Home » Eating and drinking Glasgow West End » Glasgow Restaurants: The Finnieston Bar/Restaurant, review Pat Byrne, 27th February, 2014

Glasgow Restaurants: The Finnieston Bar/Restaurant, review Pat Byrne, 27th February, 2014

Tonight I spent a very pleasant evening dining with Maggie Graham at The Finnieston, 1125 Argyle Street, Finnieston, sampling their Best of  the West Tasting Menu and Wine Dinner.

The food was absolutely delightful and Frank Bradley did an excellent job of describing each of the four wines that accompanied the dishes.

 It was a very relaxed affair with wonderful food and excellent service  – the staff were friendly and helpful and seemed genuinely interested when asking if  we enjoyed each course.  There was no doubt about it – we did.  Right from the starter of ‘West Kilbride Tempura Oyster’ to the Vimto Candy Floss Pannacotta, which was highly imaginative and great fun. Popcorn sorbet, salt caramel fudge, honey comb and popping candy crumb and ice cream. The sensations were astonishing.

 The basil and raspberry doughnuts also made for an interesting combination.  The main course of Troon Landed Salt Cured Hake was delicious and came with further intriguing accompaniments: smoked mackerel croquet; pork belly and very tender braised fennel and sprouting broccoli.

We also had Cock a Leekie (My Way) with all the usual ingredients but each identifiable on the plate and served with a little jug of clear chicken broth.

 All the food was tasty and beautifully presented but my favourite was the Hand Dived Scallops. The plate looked amazing with rhubarb pickle, apple crisps and decorated with micro rhubarb – something I had never seen before. The tartness  of the rhubarb was perfect with the melt-in-the-mouth scallops.

 I’ve been to The Finnieston before and enjoyed the food but this really was special and Chef John Traynor  has to be congratulated on producing such high quality and unusual cuisine.

The wines accompanying the dishes were:

Baumard, Cremant du Loire Blanc, France

Domaine Defaix, Chablis, France

Domaine Wachau Zweight, Austria

Mad Tokai, Hungary

 Frank Bradley has recently opened his own deli/diner Delvino at 2 High Street, Auchterarder, PH3 1DF.  Good stopping off point if you’re heading north.

The Finnieston, 1125 Argyle St, City Centre, Glasgow G3 8ND

For reservations phone: 0141 222 2884

 Back in February 2012, Roy Beers wrote a review of The Finnieston – the décor is as attractive as described by Roy and the bar/restaurant has now firmly established itself among Glasgow’s best. www.thefinniestonbar.com/

This section: Eating and drinking Glasgow West End