Food—wise. try the numerous Afro-Caribbean shops on Great Western Road for an unbeatable range of spices and food you won‘t find
elsewhere. The best bargain is the four cans of
chickpeas for a pound at Sagoo's (496 Great Western Road. 0141 34 4278). ()r you go next door to a deli and pay £1.25 a tin). If you want to be even healthier go to Mono (Kings Court. 0141 553 2400). Not just one of Glasgow’s best bars. it also does an intriguing line in organic produce and vegan food. Faux-sages. anyone?
Architectural tourism
It‘s a sad truth about Glasgow that many of its architectural delights are becoming designer apartments. The latest to go is part of the CaVa Recording Studios on Bentinck Street. a former church turned Belle and Sebastian stomping ground. Still. peek behind the scaffolding and there‘s still enough to be impressed by.
Get into the mood for the Mackintosh Festival this September with one of Charlie’s oft-ignored buildings. the Martyr’s School (Parson St. 0141 271 8301) beside St Mungo‘s: it was one of the first he worked on and his distinctive style is in evidence. There's a lot more to Glasgow architecture than just Mackintosh though. there are plenty of new designs to get even Kevin McCloud excited. ‘Glasgow is heaving with unusual contemporary design‘. says Leonie Bell of the Lighthouse.
‘The best places tend to be down little alleyways and somewhat hidden. Glasgow is great at renovating and breathing new life into buildings. Tramway (25 Albert Drive. 0845 330 3501) is always worth a look. especially the beautiful Hidden Gardens and the spectacular redevelopment of Graham Square in Gallowgate.‘ To get a true feel for the city's architecture. Bell suggests walking from Glasgow Green to the Atlantic Quay. ‘You‘ll see the peculiar Victorian follies in the park. the magnificent 18th century Custom House (Stockwell St). the Cathedral (Castle St. 0141 552 8819) and into the financial district. Look
out for the award-winning Sentinel (103 Waterloo St). an office block of glass and slate
utilizing a system of LE1). creating a continually changing spectrum of colour.
Food for thought
This is where your freebies dry up but do not yield to temptation in your bargain hunt. There are some who claim you should stay well clear of Glasgow‘s myriad of Chinese buffets — or tears may not be the only bodily function the evening ends with. lchiban Cafe (184 Dumbarton Rd. 0141 334 9222 and 50 Queen St. ()141 204 4200) is a local favourite for all your noodle needs and has a great range of sushi which goes perfectly with summer.
For something a little more traditional. Tchai-Ovna (42 ()tago Lane. 0141 357 4524 and 169 Deanston Drive. ()141 (149 7259) is perfect for a good wholesome afternoon of
SUMMER IN THE CITY
lchiban (main picture) - either in Dumbarton Road or Queen Street branches — is perfect for hanging out after eating a bowl of noodles, while Baby Grand (left) is the favoured hangout for restaurateur Enzo Longo. Meanwhile, CaVa Studios (opposite, below) no longer exists as a recording studio, but there are plenty of other small architectural delights to be seen.
oriental tea and Scrabble. It may look a bit like your gi’anny‘s but that’s all part of the charm. \Vith no clocks on the wall and precious little chance of mobile signal which makes it the perfect place to procrastinate. This vegan paradise's exact opposite can be found with the caffeine and grease combo of (‘olTee litc ( 150 Queen Margaret Drive. 0141 945 4120). It's BYOB. a coffee is half the going rate in the West lind and the soup will get you change from a pound. (‘hoose a cosy booth or sit at one of the otttdoor tables 7 it's this sudden abundance of external seating that‘s one of the great benefits of the smoking ban. Add a few aluminum chairs and suddenly even the scummiest of old man pubs has got a touch of cafe society about it. Among the most desired outdoor spots is the bar at the Big Blue (445 Great Western Rd. 0141 357 I038). overlooking the Kelvin. lgnored all year. the first ray of sunshine triggers a race for space. Still. as good as eating and drinking in Glasgow cart be. can it ever compete with holiday nightlife'.’ lin/o Longo thinks so. He's
jtist returned three days early from a trip to
Italy becatise the heat was unbearable and as the man behind Italian restaurant Barbarossa. he knows his stuff. Top of his list. the ('haring (‘ross outpost of piano-bar The Baby Grand (.3 lilmbank Gardens. 0141 248 4942). ‘1 love the atmosphere. it‘s so cosmopolitan. every culture is represented and it's a place for everyone. It reminds me of my favourite bars across liurope.’
" '-’ ’ H” THE LISTQ 1'“ z I" 1/55 A. 1')