The Bistro at One Devonshire Gardens recently launched its latest seasonal tasting menu and the 5pm Dining blog was invited along to test drive it.

Situated in a tree-lined Victorian terrace in the heart of Glasgow’s West End, the hotel, part of the Hotel du Vin family, has been one of the city’s hotspots ever since Ken McCulloch launched it way back in 1986.

Culinary stars

While the staff are far too discreet to mention it, One Dev has played host to everybody from Kylie to George Clooney and Lionel Richie.

Over the years, the kitchen has also been home to many a star including a certain Andrew Fairlie. These days, Barry Duff is in charge of the kitchens.

Chef Duff is passionate about using fresh, seasonal and locally sourced produce. Mull monkfish, Ayrshire lamb and Loch Fyne lobster all put in an appearance on the latest a la carte menu.

It is an approach which has seen The Bistro awarded three AA Rosettes.

Not surprisingly, The Bistro is hugely popular on 5pm Dining where it has a combined rating of 4.4/5 from just under 1500 reviews.

The Champagne lunch Big Deals at The Bistro also do very well.

While Barry Duff keeps the pans boiling in the kitchen, Alan Brady is the sommelier keeping it cool in One Dev’s wine cellar.

The wine list has about 400 different wines to choose from and the cellar has some 5000 bottles in stock at any one time.

According to Alan, Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc by the glass has long been a best seller in The Bistro but the sommelier is always keen to share his passion for wines which have strayed from the most well beaten paths.

‘I’m always looking for quirky things at different price points,’ is how he describes the ethos behind his wine list.

Many people are nervous about talking to a sommelier. Lurking in the background there is always the fear that you will show yourself up to be completely clueless about wine or that the sommelier will somehow convince you to spend way more than you had intended.

Wine is there to be enjoyed

Not so, says Alan. ‘My job is to assess what you like to drink and then give it to you. Or to suggest something that will match the food. It is great when customers tell us how much they want to spend. That narrows down the choice and we can suggest interesting wines around that price point.’

‘I know a lot of people think that wine is formal or stuffy. I want to make it approachable, lively, entertaining. It is there to be enjoyed after all. Yes, there is still a lot of stuffiness surrounding wine and I’m trying to chip away at that.’

Interestingly, the drink which Alan selected to pair our first course of hot and cold Dunkeld salmon was not a wine but a dry cider from Galicia in Spain.

Savoury, almost salty and with lots of palate-cleansing bubbles, it was a great partner for the slight oiliness of the salmon and its accompanying crème fraiche.

Another stand-out dish was the fillet of Gigha halibut in a saffron broth studded with mussels and wilted greens.

The meaty halibut was beautifully caramelised while the broth had a well balanced, subtle hint of saffron.

Presentation throughout was as precise as it was pretty. In particular, a dish of confit rabbit terrine really caught the eye.

A square of terrine was topped with a translucent Sauternes jelly and flanked by a circle of poached loin, a quenelle of celeriac remoulade and spheres of rich golden raisin purée.

Oak paneled dining rooms

Serve it all in the oak paneled splendour of The Bistro’s multiple dining rooms and it adds up to a meal to remember.

According to Alan, the menus are devised as a collaboration between Chef Duff and himself. Sometimes the dish comes first and Alan will try a few wines to partner it.

Other times, Alan comes across a particularly interesting wine that he wants guests to try and he asks the kitchen to come up with a dish to match it.

Going by our meal, it is a very fruitful partnership and one which we are more than happy to raise a glass to.