Precious Memories of 2010

Added on Monday 3 Jan 2011

Photo: setting auditorium. There was a suitably magical end to a spectacular year on the West End's action-packed dining and drinking scene with one of Oran Mor's last grand functions of 2010.

Lord of the Rings star Billy "Pippin" Boyd celebrated his wedding to long term partner, ballet dancer Ali McKinnon, with two other former Hobbits in attendance. Actors Elijah Wood (Frodo) and Dominic Monaghan (Merry) were both there to enjoy the day, which began with the lovely bride arriving in a short cream lace dress - as seen in a nice Hello-style picture in The Daily Record. In fact the appearance of celebs at Oran Mor is a fairly routine phenomenon, but it's fun to see this very local star stage his reception in the West End's answer to the citadel of Gondor.

Oran Mor was a fairly obvious choice for the couple, as they live only minutes away, and after a private function in the auditorium gallery for around 30 more than 150 guests arrived to enjoy the arguably rather special ambience of the grand hall and its famous Alasdair Gray ceiling mural.

Photo: byres road snow. As everyone will be painfully aware the West End has looked more like Narnia than Middle Earth over the last few weeks. It may have been picturesque - a Victorian Christmas card scene - but the sub-zero temperatures and fickle transport system made doing anything away from home a bit of a trial - and some early reports suggested pubs and bars were taking a hammering through people staying indoors with takeaways.

From the anecdotal evidence I've heard that was true for a lot of venues for the worst few days of the big freeze, but I suspect that as things began to mildly improve many folk were only to glad to get out of the house and into some sort of party spirit.

I've visited a handful of restaurants and maybe half a dozen pubs over the last three or four weeks and from what I've seen most businesses were doing well. I know for a fact that Zizzi's in Cresswell Lane" had to chase people away at least one night, because it was so popular, and it's likely that high-profile locations like Ashoka Ashton Lane enjoyed the same sort of rush.

Talking about busy venues, fair play to Allan Mawn at Velvet Elvis and Criterion in Thornwood for laying on free draught coke to duty drivers during the Christmas holiday; a nice wee gesture which could be followed more widely. I bumped into Allan very recently and he said despite the very worst days of the snow people hadn't been deterred from venturing out.

However it's fairly common among licensed trade folk to rue the festive break because it makes extra work to gain cash which won't then be spent in January - although some publicans insist January isn't as bleak for business as you might suppose.

Of the various eye-catching offers I saw over the season the absolute bargain of the crop was the turkey dinner (with dessert) in Tennent's Bar at £7.50 - booking essential. I hope this sort of value for money offer doesn't become a casualty of the pub's looming transformation into a "Nicholson's" branded pub, of which more shortly.

Best of the West

With Santa and his hellish legions now banished for another year it's maybe a good time to look back over the last few months and take stock of just how fast and far the local bars and restaurants scene has developed in an incredibly short space of time.

There have been casualties, of course, like Enoteca opposite Kelvingrove museum - now relaunched as the instantly-successful Pelican; and also, sadly missed, Morton's coffee shop in Byres Road. It was definitely a casualty of the recession, as although it offered a different type of service to the ice cream salon and flashy Tinderbox coffee shop, nearby, it evidently couldn't win the customer volume to cope with the hefty prime-space rates.

Another sort of casualty in Byres Road was Sofia's Tuscan bistro, formerly Antepasti, which after a few months has been magically transformed into "Cafe Antepasti" with a minor repointing of Sofia's decor scheme - so evidently Antepasti exerted a loyalty allure which Sofia just couldn't supersede. A casual look discloses a wide ranging but unpretentious menu, lunch and pre-theatre deals (both under a tenner) and an encouraging list of blackboard daily specials.

With the lights dimmed in the evening it all looks very continental and beguiling, and the mezzanine is particularly suited to clandestine meetings - though best bring a pen torch.

Photo: mother india curry by martin gray. Amid all this change (particularly up towards Charing Cross) it was nice to see Mother India deservedly receive the Best Restaurant award from Glasgow Restaurant Association in their inaugural awards this year. Virtually everybody I've mentioned this to has said "about time".

I wouldn't criticise any attempt to devise an awards scheme which has to take in everything from "Scottish" (in the sense of Roastit Bubbly Jock or Cail Bruich) to "Mediterranean" - which would would loosely include Greek, Spanish, Turkish and Italian. Should Shillak Korean restaurant be listed as "Chinese", or "Far East"? Is it even remotely similar to Thai?

Yet awards obviously need parameters, as you can't pitch, say, La Vallee Blanche against Balbir's - there are loads of common reference points in these two but they are both, excellently, doing a quite different job.

