FOOD & DRINK SUPPORTED BY
RECENT OPENINGS
MACK ’N’ CHEESE After phenomenal success making pizza, it’s time for pasta, served in an iconic Glasgow building, as Bronwen Livingstone discovers
T he newest member of the Paesano family, Sugo Pasta, turns its considerable attention from pizza to fresh pasta, delivering dishes that strive for an authentic regional identity. Made daily in-house – the house being the impressive A-listed former Herald building by Charles Rennie Mackintosh – the various pastas are carefully matched with sauces and ingredients traditionally found in regions of Italy, from Veneto to Sicily. The menu comprises nine mainstays and three seasonal specials – with tempting choices such as ravioli with veal, potato and cavolo nero from Emilia Romagna, and Sicilian squid ink pasta with baby squid ragu and lemon pangrattato. Chitarra (named after the wire ‘guitar’ that’s used to form the noodles) takes on bold saucing with confit tomatoes, chilli and punchy anchovies. A selection of sides include wild boar salami, burrata with sweet San Marzano tomatoes and excellent sourdough bread, while a short dessert menu features ice- cream, lemon tart and ricotta-stuffed cannolo with pistachio and chocolate. Portions are well-judged – ample, not overwhelming – and, as with the Paesano pizzerias, there’s a no booking policy, so be prepared to wait at busy times.
SUGO PASTA
70 Mitchell Street, City Centre, Glasgow, G1 3LN, sugopasta.co.uk £15 (lunch/dinner)
The best of the new restaurant, café and bar openings in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Prices shown are for an average two-course meal for one.
Glasgow BOWLARAMA
BOWLING ALLEY & TIKI BAR 20 Glassford Street, Merchant City, 0141 553 1100, bowlarama.co.uk, £15 (lunch/dinner)
Scotland’s first late-night ten-pin bowling alley has proved an attractive solution for those gone- stale office parties. Owned by Glasgow’s Tiki Bar proprietor, Ian McColm, this boozy skittle alley holds a restaurant, tiki bar and four
lanes of ten-pin fun featuring prime Brunswick equipment. The menu is US-inspired, with generous portions of deep-fried starters the precursor to stacked burgers. If a patty isn’t what you’re looking for then maybe their duck and waffle is. Plus there’s an array of cocktails to liven things up. One game can go rather quickly so book a few rounds for added fun.
VIN-CRU WINE BAR
Merchant Square, Merchant City, 0141 553 1786, vincru.wine, £14 (lunch/dinner) It’s ‘East meets West’ with this new wine bar from members of the Dennistoun Bar-B-Que and the Hug & Pint. It’s an expression of the style for 2020, with all the 40-plus wines being natural, biodynamic or low-intervention – and a focus on accessibility. Food is principally tacos, which could jar a bit (matching wine with Mexican) but veggie ones have the H&P’s pedigree, and DBBQ’s slow-cooked meats hit all the right points with smoky, slurpy gusto. They’re all about
£4, as is a pint of Tennent’s. These constituent parts might not quite make overall sense, just yet, but there’s plenty to invest in.
GLORIOSA BISTRO
1321 Argyle Street, West End, 0141 334 0594, gloriosaglasgow.com, £18 (lunch) / £28 (dinner) Chef-proprietor Rosie Healy’s new venture offers similarly sublime yet simple Mediterranean dishes that marked her out at former kitchen Alchemilla. It’s in the old Firebird spot – looking clean and bright with exposed support beams and white walls adorned with a France-Lise McGurn mural. The menu is ever-evolving but expect delicious little flatbreads, Ottolenghi-spice- rack dishes of seasonal meat, fish and veg, along with seafood pasta, ceviche and clever little salads that sing. Wines are all natural and from small producers, and there’s a handful of classic cocktails.
Edinburgh THE CAULDRON
COCKTAIL BAR
57a Frederick Street, New Town, 01314661973, thecauldron.io/edinburgh, £35 (cocktail experience)
This wizard-themed speakeasy has now confirmed permanent tenure in its basement nook on Frederick Street. Their immersive cocktail experience sees participants don wizarding robes and wave gnarled, old wands around while concocting bubbling cocktails in (you guessed it) a cauldron. There’s just the right level of dry ice and self-aware humour from your ‘potions master’ to avoid cringing. The resulting drinks from the ‘potions class’ are potent and please
anyone with a sweet tooth (a virgin version is also available). The bar serves bookish and fantasy- themed cocktails, with the Basil Bramble, garnished with fresh basil from the bar’s space-age plant pods, stealing the show.
MASTI INDIAN RESTAURANT
86 Morningside Road, Morningside, 0131 447 4777, masti.uk, £15 (lunch/dinner) This casual space in an old Bruntsfield townhouse has a relaxed atmosphere. Exposed brick walls show off the skeleton of the building while the deep green paint job and sparkling chandeliers add a splash of class. The food is served tapas-style, a nod to India’s street plate culture. Onion bhajis are a crisp, light start. Chicken tikka masala is succulent and fresh. Goan fish curry is a welcome detour from the classics and ordering it rewards with a spicy yet fruity taste of the tropics. BYOB keeps the pricetag cheerfully low, and a thick and refreshing mango lassi means you don’t even miss the booze anyway.
LE MONDE COCKTAIL BAR
16 George Street, New Town, 0131 270 3939, lemondehotel.co.uk, £18 (lunch/dinner) Boasting a fresh refurbishment, this renowned cocktail bar on George Street oozes class, just like the extensive cocktail list. The refreshing Berlin cocktail has a cleansing snap of watermelon for those that don’t like anything too sickly sweet. The wine-list focus is champagne with Laurent-Perrier being the star. After the breakfast menu ends, the market menu continues until late, featuring tapas- style plates. The spinach and cheese croquettes are gooey on the inside and crispy on the outside. Elsewhere, there’s a nod to Scottish tradition in dishes like the juicy chicken thigh in a whisky haggis sauce, and the vegan cranachan which has a delightful coconut hint.
Independent write-ups on all the restaurants worth knowing about in Glasgow and Edinburgh are available on our online Eating & Drinking Guide at list.co.uk/food-and-drink
52 THE LIST 1 Feb–31 Mar 2020