What: Restaurant
For: Lunch
With: Boyfriend
Site: Here
I am a sucker for a good student offer. I am also usually dragged in by marketing ploys. Burgers are good too. As a result, it's hard for me to stay away from this particular "gourmet" burger restaurant.
Ketchup is part of the Social Animal network in Glasgow, a relatively new addition, it partakes in the network's tendency to do plenty of student offers. It's main (usually only) offer is two-for-one on weekdays.
Now, if you're a student, you'll read that as "half-price if I bring a friend along and we split the bill." Generally this is what I do. I actually visit the place alarmingly often, and I've probably been there more than any other single restaurant in Glasgow, which is impressive to say it only opened in September.
The service isn't always the fastest, particularly when they're busy (which they often are) but the staff are friendly, and the atmosphere is good. So I tend to forgive them. It's not the sort of place where you mind having to sit and wait for someone to come and take your order, because it's so relaxed - plus you can play with the magnets that are stuck to the magnetic drinks menu board, and make naughty sentences!
In terms of drinks they offer the standard range of soft drinks, a few good bottle beers and a couple on draft, and a small range of wines. Personally, wine seems like an odd thing to order with this kind of food, but I guess there's no harm in offering it. They also have milkshakes, which are large, and arrive in a milk bottle. Not the most spectacular I've had, but up there, and worth trying, although beer is probably the best thing to drink with a burger. Ideally peroni, but I digress.
I have only ever tried one of their starters. Predictably, the nachos. Order the small, and enjoy being surprised at the size, the first time I ordered them I had to ask to make sure they'd got it right and not accidentally brought the large ones. Plus, they taste really rather excellent. If the other starters are as good, then they've got it right.
For the main you are limited to burgers or a small selection of salads. I haven't tried the salads before, but every burger I've ordered I've loved. I was sad to learn that they'd taken the kangaroo burger off the menu (it was actually less a burger and more like a kangaroo steak in a bun, delicious), but there's still plenty of interesting stuff. The venison and the Greek burgers both come highly recommended, or, for the slightly less brave, the good fella and the over-easy. "Mushroom lover's Delight" isn't really, perhaps mine simply wasn't up to their usual standard, but when they said it came "loaded with mushrooms" I feel they lied.
Do note that the burgers don't come with chips or salad. You get your burger and whatever's in with it, and a pot of coleslaw. I'd suggest getting a portion of chips and a portion of onion rings for every two people, though not if you've ordered a starter or fancy a dessert. A burger might not seem like much, but these are quite special, and surprisingly filling.
If you're still hungry they do have deserts on offer, the selection being Knickerbocker glory, cherry pie or New York cheesecake. The Knickerbocker glory is beyond huge, plenty to share with a friend. The cherry pies are individual, rather than a slice, and impossibly cute, the filling is exceptional, though the pastry does let it down a little. New York cheesecake is a slice, and I'm told it's very good, though I haven't tried it myself.
For the price, the mood, the vibe, it's wonderful. Gloriously relaxed dining that has been aimed perfectly at students. Good enough that I don't mind going occasionally at weekends, even though it isn't two-for-one, as I did on Sunday. So, next time you're thinking of getting take-out because you can't be bothered to cook, don't. Instead, drag a friend along to Ketchup with your student cards and enjoy one of the best burgers in Glasgow.
Monday 27 July 2009
Sunday 26 July 2009
The Sloans Market
What: Small Market
For: A browse/wander
With: Alone
Site: Here
The Sloans Market shows up every weekend in Glasgow centre. It sits in a lane that connects Buchanan Street with Argyle Street, apparently the lane itself is unnamed, that or I simply couldn't find the name, because any sign it's on was obscured by stalls.
On the Buchanan Street end there tends to be people standing around with fliers, trying to tempt in passers-by. On the Argyle Street end there's usually a speaking blaring terrible music (think Abba, Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls, etc), presumably this is designed to drive people away again.
Perhaps they're aiming for some kind of pedestrian one-way system within the market, to stop people getting in each other's way. It's not a terrible idea, but I do wish they could find a way to do it without the music.
Yesterday I decided I'd stop by and have a quick look around, since I was in no rush to take care of my errands in the centre at that point.
The stalls are mostly clothing, jewelery and accessories. Standard market-style items like printed tea-shirts, bracelets, necklaces and earrings set with coloured glass, hand-bags (some of which really are rather cute, but slightly over-priced), scarves, etc etc. You can also find sweets, including some claiming to be home-made, cleaning products, preserves, books and the obligatory tarot reader.
