force
No one quite expected the Gaelic renaissance to include food. Fiona Anderson took along her phrasebook for a meal in Glasgow's West End.
he name of any restaurant is crucial and
Cail Bruich West has now joined other
West End eateries (Oran Mor. Bias and a new Dumbarton Road cafe. Sith) in using the ancient tongue to scream their Scottishness and. paradoxically. their modernity. No longer are folk embarrassed by their roots, and Gaelic no longer means bearded old geezers in thick cable jumpers listening to fiddles in remote villages with unpronounceable names.
Similarly. Scottish food no longer means deep- fried haggis. macaroni pies and [m Bru. but for a good while now has been all about hand-dived scallops, venison and the best beef in Britain. As TV chefs bang on about the importance of well- sourced ingredients and keeping it seasonal and local, everyone who‘s anyone is taking advantage of the best from Scotland’s larder. If a modem Scottish menu doesn‘t give provenance to at least one ingredient — does anyone use black pudding from anywhere other than Stornoway these days? — then it quite frankly isn’t even trying.
Paul and Chris Charalambous opened the original Cail Bruich (meaning "eat well‘) in Quarriers Village by Bridge of Weir in 2006 and have been successfully serving the great and the good of that affluent outpost ever since. However. the young brothers fancied a challenge and in a gutsy move have taken on a second pitch next door to the Brasserie at Oran Mor.
Soft light from votive candles creates a welcome in the window. and inside. dark red
walls and crisp white tablecloths give an air of
elegance and sophistication to what‘s in essence an uncomplicated. rectangular room. Despite the sleek decor the place has a friendly family feel with one brother in the kitchen. one working front of house. and mum and dad helping out here and there.
From the starter selection. glistening scallops have a butter crust and wobbling centre and are
served with a pea shoot salad and a smudge of
SCOTTISH FOOD
NO LONGER MEANS DEEP-FRIED HAGGIS, MACARONI PIES AND IRN BRU
cauliflower puree on the side. while toasted hazelnuts add an interesting touch to a light pigeon tartlet. For a substantial main. seared fillet of beef has a wonderful deep red centre and is both packed full of flavour and delightfully tender. while the accompanying ox cheek pie has crumbly hot water crust pastry. a dark. earthy. treacle-thick gravy and melting chunks of meat.
Halibut fillet is moist and well seasoned.
CAIL BRUICH WEST
725 Great Western Road, Glasgow
0141 334 6265, www.cailbruich.co.uk
Open: Tue--Fri noon--3pm, 5-10pm; Sat 10am- 3pm, 5-10pm; Sun 10am-9pm. Closed Mon
Average price two-course evening meal l£24.
topped with shiny beads of caviar and balanced on tender spears of white asparagus swimming in a salsify soup.
For desert. a warm chocolate fondant is so rich it presents a challenge to even the most hardened pudding lover. while an airy mousse brfilée rounds off the meal nicely and is accompanied with. fittingly. home-made Scottish shortbread.
OUTPOSTS OF THE GAELTACHT
An Lochan
340 Crow Road, Glasgow, 0141 338 6606, www.anlochan.co.uk Previously the Cafe Royal, outpost of the Royal Hotel in Tighnabruaich, both venues took on the An Lochan (‘the small loch') moniker a couple of years ago. More recently the McKie family added the Tormaukin Country Inn. up the glen from Gleneagles. to the collection.
10 THE LIST 4—18 880 2008
Stac Polly
29-33 Dublin Street, Edinburgh, 0131 556 2231, www.stacpolly.com Gaelic was never much in vogue in Edinburgh as a language or a source of names. yet there are three sister restaurants in Edinburgh named after the striking Stac Pollaidh (‘peak of the marshes‘) in Coigach, north of Ullapool. UnSurpriSingly, they're about as Scottish as good taste allows.
Ee-usk
North Pier, Oban, 01631 565 666, www.eeusk.com
The name's generated by a phonetic rendition of 63/39. Gaelic for fish, and this modern, glass-walled restaurant on the old pier in Oban is the landmark place to eat in the ferry port, offering the best views out over the harbour as well as a long menu of seafood options.