However while it's difficult to make relative comparisons plenty of food writers have amply acknowledged the stunning quality of the local Asian restaurant scene, and it's nice to have the point made loud and clear: Mother India isn't just the best Indian restaurant; this award says it's simply the best of all the restaurants in the city-wide competition.

Coming on top of the earlier Scottish awards title this year as Best Indian for Mother India's Cafe in Glasgow and Edinburgh (tried them both - they're both first class), it's a long-overdue barrage of honours for the dynamic catering empire run by chef-proprietor Monir Mohammed.

Meanwhile Mother India's was just the top award in a whole string of honours won by West End ventures in the Glasgow Restaurant Association event.

Photo: butchershop bar grill. Other winners

Two Fat Ladies at the Buttery (which I'd count as West End at a squeak) won the Posh Nosh category; and Number 16 on Byres Road was awarded the Smart But Casual title. Mother India won the Best Non-European title, and also the overall title for Best Restaurant. Hotel du Vin won Best Inhouse Marketing and The Butcher Shop Bar & Grill was Best Newcomer. Cafe Andaluz West End won the 5pm Users award; and legendary restaurants figure Mario Gizzi won the award for Entepreneurial Spirit.

These account for a very hefty slice of the overall winners, bringing home very forcefully just what a major role the West End's restaurant operators play in Glasgow quality dining.

Just to underscore the point about "Asian" cuisine and its excellence, meanwhile, I was pleased to see Sunday Herald critic Joanna Blythman list Persia in Great Western Road as one of her top ten restaurants - and delighted that like me one of her favourite dishes is the fassenjen chicken "stew" in pomegranate and walnut sauce.

Persia, one of the most brilliant arrivals on the local scene over the past year, wins an extra star from me because it was practically the only place open and serving quality takeaway food on Boxing Day.

Green Chilli

I was sorry I had to miss the opening of this intriguing new venture sited more or less opposite Ashoka Argyle Street (next to The Goat Bar and Grill) from Harlequin Restaurants, as its very interesting proposition is "authentic" home-stove cookery of the sort lucky Indian folk are apt to be given by their mums and aunties.

Owner Sanjay Majhu - who named the venture after his favourite spice ingredient - said: "Glasgow is renowned for the quality of its Indian restaurants - and rightly so - but Green Chilli is bringing something different to the mix: great pot-style cooking prepared by Indian mothers and aunties using family recipes that have been handed down through the generations.

"Mums seem to give the food an extra taste which only they know how to do."

He adds:"At 73 years old, my mum still cooks great Indian food and has been involved throughout all stages of Green Chilli's product development and I can't wait to show that my mum's home cooking is absolutely the best!"

The menu includes starters of Masala Dosa; Mussels Masala; Machi Amritsari; Sabzi Pakora; Keema Parcels and Jeera Chicken.

Mains include: Mumbai Lamb; Karahi Murgh; Chicken Saag; Shoray Murgh; Tandoori Halibut, Makhan Murgh, Lamb Bhindi, Chicken Sharabi. and Punjabi Fish.

Meanwhile back in Gibson Street Gurkha Tandoori has appeared on the left hand side of the street roughly where (I think) the Shalimar used to be, making it the first Indian restaurant to open for many years in an area once famous for its Asian ventures. More on these and other Indian ventures in due course.

Well Done Colin

Maclay Inns is celebrating after two of its bartenders; Colin McMillan from the Three Judges and Frank Murphy from well-respected south side pub the Clockwork Beer Co took first and second places at the Glenfiddich Malt Mastermind Awards.

Colin beat off competition from eight bartenders from across the UK to be awarded the title of 'Malt Mastermind of the Year'.

In fact I've recently had a blether or two with Colin about whisky, only to find that he's at least as knowledgeable about cask ale, just like colleague Ronnie: manager Angela Bradley tells me she doesn't know what she's done to deserve not one but two beer fanatics in her staff.

Eight candidates were short listed to attend the event awards in London where they had to present their serving suggestions to a panel of judges headed by brand ambassador of Glenfiddich, Jamie Milne.

In addition to the award title, Colin received £1,000 cash prize along with a VIP trip to the Glenfiddich distillery where he will get the opportunity to taste and sample a range of rare malts. When I spoke to him about this a few weeks ago he was still recovering from the shock - to say he was looking forward to the trip would be an understatement.

Steve Mallon, Managing Director of Maclay Inns, said: "To have not one but two of our bartenders come out on top is a great achievement. It shows they have great passion and flair as bartenders and are keen to stay at the forefront of the industry."

