FOOD & DRINK
Pubthe Budda
For some people, eating and drinking is a mystical experience. Glasgow's latest style bar leads the way in consciousness raising.
Words Rory Weller
Budda rs one of those places that unless you've actually set out to vrsrt then you're unlrkely to stumble rn by
Quite what a smart drinking den has to do with the teachings of Gautama Siddhartha and his attempts to destroy greed, hatred and delusion is not
entirely clear.
accrdent. Just past Hope Street on St Vrncent Street, rn a basement overshadowed by towerrng temples to busrness, lres thrs sublrme sanctuary. The new style bar/restaurant rs the
latest venture from one of Glasgow's more low-key entrepreneurs, Derrrck Ogrlvre, the man who brOught us Ocho and Moro. The current manrfestatrOn rs only phase one of the Budda plan that, later rn the year, wrll result rn a club Openrng upstarrs.
Qurte what a smart drrnkrng den has to do wrth the teachrngs of Gautama Srddhartha and hrs attempts to destroy greed, hatred and delusron rs not entrrely clear, But the logo does rnclude a cheery chap wrth a drum trght belly and a contented c0untenance. In the case of Budda though, thrs rs farr enough. It’s welcomrng wrthout bear- huggrng y0u, comfy rn an effortless manner and desprte only takrng srx weeks to entrrely gut and reburld the place for the recent Openrng, Its detarl rS perfect They dropped the 'h' from the name because rt wasn’t qurte Curly enOugh and Just so they're Sure they don’t annoy any real Buddhrsts.
The front of the bar rs overrun wrth sofas and knee-hrgh tables perfectly placed to encourage rnformal chat and
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boozmg, there’s a secret passageway under the starrs for clandestrne trysts (look out for the CCTV camera though) and then, to crown rt all, a long blonde wood-topped bar, Wrth bulgrng organrcally shaped concrete base.
figmr Le Sept
7 Old F ishmarket Close Edinburgh
Lunch and Dinner Monday to Thursday. Friday. Saturday and Sunday open all day
telephone 0131 225 5428
Bar Budda: sublime sanctuary
Textures are the key to the congenral atmosphere, wrth tactrle plaster-work and raw sandstone walls, a combrnatron of wood and slate floorrng plus lush, rrch drapes There are elements of North Afrrcan desrgn, blended vvrth a cosy contemporary cool,
The restaurant to the back takes a sirghtiy more forma' approach wnrch rs reflected rn the guairty of the modern Scottrsh-meets-Medrterranean menu Two courses at luncn -wrth say, caramelrsed onron and parmesan tartlet, herb salad and tomato dressrng plus a marn course of Open ravrolr of forest mushrooms and marroram sauce rs £9.50. Drnner rs around £15 a head wrth offerrngs such as Greek feta rn frlo wrth herb salad and grrlled Shetland salmon on a warm tabeLrleh salad Food rs also served rn the bar durrng the day wrth a cheaper but nonetheless rmagrnatrve menu,
Budda 142, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, 221 5660 (bar) 243 2212 (restaurant).
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10 Newington Road Edinburgh 01;“ 4221 "166} "
0131-662 9020-
110 "IE UN 20 Feb—S Mar 1998