On Clyde nine
From tasty morsels to funky murals, Glasgow is a feast for the eyes – and the stomach...
It’s eerily quiet when we arrive at the new Radisson RED, set just off the banks of the River Clyde in Glasgow. “There’s a Kevin Bridges gig at the SSE Hydro opposite,” the barman in the hotel’s OUIBAR + KTCHN informs us. “In 15 minutes this place will be swamped!”
Taking the tip that we should probably eat sooner rather than later, my fiancée Vic and I scour the menu. Here, like many other places in Scotland’s largest city, they specialise in tasty grub to fill hungry bellies.
Halloumi fries accompanied by chorizo and roast mushroom bruschetta get the juices flowing. A buildyour-own lamb kebab and fatty pink duck fillet, neatly grilled and seasoned, follow.
As we drain our Caledonian 3 Hop beers, the first of the comedy brigade enters the hotel.
The trickle turns into a flood, so we dash to a lift in the corner of the atrium and moments later we’re looking out across Glasgow’s bright lights in the Radisson’s Sky Bar – the city’s first.
The hotel is certainly designed with the tech brigade in mind – there’s keyless entry, super-fast wi-fi and streaming facilities.
With a strict “antibeige” policy, bold art and design make a style statement from the reception, through the corridors and up to the rooms.
It’s a bit like having a sleepover in a gallery.
Next morning, after the Radisson’s breakfast buffet, we head to Glasgow’s mural trail that snakes through the city.
The Tiger looks on to the river with menace. Designed by Klingatron ( James Klinge) – Scotland’s answer to Banksy – it’s fast becoming as iconic a landmark as the Finnieston Crane for its striking glare and industrial backdrop.
Before long we’re almost tripping over murals. Billy Connolly’s face is showcased in Osborne Street; a panda cowers down a dark alley on Gordon Lane; there are hip hop marionettes on the corner of John Street.
We stop for lunch at Sapporo Teppanyaki, a Japanese restaurant where food is sizzled on hot plates in front of the dinners. Starting with sushi and sashimi, we watch as the chef plays with knives, flicks and whips food around and builds mountains of rice – it’s all part of the act.
Next we taxi over to the Clydeside Distillery for a tour of the newest alcohol factory on Glasgow’s growing map. Here we discover the Dockside story, watch craftsmen at work and taste 10-year-old single malts from the Highlands, Lowlands and Islay.
Merchant City is a small collection of streets in the east end that teem with life when the sun goes down. We arrive at Hutchesons, a palatial grill Sushi meals and tiger wall art
restaurant in the heart of the action, aware that it’s widely acclaimed as one of the best in the city. The menu offers delicious cuts of Scottish beef and grilled radissonred.com/glasgow Glasgow’s first Sky Bar Strikingly stylish rooms at Radisson
hake. But we can’t resist the smoked haddock espuma. The whipped fish mouse with salty pancetta and runny poached egg is eaten in four spoonfuls. After dinner we hit Bar Gandolfi, an
airy attic venue, great for cocktails. hutchesonsglasgow. We sign off our stay with com brunch at Cafezique. I pick a vegan breakfast – and even without the gory bits, the black pudding is all chewy oatiness.
Just sublime – much like the city itself. sapporo.co.uk theclydeside.com peoplemakeglasgow.com Glasgow is a delight