Barolo Grill

Posted on May 3, 2015 by BKR

Soup

Soup

We’ve long been planning enhancements to the content of our site to include information on various accessibility aspects, whether that relates to the menu, the design of the interior or the inclusive approach to service.

To aim me in progressing this, I enlisted the help of David, who works for a major third sector organisation based in Glasgow. David’s a wheelchair user so brought that perspective to today’s review.

Steak

Steak

We decided to visit an old favourite in the shape of the Barolo Grill on Mitchell Street. It had been a good wee while since my previous visit so I was glad to revisit it.

Much of what David values in a good restaurant experience was exactly what we usually cover, but there were the additional elements of the navigability of the restaurant, the accessibility and appropriateness of the toilet facilities, and how his chair is accommodated at the table.

Pizza

Pizza

Barolo Grill passed these tests with flying colours, as the welcome was both friendly and attentive. We were seated at a free-standing table which suited our needs very nicely. The table was a bit shoogly, but this was quickly spotted and addressed by our splendid waitress.

David was in the mood for a steak, so opted for the sirloin, which came on a bed of root vegetables and with good looking chips. David gave it a firm thumbs up.

I opted for their lunchtime set menu choosing a tasty pasta e fagioli followed by an nduja-topped pizza.

The latter proved extremely good, with the sausage packed with flavour and the pizza base light and crisp. I was very pleased with it.

So overall, Barolo Grill impressed on all fronts. Service was a major strength and they accommodated accessibility with confident assurance. It was good to notice a buggy with a tiny baby in it being handled with similar skill to how we were treated. We’d both be happy to recommend the place as a very good spot for a feed that smartly met our full range of requirements.

Today’s questers were: David, Blythe

We ate: sirloin steak; pasta e fagioli; pizza nduja

We drank: water, coffees

We wore: white shirts (2)

Total bill: £38.60

Barolo Grill on Urbanspoon

Posted in Glasgow, Italian, steak, Very Good for Buggy Accessibility, Very Good Wheelchair Accessibility | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Gesso

Posted on May 2, 2015 by BKR

Exterior

Exterior

After concluding my morning’s transactions, I took a recommendation and toddled round the corner to check out a recently arrived cafe called Gesso, just off Glasgow’s Sauchiehall Street.

I found a wonderfully airy and welcoming space, which is equal parts deli, cafe and gallery/performance space. It had a really nice feel to it.

Soup and toastie

Soup and toastie

I ordered at the counter, opting for a soup and sandwich combo. I chose red pepper, mushroom and tarragon soup then matched it with a three-cheese toastie. I asked the friendly counter woman to bring an espresso to follow.

I took a seat and awaited delivery of items, which promptly arrived. The soup was hearty and rustic and packed good flavour. The toastie was pretty good, too, with a nice combination of well melted cheese.

Interior

Interior

The espresso, a Goosedubs blend from Dear Green, was rather good, too. I was left to reflect upon a very relaxing and high quality lunching experience.

So overall, I really enjoyed my visit to Gesso. I think there’s room for the food to be a wee notch better, but I thought the space was just lovely and the atmosphere highly conducive to relaxed enjoyment. I look forward to visiting again.

Toastie close-up!

Toastie close-up!

Scores
3.5/5 for food
3.5/5 for presentation
4/5 for setting
4/5 for service
giving an overall 15/20

I ate: cream of red pepper, mushroom and tarragon soup; cheese toastie

I drank: water, espresso

I wore: grey suit

Total bill: £8.80

Gesso Lounge on Urbanspoon

Posted in Coffee shop, Glasgow, Sandwich, soup | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Epicures of Hyndland

Posted on May 1, 2015 by BKR

Exterior

Exterior

After the intervening hours between breakfast and lunch had be duly sacrificed to the relentless juggernaut of progress, regular guest quester Tim and I toddled up the road to Epicures of Hyndland.

This part of town is all new to me so it was with considerable wonderment that I crossed the threshold. We found the place abuzz with brisk lunchtime trade, so were pleased to find a corner table free where we could plonk ourselves.

Risotto

Risotto

The interior was really smart with a long bar and counter with high quality meat and sausages hanging behind it. There’s something of a Tuscan influence but the menu has a more generally eclectic feel to it.

Reflecting that, Tim opted to try their Cullen skink while I chose their asparagus risotto. The friendly waitress, from a battalion of highly efficient servers, brought us water and cutlery, then promptly our food arrived.