The preserves looked like they could be really rather good, and if the handbags had been around £5 cheaper I would probably have picked one up. I did not have time to barter, and I'm not sure how much time anyone else would have had for me trying, given the small (and apparently therefore exclusive) size of the market itself.
I went once when they had a hot sandwich stall, and since that's the only stall at which I've ever parted with my hard-earned, that's the only one I can recommend. And I do recommend it, I was sad that it wasn't there again, if you do go, and hot sandwiches are available (I believe they were roast pork with apple sauce) try them. Especially if the weather's a bit nasty, as it often is, it's the kind of hearty fare that's well worth the cheap market price.
The size of Sloan's is probably it's main draw-back. The place is charming enough, but it's clear that there's no where for it to grow now, stalls already occupy every space they could. At first I was surprised that it managed to draw a crowd at all, considering that it's competing with the Barrowlands Market, which is also open Saturday and Sunday.
It does draw one though, to the extent that it can be a little difficult to walk around without bumping into people. Presumably the higher prices, more central location and exclusive nature are the reasons for this. It is a market, but not in the traditional sense - bartering would probably be wrong, the quality of the goods is generally high, and it's a much more prestigious scene.
I like The Sloans Market. It's busy, friendly, clean and I have no suspicions that any of the stalls are selling stolen goods. However, beyond sandwiches and sweets I can't see myself ever buying anything there. From this I deduce that it isn't aimed at students, which is a pity, because there's plenty of us in the city. The stalls seem to change a lot though, maybe some of them will notice us, and take advantage of the niche - then I'll buy things.
For: A browse/wander
With: Alone
Site: Here
The Sloans Market shows up every weekend in Glasgow centre. It sits in a lane that connects Buchanan Street with Argyle Street, apparently the lane itself is unnamed, that or I simply couldn't find the name, because any sign it's on was obscured by stalls.
On the Buchanan Street end there tends to be people standing around with fliers, trying to tempt in passers-by. On the Argyle Street end there's usually a speaking blaring terrible music (think Abba, Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls, etc), presumably this is designed to drive people away again.
Perhaps they're aiming for some kind of pedestrian one-way system within the market, to stop people getting in each other's way. It's not a terrible idea, but I do wish they could find a way to do it without the music.
Yesterday I decided I'd stop by and have a quick look around, since I was in no rush to take care of my errands in the centre at that point.
The stalls are mostly clothing, jewelery and accessories. Standard market-style items like printed tea-shirts, bracelets, necklaces and earrings set with coloured glass, hand-bags (some of which really are rather cute, but slightly over-priced), scarves, etc etc. You can also find sweets, including some claiming to be home-made, cleaning products, preserves, books and the obligatory tarot reader.
The preserves looked like they could be really rather good, and if the handbags had been around £5 cheaper I would probably have picked one up. I did not have time to barter, and I'm not sure how much time anyone else would have had for me trying, given the small (and apparently therefore exclusive) size of the market itself.
I went once when they had a hot sandwich stall, and since that's the only stall at which I've ever parted with my hard-earned, that's the only one I can recommend. And I do recommend it, I was sad that it wasn't there again, if you do go, and hot sandwiches are available (I believe they were roast pork with apple sauce) try them. Especially if the weather's a bit nasty, as it often is, it's the kind of hearty fare that's well worth the cheap market price.
The size of Sloan's is probably it's main draw-back. The place is charming enough, but it's clear that there's no where for it to grow now, stalls already occupy every space they could. At first I was surprised that it managed to draw a crowd at all, considering that it's competing with the Barrowlands Market, which is also open Saturday and Sunday.
It does draw one though, to the extent that it can be a little difficult to walk around without bumping into people. Presumably the higher prices, more central location and exclusive nature are the reasons for this. It is a market, but not in the traditional sense - bartering would probably be wrong, the quality of the goods is generally high, and it's a much more prestigious scene.
I like The Sloans Market. It's busy, friendly, clean and I have no suspicions that any of the stalls are selling stolen goods. However, beyond sandwiches and sweets I can't see myself ever buying anything there. From this I deduce that it isn't aimed at students, which is a pity, because there's plenty of us in the city. The stalls seem to change a lot though, maybe some of them will notice us, and take advantage of the niche - then I'll buy things.
