Side dishes
Food news with fast service DEVOTEES OF THE Back Alley may be aghast but on Monday 11 September the popular, laid-back Ruthven Lane venue became Stravaig lnto, new sister bistro to Stravaigin across the West End of Glasgow. Although the restaurants were always under the same ownership -~ and allied to Ronnie Clydesdale's Ubiquitous Chip — management deeded to 'Stravaigin- ise’ Back Alley while hoping to keep its essence.
Over comes chef Colin Clydesdale and a range of his more adventurous and highly regarded dishes. Although the vaunted Back Alley burgers remain (as do pasta selections), the new menu features Yucatan chilli con carne, Thai green coconut Curry, and a char-grilled Aberdeen Angus Sirlom ’With seriously big chips', The exterior has been re- painted and a more thorough re- deSign for the slightly cramped quarters inside is planned for the new year, when the space Will be opened up and upstairs made available for general dining instead of sewing solely as a function room.
a Stravaig Into, 8 Ruthven Lane, Glasgow 0747 334 7765.
EL SABOR RECENTLY opened in Glasgow's woefully under-publicised Merchant Square redevelopment of the 19th century market between Candleriggs and Albion Street in Glasgow's Merchant City. Along with a vast new branch of Leonardo's bar and bistro, El Sabor
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Cuba Norte
192 Morrison Street.
221 1430
Bienvenidos! Welcome to the authentic premier palador. Dance, Wine and
dine in Cuba Norte sunshine.
Filmhouse 11'
88 Lothian RoadF1LW‘l-IOLJSE 229 5932.
Relaxed, atmospheric cafe bar, serving great value snacks, salads, specials and brilliant cappuccinos — 10am till late.
Isabel's Cafe
83 Clerk Street. 662 4014.
Stone walled smoke-free basement oasis, serving homemade veggie/vegan food - fresh, delicious and cheap. Tapas Olé
1O Eyre Place 8 Li. 4A Forest Road ' 556 2754/557 510
30 different tapas 10 of fish, 10 of veggie, 10 of meat. Live music, parties welcome.
Wok Bar
26-30 Potterow 0131 667 8594 Freshly cooked, combining flavours of the Far East, including the tastiest dishes from Thailand, Japan, China and Malaysia and the best range of Asian beers.
joins various shops in this new Covent Garden-in-miniature enterprise. El Sabor owner Graham Sutherland is relying on a selection of eighteen modestly priced tapas, served from noon to 11pm to lure in trade, although a dinner menu includes a variety of full courses.
The initial feel is distinctly Spanish, sabor means flavour, but Sutherland is keen to take the restaurant towards a broader Mediterranean range of cuisine. Indeed new tapas dishes will be introduced frequently - and not all of them will necessarily be of Spanish origins. The restaurant's design, based on Sutherland's own drawings, takes full advantage of the vertical height afforded by the building. With space for 92 covers, including a mezzanine and ’outdoor' seating within the old market hall, El Sabor is spacious and may soon be open to 2am, serving food as well as drinks.
l E/ Sabor, 77 Bell Street, Merchant Square, Glasgow, 0747 552 3400.
Bar10
10 Mitchell Lane 572 1448 Contemporary food, Wide range of vegetarian dishes. Live Jazz Sundays afternoons. DJs and drinks promotions.
Havana
50 Hope Street
Merchant City
248 4466.
Best of latin CUisine. Half price fajitas and burritos, Mon-Sat, 5---7pm.
MAO Merchant City
CAFE t BAR 564 5161,
Simple, qwck and healthy Far Eastern cUisine. Eating out made easy.
Mao Café Bar 84 Brunswick Street
Maclachlans Brew Bar
57 West Register Street, 332 0595. Quality out of the ordinary wrth beer brewed on the premises, 100% organic food and live music.
Pancho Villas
26 Bell Street, Merchant City. 552 7737 MeXican born owner of Pancho Villas Mayra Nunez hopes to bring some of the real Memo to Scotland. Buen provecho.
FOOD &. DRINK
rant
Le Sept
7 Old Fishmavlzet Close Edinburgh
Lunch and Dinner Monday to 'l‘hurs‘day. Friday, Saturday and Sunday open all day
telephone 0131 225 5428
BUDWEIBER BAR & FILM
THE BIGGER PICTURE
I "18 Corn Exchange, I Constitution Street, leilll, Edinburgh.
I m Jul}! 51mm: I oni enfia I Register [0" "88 “0‘83 I
Sentemller 29 a. 30
D.
.5 I Sunday Lunch On Sunday afternoon our eljefi prepare a superb and innovative menu. Relax and 4 enqu a wonderful l’ljl‘L’L’-L’()IH‘.\'L’ lune/J and a glass
lather“
Excellent value at £16 per person.
12 Ashton Lane Tel 0141-334 5007
th' k ' I b I m ggataloca
strovoig intom
8 Ruthven Lane (off Byres Road) Glasgow
Te|:0l4l 3347|6S
www.sti'avaigin.com
21 Sep 50c! 2000 THE llST117