Photo of
June 26, 2014

IMG_2616Òran Mór celebrates has long been a West End landmark, a thriving cultural hub.

Obviously, here at 5pm Dining, we’re mostly concerned with their sleek Brasserie. Making good use of local, seasonal ingredients, their chefs produce food which has a definite Scottish accent but also incorporates exciting flavours and ideas from all over the globe.

Dishes like their seared mackerel skirlie with Laphroaig ¼ Cask dressing or the Scottish scallops with Alphonso mango purée and fennel crumb show clearly why the Brasserie at Òran Mór is so popular with 5pm users.

Of course, there are also more traditional choices on offer in the John Muir Room Conservatory and Lounge adjacent to the well stocked Whisky Bar. Serving full Scottish breakfasts, steak pies and fish ‘n’ chips, the John Muir Room is all about hearty, satisfying pub grub classics.

A Play, A Pie and A Pint

While Òran Mór’s kitchens have fed many a happy West Ender, it is the venue’s contribution to the city’s cultural life which has made the venue known outside Glasgow. The Play, Pie and a Pint series of lunchtime theatre pieces has been fertile ground for new and established playwrights.

When not hosting new theatre works, the night club space below the Whisky Bar has a packed schedule of live music, comedy and club nights. It is entirely appropriate that Òran Mór is Gaelic for ‘great melody of life’ or ‘big song’. Admiral Fallow, The Vaselines and The Throwing Muses are all performing in the next few months.

Over 280 whiskies

The music continues in the Whisky Bar with the weekly open mic nights on Tuesdays and live Jazz on Sunday afternoons. At the open mic nights, anyone who gets up to play a song gets a free drink. With over 280 whiskies to choose from, drinkers are very well catered for at Òran Mór. Although you don’t want to have had one too many and find yourself staring into the rather malevolent eyes of the goat’s head snuff box which has pride of place on the gantry.

[Oran Mor's Whisky Bar][3]
Oran Mor’s Whisky Bar

Rather more inviting is Alasdair Gray’s magnificent mural ceiling in the Auditorium. The evolving, ongoing work shows the signs of the zodiac; portrays life and death and also illustrates Scottish cities. It is thought to be the largest public work of art in Scotland.

Thriving arts centre

It’s all a far cry from when Kelvinside Parish Church was built in 1862. The original cost was estimated at £4873 but the final cost came in at £9500. When Colin Beattie bought the derelict building for £1.1 million some 140 years later, it had been lying empty for four years.

This blogger interviewed Colin when he launched Òran Mór ten years ago and he told me that he wanted it to be a thriving arts centre and hub of the West End community as well as a great place to eat and drink. After a hugely successful decade, his plan has been grandly realised.

£12.95 for 2 courses on pre-theatre menu – more information and menus here.