City staples
Our benchmark for an inexpensive meal is two courses for £15 or less. Some places are cheaper still,
especially at lunchtime. Here we suggest some venues that have become firm favourites and where you know you’ll get some fine nosh without busting your budget.
Bar and Café Gandolfi
64 Albion Street, Glasgow,
0141 552 4462/6813
(iandolli is a (ilasgow institution. kccping standards hiin tor tnorc than 25 scars now. Light incals can scr\ c as gcitct‘ousl} portioncd stal’tcl's. \\ hcthcl‘ a dclicatc slttokcd trout patc with crunch} oatcakcs. a litiiik ol'crcam} goat's chccsc on a walnut and oli\ c salad. or Stornowa} puddings tot hoth thc black and w hitc \arict} l. Hail} spccials ol‘l'cr options such as slow - roastcd chickcn with black pudding in a rich. swch rcd w inc saucc.
Fenwicks
15 Salisbury Place, Edinburgh, 0131 667 4265
.\'ow lamous l'or its hit-part in an Ian Rankin nox cl. this undcrstatcd littlc rcstaurant in .\'cw'ington has long hccn a local ittVUttl‘llC l'or slll'pt'lslllgi) sophisticatcd cooking that comhincs Scottish producc with inllucnccs lrom arottnd thc culinar) world. 'l‘hc sct pricc mcnu lat L. I 3.95 ha thrcc c‘ollt‘scsl is thc tnain cxcnt c\‘cr_\ cx‘cning. showing ol'l' thc placc at its hcst. with dishcs such as roast hrcast and conlit ol‘ guinca low! with parmcsan polcnta and spiccd pomcgranatcjus or warm pcar l'rangipanc tart with mtiscatcl icc-crcam.
Grassroots
93—97 St Georges Road, Glasgow, 0141 333 0534
This cos_\’ \cgctarian rcstaurant. sching w'cll prcscntcd and wcll priccd l‘ood. has a wartn and honcst amhicncc. Rich and crunch} risotto cakcs with goat's chccsc. pinc nuts and totnato saucc arc almost imariahI} a good option. but it )titt‘i‘c‘ not so hungr} just haxc a
20 THE LIST c‘ ‘-:
hcai't} howl ol sotlp lroin thc dail} changing spccials hoard. .'\nd thc calch spic_\. moist cinnamon carrot cakc w ill makc mcrfihing right in thc world. Most oi lhosc incrcdihlc ingrcdicnts arc stockcd in thc (irassroots sliopjust around thc
Ct )I‘HL‘I'.
David Bann's Vegetarian Restaurant
56-58 St Mary's Street, Edinburgh, 0131 556 5888
Tim good dcals at UM id Bann’s clcgant hut trcnd} rcstaurant don’t comc in thc l'orm ot prc-thcatrc mcals or sct-pricc mcnus. as thc) arc qtiitc silttpl} thcrc trom morning to midnight on thc rcgular nicnu. You won't strugglc to pick up two courscs hcrc tor £ I 5 or lcss. and with startcrs and snacks to light mcals and mains. llcxi—dining is pthilht‘i} cncouragcd. [)L‘iic‘ittlls dishcs such as caramcliscd onion and auhcrginc tartlct or spicy pistachio. lcntil and coriandcr k'ol‘ta arc modcls ol‘ contidcnt inVClllth‘nc‘ss and intriguing flavours.
Petit Paris
38—40 Grassmarket, Edinburgh, 0131 226 2442
With its w hitcwashcd walls and chcqtlcrcd lithiL‘L‘iMih. i’L‘lll i’at'ls |a_\s on thc (iallic charm with \crxc. 'I‘hc cuisinc marks a dclihcratc rcturn to thc jos ol hcart}. authcntic l-‘rcnch l'ood. no morc so than with thc dai|_\ plat du jour. chalkcd up in scraw |_\ handwriting and ol‘l'cring somcthing lip—smacking such as sautc‘cd lamb in a roscmar_\ ius or gl‘illc‘ti le‘itk. This (pills L‘tti'it‘cl costsjttst {5.5” and is a\ai|a|1|c at noon 3pm and 5.30 7pm.
Mother India's Café 1355 Argyle Street, Glasgow, 0141 339 9145 .\lothcr India‘s main rcstaurant is onc ol' ( ilasgow ~s lmottl‘itc curr} dcstinations. and thc cmphasis in this. its 2004 till-spring. is ()ll 'tlliliti (lt' sltltlil tilpzls-likc tllsitcsi sttlttc 40 ill it”. 'I'hc sclcction lllc’llldcs lots ol mcat—lrcc options (such as dccp— lricd auhcrginc trittcrsl as w cll as
David Bann's
olhcr dchcactcs such .is chickcn oti thc honc karahi oi .l chilh chickcn dosa. \othing costs inuch nioic than H.
Stravaiqin Café/Bar
28 Gibson Street, Glasgow. 0141 334 2665
This hustling \\cst lznd pub has .I sccrct w capon: it's scrxcd lw tlic sainc kitchcn as tlic rcnow ncd and considcrahl} inorc c\pcnsi\ c rcstauranl in thc hascincnt. i'lttlll [hL' \l;tl'lL'l'\. c'itt‘titial' ;tllti Ilk‘li‘ trittcrs can ha\ c an inspircd acctiinpaniincnt ol swcct chtlh caramcl with light strings ol carrot and cucuinhcr in that drcssing. 'l hc spccials can includc tcndcr roast lainh scr\cd on a hcd ol corianch couscous and lcnion gra\_\.
Trattoria Siciliana
'l‘uckcd awa} in a hasctncnl ncar thc l’la}|iousc. this opcncd in spring 2004 but is rcall} a throw hack w ith its cndcaringl} simplc approach and cra/iI} low priccs. 'l'hc ntcnu is hugc. hut sou cart pick otit thc l'rcshl} prcparcd sauccs lroin w hats in thc glass displa} llllll. and it _\ou'rc slon) hrokc and star\ ing thcrc‘s mm a ‘incnu turistico' lhow authcntic is that'.’l at L315” lor two
\llllPiL‘ Uttll'sc‘s with c‘ttiiL'L'.
CELEBRITY CHEAP CHOICE
’3- Des Clarke COMEDIAN
The Rock. Hyndland Road, Glasgow v 9 It’s; a .‘J‘:i(/;ll‘lll()
" \ pail, sath a (port
y (itn‘m'ailierr; and luait’r‘tyleft On it by arlnflerit one
night after a gig lit the C'Jttler Theatre. As always. when I came off stage l absolutely star/trig and my greedy eyes lit up when I caught sight of a sign advertising their offer of two steaks and a bottle of vane for a tenner. The lack of a hungry friend with me meant l had to look else'.-/'nere on the menu and found a Cracking mixed grill for only $6.15.