Ask EADith: Where are the best old restaurants in Glasgow?
Got a food dilemma? Need a killer rec to seal the deal? Or just want the inside track on Glasgow and Edinburgh’s eating and drinking scene? Then why not ask EADith, our Eat & Drink team’s helpful agony aunt. This month, she’s trying to help an old pal reconnect with his youth, minus the presence of small plates: a tough call around Glasgow’s Hydro
Dear EADith
An old friend is visiting soon and we’re off to an event at the Hydro. He’s a kind and sensible fellow who misses Glasgow dearly, so I want an evening that’s reassuringly familiar. But every restaurant we recall from back in the day has been refitted, rebranded or RIP. Please help a couple of old souls get their swagger back.
BlueMoon09
Dear BlueMoon09,
To make this a suitable homecoming for the ages, Auntie EADith must first understand what type of event you’re off to. A quick swatch at the listings pulls up Niall Horan (surely not?) and The Pussycat Dolls (surely not x 2). You describe your pal as gentle and sensible, which has me homing straight in on a certain former US president who also shares your liking for Blue Moon: I knew it! You’re going to An Evening With Barack Obama.
Either way, your request is a no-brainer: get booked into Fanny Trollopes. It’s been on the Finnieston strip since before the strip was a twinkle in a hipster’s eye, opening back in 2003 when a certain future POTUS was still teaching law in Chicago. It’s a bistro/brasserie affair, where you and friend will get a starter and a main, and plates will arrive in that order. I know. With two simple rows of tables (always ask for a booth) and an art deco-ish scheme of chrome and green, it never feels dated, perhaps because it was never meant to be trendy. Visiting dignitaries (I know 44 is not your plus one, but a girl can dream) will love its pleasing balance of heavyweight Scottish proteins (lamb, rabbit, cod, trout) with lots of global, modern nods to keep things relevant.
The last time I visited, I enjoyed a glossy, braised duck leg backed by a Moroccan chorus of couscous, pistachio dukkah and carrot purée that simply sang off the plate, while my veggie dining companion (don’t tell Mr E) raved about the simple joy of a shallot tarte tatin. The tone is easy, details are effortless and nothing is fussy for fussy’s sake; the perfect place for two old pals.
Fanny Trollopes, 1066 Argyle Street, Glasgow; around £30 for two courses.