Congrats to The Art Lover’s Café in House for an Art Lover. Earlier this week, the team were announced the winners of the Best Informal Eating Experience in the 2015/2016 Central South West Regional category of the Scottish Thistle Awards.

They will go forward to the national finals in March.

The kitchen has also just launched its autumnal menu.

The seasonal main courses on offer include the slow roasted topside of lamb served with a haggis bon bon, horseradish galette and curly kale, thyme and peppercorn jus.

Veggie options include the gateau of tattie scone filled with creamed wild mushrooms, charred asparagus and black pepper mash. You can browse the full menu here.

Christmas gift idea

As it happens, we are running a Christmas Gifts offer with The Art Lover’s Café.

The offer is £17 for two people to each have a main course from the table d’hôte menu, a 125ml glass of house wine or soft drink plus an optional audio tour of the house.

Vouchers are valid from 04.01.16 until 29.02.16. Yes, they would make fantastic stocking fillers.

Two Fats do brunch

Moving north of the Clyde, the original Two Fat Ladies on Dumbarton Road have plans for your Sunday mornings.

From Sunday 29 November, they will be offering brunch from 11am to 6pm.

As they note, it is the ‘socially acceptable way to start your party at breakfast!!’

We approve.

If you can’t wait until the end of the month to start the party, here’s a recipe for a Dark Chocolate Espresso Martini from Two Fat Ladies at the Buttery.

The original Vodka Espresso was said to have been invited by uber mixologist Dick Bradsell back in the Eighties.

Legend has it that a famous model (Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss have both been mentioned) wandered into Fred’s Bar in Soho and asked for a drink that would ‘wake me up and then f**k me up’.

At Two Fat Ladies in the Buttery, it’s probably easier to just ask for a Dark Chocolate Espresso Martini.

Here’s the recipe:

25ml Luksusowa Vodka

12.5 ml Kahlua

12.5 ml  Creme de Cacao

37.5 ml Espresso coffee

Shake all ingredients in an ice filled cocktail shaker and strain into a chilled martini glass.

Garnish with chocolate shavings.