Saturday 25 July 2009
Ad Lib (Hope Street)
What: Bar/Restaurant
For: Meal (Dinner)
With: Boyfriend
Site: Here
Last week Nick and I visited Ad Lib for dinner. I'd actually only booked it at the last minute - I'd realised on Friday night that we'd need a table somewhere on Saturday evening. This was simply the first place I found that had tables free at the time I wanted.
My first impression was a little confused. As you enter there is a bar area, clearly separated from the restaurant area itself. At first glance I saw only the bar, but we walked through and found where we were meant to be.
It was surprisingly quiet for a Saturday night, and was immediately obvious that I needn't have booked. However, I am pleased that I did, maybe this Saturday was quiet, but there's no reason to believe that others would be.
Service was quick too, perhaps because there was more staff than necessary for a quiet night. However there was nothing to suggest that they wouldn't be just as attentive when the place was packed. The only time we had trouble getting attention was when we wanted to pay, so I'll not complain.
It happened that there was an offer running where you could get two courses for a set price (excluding rather expensive steaks from the grill, for which you would pay extra). We decided to share a starter, get a main each, and share a dessert.
To start we got the nachos. Standard fare, pretty good portion to say it would normally have been for one. For some reason though, they did seem especially good. Maybe they've just got your basic chili-nachos dish down to perfection, or maybe it's simply that I'd been craving them for a few days, but I reckon they were the second best I've had in the city. One day I'll tell you where to get the best.
For main I chose the catfish and Nick chose the chicken in BBQ sauce. Both were excellent. I don't believe I've tried catfish before, but I would happily recommend it. The bread-crumb coating was rather special too, somewhat sweet, I was tempted to ask what they'd put in it, but couldn't face the possible shame that I'd encounter if they said "sugar." Nick, usually silent in opinions on food unless asked was clearly quite delighted with the chicken. Both were served with salad, Nick's with crushed new potatoes, mine with hundreds upon thousands of fries. You will not go hungry here.
Desert was sticky toffee pudding, apparently flavoured with whisky. I was pleased to see it was raisin-free. Not that I have anything again raisins, just that I prefer my sticky toffee pudding without it. It was good, the standard perhaps not reaching that of the rest of the meal, but certainly above average.
I was glad we'd decided to share starters and deserts, or else the portions would have been too much for me. It would have been a great shame if I had not been able to finish anything. I suspect Nick will ask me to book it again, if only so we can try their "gourmet burgers."
So, in summary, really rather excellent bar style food. Large portions, high quality, satisfying. I will definitely be back, possibly even just for a few drinks, since the bar area seemed to have a good atmosphere. It was a little busier than the restaurant, not so far that you'd be unable to find a table. Nick tends not to drink with food, and generally if I'm out with him I'll abstain too, but on this occasion I noted a Concha y Toro wine I'd had before, and loved, on the list, so I ordered a glass. It was not the only one on the list I'd try, and all were fairly priced. I also saw cocktail menus on the tables in the bar as we left, and as always, I was curious to find out what was on them. Some other time.
You'll get a reasonably priced, large, delicious meal in a pleasant environment. Well worth a visit.
For: Meal (Dinner)
With: Boyfriend
Site: Here
Last week Nick and I visited Ad Lib for dinner. I'd actually only booked it at the last minute - I'd realised on Friday night that we'd need a table somewhere on Saturday evening. This was simply the first place I found that had tables free at the time I wanted.
My first impression was a little confused. As you enter there is a bar area, clearly separated from the restaurant area itself. At first glance I saw only the bar, but we walked through and found where we were meant to be.
It was surprisingly quiet for a Saturday night, and was immediately obvious that I needn't have booked. However, I am pleased that I did, maybe this Saturday was quiet, but there's no reason to believe that others would be.
Service was quick too, perhaps because there was more staff than necessary for a quiet night. However there was nothing to suggest that they wouldn't be just as attentive when the place was packed. The only time we had trouble getting attention was when we wanted to pay, so I'll not complain.
It happened that there was an offer running where you could get two courses for a set price (excluding rather expensive steaks from the grill, for which you would pay extra). We decided to share a starter, get a main each, and share a dessert.
To start we got the nachos. Standard fare, pretty good portion to say it would normally have been for one. For some reason though, they did seem especially good. Maybe they've just got your basic chili-nachos dish down to perfection, or maybe it's simply that I'd been craving them for a few days, but I reckon they were the second best I've had in the city. One day I'll tell you where to get the best.
