Now in its tenth year, the Aye Write! book festival gets underway on Friday 17th April in the Glasgow’s Mitchell Library.
While the 5pm Dining blog likes nothing better than chowing down on a good read, we also appreciate the importance of a good feed.
We’ve picked out five Aye Write! events which have tickled our interest and matched them with appropriate restaurants.
Chinaski’s
First up, Irvine Welsh will ensure that the proceedings gets off to a rip-roaring start when he makes his festival debut on Friday 17th.
Mr Welsh will be spraffing, sorry, talking about A Decent Ride – his latest romp through the more sordid parts of Scottish society.
To get you in the mood for low life tales, try Chinaski’s on nearby North Street. It’s named after the literary alter ego of Charles Bukowski, another enthusiastic chronicler of life’s stickier moments.
The food ranges from inventive – think along the lines of a crab stack, fresh West Coast crab meat on a fennel salad, with Parmesan crisp, and Bloody Mary gel – to more conventional choices like the house burger.
Two Fat Ladies at the Buttery
If the psychology of food has you licking your lips then you might want to see Charles Spence talk about The Perfect Meal.
Spence is Professor of Experimental Psychology and Head of the Crossmodal Research Laboratory in the Department of Experimental Psychology at Oxford University.
On Monday 20th April, the Prof will be looking at all of the elements that contribute to our experience of a meal out and investigates how each of the diner’s senses contributes to their overall multisensory experience.
From the colour of the plate to the names used to describe the dishes, it’s all grist to his mill.
You can put his theories to the test in Two Fat Ladies at the Buttery. One of Glasgow’s best known restaurants, Two Fats at the Buttery is a place where every detail of the meal is taken into consideration.
Their pre-theatre meal is £16.95 for two courses and includes a glass of wine.
Villa Toscana
If you are lucky enough to have secured one of the sold out tickets for Jane Hawking: The True Story Behind The Theory of Everything, then you will need somewhere to chew over her tales of life with Professor Stephen Hawking.
Villa Toscana on Argyle Street is a friendly Italian where you can dine on dishes such as sea bass in a white wine and saffron cream sauce or a classic spaghetti carbonara.
Villa Toscana offers several menus including two course lunch for £5.95.
The Butchershop Bar and Grill
One of Britain’s most successful entrepreneurs, Michelle Mone is often in the headlines. Her event, My Fight to the Top, on Tuesday 21st April promises to be as colourful as it is enlightening.
We’ve never met her but we’re going to take a punt and guess that Ms Mone appreciates both a well-made cocktail and a good steak.
If you feel the same then we suggest The Butchershop Bar and Grill on Sauchiehall Street.
Ice cold Martinis, dry-aged Scottish steaks and a warm Manhattan-style atmosphere are all on the menu.
Cubatas Tapas Bar and Restaurant
Last but certainly not least, the 5pm Dining blog is looking forward to hearing Zoë Howe and Douglas Hart talk about The Jesus and Mary Chain.
Zoë Howe wrote Barbed Wire Kisses, the fierce, frank and funny tale of the band, told by the band members and their associates for the first time.
She is joined by one of the founder members of the band, bass player Douglas Hart.
From angry feedback to tender love songs, The Jesus and Mary Chain were never predictable.
We can expect the same variety at the well reviewed Cubatas Tapas Bar and Restaurant on Elderslie Street.
Here’s the band performing Just Like Honey.
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