FOOD & DRINK NEWS & REVIEWS
COURTING COMMENT Is the food court of a Glasgow shopping mall the new frontier for the city's better street food? David Kirkwood tastes the Buchanan Galleries’ latest offering
‘S treet Food’ is a loaded phrase these days. It’s buzzy, happening, more exciting, less expensive food that’s sometimes even served on the streets, and not just in edgy (and wannabe-edgy) restaurants. It’s on the move and a million miles — or at least a couple of blocks — from the sad old stuff we’re used to from burger vans and takeaways.
To date, Glasgow’s best experience of all this has been through various food festivals and pop-ups across town. So it’s a bit of a balancing act that Taste Buchanan is attempting on the top floor of Buchanan Galleries. How many good food boxes can it tick while still being mainstream enough for a shopping centre’s palate? Operator Streetdots already runs successful sites in London, and partner Land Securities, which owns the shopping centre, has placed signs throughout promoting and pointing customers to this new venture. The stated goal is for the collection of traders to rotate every three months.
The half-dozen or so operators each have hatches that are part food truck, part dining hall. With central tables and benches, the set-up is still that of a familiar food court, except with more in the way of rustic rough wood touches and less garish signage. Burger King, still in place alongside, make up for that.
TASTE BUCHANAN
Key to the offer is that the operators represent local businesses that are small and focused on the particular food they offer, while still globally inspired. The bao (steamed buns) being served by Chompksy’s, one of the first batch of open hatches, are fantastic: bang-on crisp fried chicken or sweet, moist Korean BBQ pork garnished with Asian vegetables. Union Waffles do chicken and waffles (though not quite with the gusto of a US diner), then the appeal is broadened by Nomad’s sourdough pizzas, and Surf Dogs’ loaded, belly-filling hotdogs. There’s also Slainte Mhath, a bar doing gin cocktails, Fyne Ales, St Mungo’s lager and Thistly Cross cider. The most intriguing current resident is perhaps BRGR, whose gourmet burger concession is right beside its multinational burger chain rival. The latter’s seating area takes up almost as much as the entirety of Taste Buchanan’s communal zone, and it casts a long shadow – typically still commanding the biggest queue on the floor. But over the course of a meal, you do notice a fair few punters that inspect, swither and then choose street food over fast food. There’s something in it.
+ Potentially a great thing for good, diverse food in the city centre
- Still feels like a bold punt
Buchanan Galleries, 220 Buchanan Street, City Centre, Glasgow, G1 2FF, streetdots.co.uk Mon-Wed & Fri / Sat 11am-7pm; Thu 11am-8pm; Sun 11am-6pm.
66 THE LIST 3 Nov 2016-31 Jan 2017
DRINKS NEWS
As the nights draw in, so the pubs and bars start twinkling invitingly. And there are plenty new ones to get to know in the long winter nights. The Voyage of Buck, from the guys behind Hamilton’s and Treacle, is off on a Phileas-Fogg-style journey around the world of drinks from its base at the former Bert’s Bar on William Street in Edinburgh’s West End. Rory and Graeme Sutherland are the siblings behind Good Brothers Wine Bar in Stockbridge (pictured), and the expertise behind a 100-strong wine list, over half of which are natural wines. And in Glasgow, Crossing The Rubicon is Drygate’s new craft beer and curry venture at 372 Great Western Road. RECOMMENDS . . .
BELLA NAPOLI GLASGOW
Glasgow’s dining destination for lovers of Italian food with extra cold Moretti on draught. Winner of the UK Gold Award for best Pizzeria
UK in 2015.
bellanapoliglasgow.com