For main I chose the catfish and Nick chose the chicken in BBQ sauce. Both were excellent. I don't believe I've tried catfish before, but I would happily recommend it. The bread-crumb coating was rather special too, somewhat sweet, I was tempted to ask what they'd put in it, but couldn't face the possible shame that I'd encounter if they said "sugar." Nick, usually silent in opinions on food unless asked was clearly quite delighted with the chicken. Both were served with salad, Nick's with crushed new potatoes, mine with hundreds upon thousands of fries. You will not go hungry here.
Desert was sticky toffee pudding, apparently flavoured with whisky. I was pleased to see it was raisin-free. Not that I have anything again raisins, just that I prefer my sticky toffee pudding without it. It was good, the standard perhaps not reaching that of the rest of the meal, but certainly above average.
I was glad we'd decided to share starters and deserts, or else the portions would have been too much for me. It would have been a great shame if I had not been able to finish anything. I suspect Nick will ask me to book it again, if only so we can try their "gourmet burgers."
So, in summary, really rather excellent bar style food. Large portions, high quality, satisfying. I will definitely be back, possibly even just for a few drinks, since the bar area seemed to have a good atmosphere. It was a little busier than the restaurant, not so far that you'd be unable to find a table. Nick tends not to drink with food, and generally if I'm out with him I'll abstain too, but on this occasion I noted a Concha y Toro wine I'd had before, and loved, on the list, so I ordered a glass. It was not the only one on the list I'd try, and all were fairly priced. I also saw cocktail menus on the tables in the bar as we left, and as always, I was curious to find out what was on them. Some other time.
You'll get a reasonably priced, large, delicious meal in a pleasant environment. Well worth a visit.
First!
I've decided to write a new blog in addition to my current one. The current one is general musings on life, kind of diary-ish, a record of terrible (and amusing) things that seem to happen to me because I regularly put myself in the kind of situation where they can.
This one will actually serve a purpose. People ask me for recommendations of places to go fairly often. So I'm going to have a go at reviewing a few places. I'll review anywhere that I spend money on consumables or services.
So I'll review restaurants, clubs, bars, pubs, cafes, coffee shops, tea houses, butchers, bakers, candle-stick makers, fishmongers, cheese-mongers, grocers, delicatessens, markets, libraries, museums, art galleries, hair dressers, beauty salons, gig venues and frankly, anything else I feel like but didn't originally add to this list.
The list is a long one because I'd like to blog weekly, but living on a student's budget means that writing a restaurant review every week would be a bit much. This way there's a fair chance I'll have visited somewhere worthy of mention every week, and if there isn't, I can fall back on somewhere I've been in the past.
Most of the reviews will be of places in Glasgow, as that's where I spend most of my time, the other major place will be Leeds (and, since when I'm home I don't stick to Leeds alone, possibly Harrogate and York). I'll say which city I'm talking about for each review, and if I'm talking about a chain, I'll mention which branch.
I'll also try to stick to roughly the same format for each "article." I'll try to write well, produce useful information, and not to get side-tracked. I haven't done this kind of writing before though, so do bare with me. As always, comments (especially the kind that include hints/tips) are more than welcome.
-Becky
This one will actually serve a purpose. People ask me for recommendations of places to go fairly often. So I'm going to have a go at reviewing a few places. I'll review anywhere that I spend money on consumables or services.
So I'll review restaurants, clubs, bars, pubs, cafes, coffee shops, tea houses, butchers, bakers, candle-stick makers, fishmongers, cheese-mongers, grocers, delicatessens, markets, libraries, museums, art galleries, hair dressers, beauty salons, gig venues and frankly, anything else I feel like but didn't originally add to this list.
The list is a long one because I'd like to blog weekly, but living on a student's budget means that writing a restaurant review every week would be a bit much. This way there's a fair chance I'll have visited somewhere worthy of mention every week, and if there isn't, I can fall back on somewhere I've been in the past.
Most of the reviews will be of places in Glasgow, as that's where I spend most of my time, the other major place will be Leeds (and, since when I'm home I don't stick to Leeds alone, possibly Harrogate and York). I'll say which city I'm talking about for each review, and if I'm talking about a chain, I'll mention which branch.
I'll also try to stick to roughly the same format for each "article." I'll try to write well, produce useful information, and not to get side-tracked. I haven't done this kind of writing before though, so do bare with me. As always, comments (especially the kind that include hints/tips) are more than welcome.
-Becky
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