PRIME EXHIBIT

Scone Spy visits the Beamish Museum, County Durham.

1 LOCATION

In the heart of suburban Milngavie, easy to find in the middle of the pedestrian precinct. Close by bus routes, a few minutes’ walk from the train station and with handy parking.

2 FIRST IMPRESSIONS

It’s a multi-purpose destination, billed as a restaurant, bar and bakery. There is a tempting selection of goodies from the latter at a glass counter along one wall. All very bright, airy, slick and smart.

3 SERVICE

The staff were welcoming, friendly and super-efficient throughout. Couldn’t fault it.

4 MENU

Starters included calamari, pakora, haggis mozzarella sticks and a sharing board of all of these. Among the mains were burgers, a pasta selection and a “family favourites” section featuring fish and chips, mac and cheese and a steak and ale pie. Extensive dessert options included five sundaes, cheesecake and a panacotta.

5 TASTE

The vegetable pakora was the right side of spicy and the chicken fajitas were sizzling and scrummy. Meanwhile, the chef’s specials, which seemed tempting, didn’t disappoint. Both the haddock and mozzarella fish cakes and the chicken Milanese spaghetti dish were really full of flavour and well cooked.

6 PRICE

There’s a two-course set menu for £12 at certain times, but ordering off the a la carte and with a couple of rounds of drinks it was a reasonable £55.

7 AMBIENCE

On a Saturday evening, it soon busied up and the décor, lighting and quiet music all added to the lovely feeling.

8 SOMETHING SPECIAL

There’s a charcoal-fired Josper Grill which is used for the steaks, pork, lamb and venison.

9 TOILETS

Clean and tidy. Upstairs and were smart single cubicles. Disabled access downstairs.

10 VERDICT

It’s part of a small group of different eateries in East Dunbartonshire and it lived up to the high standard of the others. 17/20.