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Eurasra The old Scottish Amicable building in Glasgow's St Vincent Street has been refurbished and utterly transformed. Pass the city centre block and your eye can’t fail to be drawn to the plate-glass windows on the ground floor and the cream and cherry wood interior beyond. This is Eurasia, just opened and already indisputably one of the city’s best restaurants.
Designed by Weddell and Thomson, Eurasia has an Eastern feel with a Western level of comfort. Sliding doors, pale wood panels and minimal flower arrangements imply Japan; the comfortable upholstery and the rugs underfoot provide that essential degree of warmth for a Scottish winter.
It's hard to think of a safer pair of culinary hands in the West of Scotland than those of managing director Ferrier Richardson. In almost two decades in the trade, Richardson has brought us restaurants at the very top of the market, like Bearsden’s October and most recently Yes in Glasgow. With his new venture, from the look of the place to its very name,
Richardson is nailing his culinary colours to the mast. Ever a champion of what we now know as fusion, his oriental-style cooking with fresh local ingredients and Asian spices is executed with an ease and authority that comes from years of practice. 'lt's not a new style of cooking for me,’ says Richardson. ‘My basic philosophy
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East meets best: Eurasia
lunchtime service is honed to allow you to get back to work within the hour. There’s a convenient set pricing system from £12.95 for two courses at lunchtime. In the evening, there's a more substantial menu and prices plus a chance to try the astonishing selection of Asian hors d'oeuvres — five bamboo steamers piled high with
is "less is more". I try to keep it relatively simple and let the ingredients speak for themselves.’ The result is main dishes like oriental cured salmon with lime dressing and
mysterious parcels. Everything about Eurasia suggests this combination of up-market imagination with a reassuring West Coast
desserts like mango mousse satay of gooseberries and
strawberries.
Richardson is astute about the needs of his clients and
Alternative takeaways The cheese sandWich is dead. If you’re after a quick lunch or a TV dinner, The List can help you s0urce more adventurous food to go.
First up, Tampopo Noodle Bar (25a Thistle Street, Edinburgh, 220 5254) provides a boxful of Tokyo in the heart
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Le Sept
7 Old Fisknmrket Close Edinburgh
Lunch and Dinner Monday to 'l‘hursda}: Friday. Saturday and Sunday open all day
telephone
0131 225 5428
152 THE lIST 2—16 Dec 1999
pragmatism. That's a kind of fusion cookery that seems
here to stay. (Moira Jeffrey)
of Edinburgh’s New Town. A favourite With local businesses, Tampopo is the genume Japanese article serVing sushi or noodles to take away under the firm eye of owner and chef Katsuo Honjigawa.
On the west coast, Naked Soup (106 Byres Road, Glasgow, 334 6200) brings a touch of New York to Glasgow With Scotland’s first soup bar. Each day you can choose from eight different reCipes made that morning, and the menus change weekly. There are vegetable, fish and meat options and every tub comes With some brown bread and fresh fruit. 'This is a healthy alternative for the new millennium,’ says owner Claire McCahill. With recipes like spicy Thai duck soup, it is also deliCious.
Along the road, Fusron (41 Byres Road, Glasgow, 339 3666) offers ’a traditional way of eating meets a Western way of thinking,' according to Bob Buchanan. Bento boxes and platters are available from £6 upwards at this West End sushi bar. Phone ahead if you want to plan a party. All ingredients are fresh and each box is made from scratch. (Moira Jeffrey)
Eurasia is at 750 St Vincent Street, G/asgow, 204 7 750.
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Tokyo to go: Tampopo
Spit or swallow
It’s all a matter of taste.
Dessert wines are the hidden treasure of the Wine world, and one that's well worth discovering The popular conception is still of something old- fashioned and not suited to the oh-so- trendy modern palate, but this is due to the poor quality of past years and a tendency to drink them at the wrong time. Dessert wines are, as the name suggests, best drunk after dinner With pudding The numerous methods of production lead to a Wide variety of styles to sUit most tastes and, although they are still a relatively pricey Option, they really do prowde the perfect way to end a meal
Brown Brothers Late Harvested Noble Riesling 1996 (375ml, Australia) Produced by leaVing the grapes on the Vine and allowmg their natural Sugars to develop, this has a rich rtose of liqueur Oranges and petrol The palate is full of tangerines and cloves, With a slightly Oily texture BaSIcally Drambuie Without the whisky -— deliCious. Availab/e from Oddbins at £7.99.
Royal Tokaji 5 Puttonvos 1995 (SOOmi, Hungary) The grapes of this Wine have been exposed to Noble Rot (BOtrytis) which, although it sounds disgusting, intenSifies the sweetness and flavour, The raismy nose leads a fresh, zingy palate of honey, coffee and puff candy. Wonderfully complex, With great warmth and length. Avai/ab/e from MB/GSl/C at £73.99.
Yalumba Museum Liqueur Muscat (375ml, Australia) Australia's great gift to the world was liqueur ‘ _ muscat in which '_' _'_:' the sweetness comes from fortification With grape spirit (similar to the manufacture of port). This Wine is lightly syrupy, and a palate of damson plums and the richest, creamiest Belgian chocolate imaginable follows its allspice nose. Very festive. Avai/ab/e from Victoria Wine at f 7. 99. (Jane Quinn)
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