘938
metal ‘.'.ror< and rrnposrng floor to telling doors (omplete the outward appear'arrte inside rt looks like a pre. war Prague hotel bar, with globe lights, leather booths, parguet floors, drapes and the heavy wooden bar furnished with imported draught beers lrke Hoegaarden and Leffe Behind the bar
there's Budvar, Cararnbrnus, Staropramen The house vodka rs Polish
The rnusr( and the lights are kept low and they wouldn't dream of havrng a DJ, going Instead for a iald-bdtk Jd/X band or maybe a strrng guartet to play rn the bat kground for spe<ra| ot(asrons Tltrs, they retkon, rs what an older pubber rs after 'The atmosphere we're trying to (reate :s all (bout the art of ("oversatronf says rrranageress Diane (:rah am 'We want peop?e to (orne rn when its busy and strll be able to hear what they're saying ! hate gorng out and there's people hve years younger, and they don't have the brandy | dnnk behind the bar Oblomov rs for older people who do like to (orne out and they've got money to spend and srt for three hours at a table for srx and drrnk for S<otlano and talk about thrngs'
But rt's not ,just about swally though Half of the prernrses rs taken over with the restaurant szde :)f thrngs, v/rtit rneals se'ved it 33am 8pm every day exrept Sunday when the krtthen staff get an extra half hour rn their beds The Eastern European feel rs (arrred through to the menu \‘Jitltit rsn't too surprrsrng same the the setond (hef hails from Poland
Bors< ht 's the resident soup and
Oblomov: lager, Prague, borscht and blinis
starters Irke blrnrs, rollrnop herring, stuffed cabbage leaves and potato durnplrngs all have the necessary authentic feel Paprika rs all over the place rn the marn courses, from the goulash, (hargnlled marinated salmon, saute shredded beef and the peppers stuffed wrth cream spinach and nce. For dessert there's strudels, Hungarian (heese(ake and a noodle kugel which rs apparently a cross between strudel and noodles wrth apples In keeping wrth the theme, all the meals are relatively (heap, none of the main (ourses are over seven pounds and most come In at around the SIX pound mark Great food, Interesting beers and no Czeth rt out or feeling Hungary Jokes (Not so fast on the lack of puns |n<omrng trtle (langer, Ed.)
Oblomov Beerhouse and Kitchen, 372-374 Great Western Road, Glasgow, 0141 339 9177