Interior

Interior

Both dishes looked very smart. I immediately set about checking the poached egg that topped my dish. It was just about the best poached egg I’ve been served in all quests, with an excellently executed ooze to the yolk.

The risotto was also absolutely first rate. It was beautifully seasoned, packed plenty of chopped asparagus and was texturally spot on. I’d recently been served risotto in one of Edinburgh’s new, up-and-coming restaurants just recently and it had been very disappointing. This version banished the memory of that dish and then some.

Cullen skink

Cullen skink

Tim was very pleased with his skink and from the spoonful I tried I entirely agreed. Double thumbs up.

So overall, Epicures was highly impressive. It served us dishes of very good quality, presented smartly, in friendly and welcoming surroundings. It’s definitely one of the better lunches of recent times, so I’d be happy to recommend it as a place to add to your list for a visit.

Scores
Blythe scores Epicures
4.5/5 for food
4/5 for presentation
4/5 for setting
4/5 for service
giving an overall 16.5/20

Today’s questers were: Tim, Blythe

We ate: Cullen skink, asparagus risotto

We drank: water, coffees

We wore: bright jacket, dark suit

Total bill: £18.10

Epicures of Hyndland on Urbanspoon

Posted in Glasgow, risotto, soup | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

181 Delicatessen

Posted on April 30, 2015 by BKR

Exterior

Exterior

After a jolly wander around the city, which included a stop at community greengrocer Dig-In, I stopped by the 181 Deli in Bruntsfield. I’d heard good things so was brimming with optimism as I crossed the threshold.

The deli counter is where the shop’s main business is done, with an impressive cheese selection central to their offering. They have a few cafe tables at the back, so it was to their that I headed, checking that they still had soup left as I passed.

The soup was roasted pepper and chickpea, which sounded good to me. I added a little mackerel, ricotta and walnut quiche which sounded highly enticing.

Soup

Soup

The friendly counter people were soon delivering both dishes with the soup served with good, rustic bread.

The soup proved to be flavour-packed and full of charm. It was a lovely bowl of wholesome goodness.

Interior

Interior

The quiche tasted just as good as I’d hoped. The combination of oily fish, toasted walnuts and creamy ricotta was a wonderful balance between richness and lightness. It was really tasty stuff.

Quiche

Quiche

So overall, 181 is a highly impressive place. I really liked both dishes I sampled and did very well to get out of the place without buying further items to nibble on at home. I’d strongly recommend a visit and I’m sure you’ll be as pleased with your time spent there as I was.

Scores
Blythe scores 181
4/5 for food
4/5 for presentation
4/5 for setting
4/5 for service
giving an overall 16/20

I ate: roast pepper and chickpea soup; mackerel, walnut and ricotta quiche

I drank: water, espresso

I wore: camel coat

Total bill: £7.05

Click to add a blog post for 181 Delicatessen on Zomato

Posted in Bruntsfield, Edinburgh Cafe, soup | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Hyndland Cafe

Posted on April 29, 2015 by BKR

Exterior

Exterior

I finally seem to have developed my explorer legs for Glasgow, having made it to Roast, the other day. Today, I ventured to the wilds of Hyndland for a visit to the Hyndland Cafe on Clarence Street.

Half of the old Co-op on the corner, the place is really smart with lovely booth seating and room enough for about twenty people in its compact cafe premises. I sat in the window seats to watch the world go by.

Breakfast

Breakfast

Their breakfasts seem to be the speciality with a broad selection ranging from eggs to porridge to toast to pancakes to full breakfasts. I opted for the latter, which comprised bacon, link and lorne sausage, a tattie scone, mushrooms, tomato, beans, black pudding, fried egg and toast.

The very friendly and chatty counter man brought tea immediately, then food promptly followed. It was rather crammed on to the plate, but that meant there was buried treasure to uncover which proved rather good fun.

Interior

Interior

The egg was really nicely cooked and the herby link sausage and black pudding were memorably tasty. The lorne was a little thickly cut for my tastes, but everything else was really pretty good, which made for enjoyable start-of-the-day fare.

So overall, I was really pleased with the Hyndland Cafe. It’s a friendly spot serving very good quality breakfast options. I’d be happy to visit again and would recommend you do so, as well.

Scores
Blythe scores the Hyndland Cafe
4/5 for food
3.5/5 for presentation
4/5 for setting
4/5 for service
giving an overall 15.5/20

I ate: all-day breakfast

I drank: tea

I wore: brown

Total bill: £8.65

Hyndland Cafe on Urbanspoon

Posted in Breakfast, Glasgow | Tagged , | Leave a comment