It was a bumper year for both Maclay Inn venues, with the Clockwork Beer Company also claiming the 'Beer Quality Pub of the Year' and the Three Judges picking up the title of 'Cider Pub of the Year' at one of the licensed trade awards events this year.

Photo: batty cocktail. Batty about cocktails

Meanwhile the super-sumptuous Lansdowne Bar and Kitchen, another Maclay enterprise, has been trying to make the most of the recent Arctic weather with a cocktail called Sean Batty Whisky Latte - to toast the hard work performed by STV weatherman Sean Batty in the run up to the second instalment of the big chill.

In fact they've even been selling this concoction in a glass bearing Mr Batty's picture, which is taking micro-brand awareness to extremes. "The nation immediately took him to their hearts with his, witty weather banter, cheeky smile and infectious good humour", claims Maclay.

The Sean Batty Whisky Latte, the brainchild of staff at the Lansdowne Bar & Kitchen, is a warm drink, served in a latte glass with two shots of whisky, milk, cream, honey and topped with nutmeg. It sounds like something your Hielan' grannie would give you if you came down with a chill.

But in fact it's yet another case of West End celeb mania, as manager Emma Bell explains: "Everyone at the Lansdowne loves seeing Sean on the weather and he's caused quite a bit of excitement when he's been spotted in the bar. This is our way of hopefully bringing a few smiles to the faces of frozen Glasgow while thanking Sean for keeping us informed of the elements, in his own special way."

So there you are - not only can you swig niche cocktails you may even clock THE weatherman weaving his way towards the bar after work. The Sean Batty Whisky Latte is available exclusively at the Lansdowne Bar & Kitchen and costs £5.

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Dram Fine Bar You Are

It is always a traumatic event when a well-known and popular pub has a makeover (and more on Tennent's Bar in a moment), so when Maclay - yet again - announced they were giving longitudinous Woodlands Road pub Uisge Beathe the big treatment alarm bells began to ring - but only until the grand design began to take shape.

This venue has always been three discrete areas linked together - a triptych, in fact, with different but similar decor uniting them to a single theme.

Older readers will remember it as the Three-in-One (which says it all), which then became the pine cabin fantasy Tom Sawyers', which didn't last; and then - very different again - Uisge Beatha.

Gloomy and sepulchral inside, with church pews for seating, weird old pictures, candles on tables, it was a dream venue for some sort of Goth or New Romantic happening ... and had a certain charm.

But it was a very well worn theme and was beginning to look a bit past its prime, so Maclay had the difficult task of repointing the joint without ruining its very particular qualities.

Based on a grand total of one visit since it reopened I think it has succeeded admirably, and that Dram!, as it is now called, will be a big volume, long lasting success - which was clearly the objective.

Whereas before you couldn't see into the murky interior from the street, now there are huge picture windows which, by contrast, put patrons seated at window tables on full display to passers-by ... which is maybe just a wee bit too, ahem, continental for some tastes.

I won't describe the place in full, but there is plenty of quality wood surface, stripped back stone, imaginatively-deployed artefacts and - again - three quite separate areas, with the folksy, communal main bar flanked by more intimate areas where you can dine in semi-private, loll about on sofas, or whisper in alcoves.

While in some ways it's a shame to see the passing of Uisge Beatha, as was, the revamp has been carried out with enormous flair and imagination; it's organised, and designed to maximise choice for customers, but doesn't look remotely formulaic.

Having written up innumerable pub refurbs large and small over the last ten years I'd say it's easily one of the best transformations I've seen, although I've still to look around the place in detail.

The bar is making a major thing of whisky, as before, but in terms of a good and well-priced selection rather than a bewildering choice and high margin, but is also seemingly intent on doing a sterling job on wine too; and on beer, with a fair selection of draught cask ales as well as continental favourites.

Arlington Reborn

In a more modest but hardly less important makeover the Arlington a little farther up the road has been acquired by operator Denny McGhee, who has done a wonderful job in giving the pub back some of its former atmosphere while bringing in some really neat decorative flourishes on the traditional theme.

The historic Stone of Destiny, kingly icon of the Scottish Nation, is still there too - offering mute but laconic rebuke to the bogus Stone on display in Embra Castle, (where you are inevitably asked to pay a fee to see it.)

It was always a small bar, yet once upon a time served a fabulous pint of Maclay 80 bob cask ale (as was), but at the moment has a fairly limited range of standard beer products. This is no criticism, as there's scarcely any point trying to replicate Dram! a short walk away, but it will be interesting to see if customer demand brings in more choice as the venue develops.

At any rate it's a very welcome change to a familiar face that had become lacklustre and dull, adding a jaunty postscript to the Woodlands Road pub scene before you hit Charing Cross and the uncharted wilds of the city centre.

