The 5pm Restaurant blog likes the look of the Kelvingrove Cafe which is coming to life on the west end of Argyle Street.
It bills itself as ‘Glasgow’s 1st proper Cocktail Bar Diner’ and claims to ‘channel the spirit of Brooklyn and Paris’.
It opened in the run-up to Christmas and then closed again for building work but now seems to be getting back into the swing of things.
Swish cocktails
Mal Spence, formerly the head barman at Blythswood Square, is closely involved so, as you might imagine, the drinks list is pretty impressive. An entire page is dedicated to fortified wine, bitters and Italian aperitifs, many of which feature prominently in the tempting cocktail list.
American classics
The food menu would be the envy of many a full service restaurant. With sliders, dogs, ribs and smoked fish tacos, it dips into the American classics but also features racks of Shetland lamb and charred monkfish with a fennel slaw.
The land and sea menu is daring. Twenty years ago, it would have been impossible to imagine that a Glasgow bar, even a smart, forward-thinking Glasgow bar, would have bream ceviche and beef carpaccio on the menu.
Less scary, perhaps, is the dessert menu which boasts hot churros with salted caramel, a Glengoyne whisky tart and a toasted marshmallow and fudge parfait.
Old Fashioned
I’ll have an Old Fashioned with a half Sam Adams as a chaser, please.