The same stretch also boasts The Halt, which gets my award for having had the most sensitive yet quietly dramatic Christmas pub decorations in West Glasgow - tastefully bohemian in the best classic style.

Then of course down on Park Road, past the giant Primary superpub, there's The Doublet - doing exactly what The Doublet has being doing with only minor embellishments since 1964.

It's possibly the only pub in that general area where there would be absolute uproar if owner Alistair Don decided to suddenly go for a completely different decor scheme - and in a rapidly-changing world it's reassuring to see it looking as familiar as ever and every bit as relevant to its amiably eclectic clientele.

Add all these places together (along with the brilliantly-refurbished Stravaigin in Gibson Street and The Left Bank), and it's plain to see this is one of the West End's most vibrant and individualistic pub strips - with The Stand Comedy Club beside Primary thrown in for additional entertainment.

Photo: cottier's. Cottier's New Menu

Meanwhile back in douce Dowanhill (or Upper Partick, as I call it), the upstairs restaurant at Cottier's has a new head chef - Jonathan McFarlane, formerly of the Ubiquitous Chip - and a new menu.

In the bar you can order classy-sounding spins on Stornoway black pudding, salmon fishcakes, haggis neeps and tatties (also veggie options), and (starter) home-made beef stovies, all of which will appeal to the visitor market as much as to locally-based customers.

I'll skip my usual lecture about the design genius of Daniel Cottier, who created the original interior (being painstakingly restored over many years) of the former church, but the present decor scheme in the restaurant is reckoned to suit that general historic artistic vibe.

Jonathan's arrival has seen "a reincarnation of Cottier's traditional South American cuisine" - there was always been a Latin influence there; but more obviously there's also a new focus on classic Scottish fare, with an emphasis on fresh produce.

Save Tennent's!

A short meander down Highburgh Road from Cottier's to the junction at Byres Road brings you of course to Tennent's Bar, now the subject of a bitter battle over an alleged attempt to turn it into a "bar bistro" - which in fact isn't going to be the case.

It will still be, recognisably, a pub, albeit one of a possibly superficially more ostentatious stamp - perhaps even reflecting something of the esprit of the original pub when it was launched back in 1884. I'm told that within living memory (the 50's, and earlier), white collar workers all drank round one side of the bar and blue collars round the other. There weren't any women.

It has been through innumerable changes large and small over its century and a bit in operation, but most consistently has served for many decades as a big everyman "bierkeller" catering for a truly bizarre range of clientele - although it has to be said the customer profile changes throughout the day and also on specific days, with a hardy residue of veterans who are nearly always well represented at any time.

After considerable disquiet from the regulars and a motion raised by Pauline McNeill MSP at Holyrood owner Mitchells and Butlers, which originally planned to shut the bar for six weeks in January, now aims to postpone the refurb until March.

The biggest change then will be the installation of a full-scale catering kitchen in the downstairs area, and the introduction of a more ambitious food offer (with prices to match). Mitchells and Butlers have been at pains to stress they don't want to spoil the heritage of any of their landmark bars (the Horse Shoe is another), but as they're a big UK company Tennent's stalwarts are hugely suspicious, not to say anxious, about what's afoot.

Any time I pass it or go into it the pub is on a scale of (lunchtime) ticking over, to (late week evening) mobbed, and must be making its money. However M&B have made it clear they want out of the price-sensitive market, as it's called, for all sorts of sensible reasons; and while they certainly want to run flagship pubs they're aiming squarely at the upper mid market.

From talking to staff and customers I get the feeling a battle is still bubbling beneath the surface, and that at least some gestures towards local tradition are possible when the place finally reopens - but for traditionalists it's beginning to look like licensed Gotterdammerung.

An Lochan

The most recent farmers market at Mansefield Park was a great success, if the number of shoppers was anything to go by, but for the stallholders it must have been absolute torture - I saw several with almost visibly chattering teeth in the sub-zero temperatures.

One of the most enthusiastic was the seafood chef from respected Crow Road restaurant An Lochan, which has recently been taken over by the chef-owner of Gavin's Mill restaurant in Milngavie.

It's also one of a triptych, with sister ventures on the west coast, and as before will continue to major on its main asset - top quality Scottish seafood produce - but with the new chef's particular flair giving it a slightly different spin.

I hope that inadequate summary does justice to the brief conversation I had with a lady from the restaurant on that freezing cold day, and we'll have much more on this venue once the new owners get their feet under the table.

Happy 40th Birthday The Ubiquitous Chip

Expect some special celebrations to mark the 40th anniversary of the West End's iconic restaurant.

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