Ron’s reviews

AUGUST HOUSE, 43 MITCHELL STREET, GLASGOW. TEL: 0141 729 7979.

“Whoever prepared that togarashi spiced edamame bean hummus has the hands and the mind of an artist. It is beautiful. All crimsons and deep reds, whole edamame glistening, a flower-head crowning things, and just waiting to pop, star-bursty dustings of spice.”

Menu: Eastern vibe in disco-land: edamames, soft-shell-crab tacos, mini lobster rolls, much better than it sounds or looks on the menu. 4/5

Atmosphere: Louder than a nightclub in hell and that’s with nobody actually there, but it’s not aimed at mad old geezers so you may like it. 3/5

Service: Hard to tell when you’re largely lipreading but certainly pleasant, professional and they brought the food fast. 4/5

Price: Edamame hummus, £6, fries £4, Thai prawn cakes, £8, mini lobster and prawn roll, £10, soft shell crab tacos £11. OK. 3/5

Food: Some of it is surprisingly beautiful, some is delicious, certainly much, much better than I expected given the setting. 7/10 21/30

RAMON DAYO!, 1126 ARGYLE STREET, GLASGOW. TEL: 0141 406 4010

“Their chicken katsu sauce is indeed aromatic, possibly fruity though I’m not sure about that, but the Fukujinzune pickles cut sharply and sweetly across the whole shooting match. OK, if you read the PR blurb, and it’s on every menu, they’ll have you believe that their secret sauce is the Ramen broth, lovingly poured over, years of research, trial and error. Yawn. Frankly, they all say that.”

Menu: Togarashi fries, Edamame Pumpkin Korokke, lots of Ramen with their special broth, Katsu Dayo and ... you’ve seen this movie already? 3/5

Atmosphere: Forget the lovingly prepared broth hoop-la their secret sauce is actually the atmosphere, with illuminated signs, paper lanterns, tight corners. 5/5

Service: Fast, friendly, a bit overenthusiastic at times but all good. 4/5 Price: Hey, nobody does starters any more: sides hover around £5.50, snacks £3 and up, Ramen are firmly in Ramen land at £11 to £12. 4/5

Food: The cooking is clean, crisp and while it’s hard for me to get excited about Ramen and broth, or another chicken katsu, it didn’t disappoint. 6/10 22/30

THE SPENCE, GLENEAGLES TOWNHOUSE, 39 ST ANDREWS SQUARE, EDINBURGH. 0131 332 3798 “The cod… It is perfection. A hunk, a chunk, of a fillet, bronzed in the pan, caramelised, so moist inside. We’re supposed to pour roasted cauliflower and cockle chowder over it, and the pickled fennel.”

Menu: It’s Gleneagles Hotel’s place in the city and there’s a whiff of the country in the fishy, gamey menu with a hint of comfort food too. 4/5

Atmosphere: Magnificent, gilded, domed and pillared room that would be worth paying just to see but is even better when dining. 5/5

Service: They’re a little bit posh but also pleasant, friendly and knowledgeable and I have no complaints. 5/5

Price: Staggering at times, shocking at others but then you look around and soak it all up somehow it makes sense. 3/5

Food: It’s not really about the food so chapeau for making a significant effort; loved the corn bread, the cod and the roe deer so-so. 8/10 25/30

MURPHY’S PAKORA BAR, 1293 ARGYLE STREET, GLASGOW,

TEL: 0141 337 6378

“Hang on though. The daal of the day? Delicious, rich, deep flavours, great spicing, just kinda wonderful. A meal of two halves then. Some of it damn good, some of it very ordinary.”

Menu: The clue’s in the name: pakora in just about every shape, size and filling you can imagine. But they do a pretty good curry range. 3/5

Atmosphere: Even on a bleak midwinter night when all around were closing their doors this place was bursting with life.

Good vibe. 5/5

Service; Pleasant guys, nipping about, kept the food flowing, professional service and the banter wasn’t bad either. 5/5

Price: Pakoras mainly around £6, small plates can hit £11, the curries (which most people were eating) around £7 including that daal. 3/5

Food: The daal was fab, the aubergine pakora very good. After that a bit hit and miss; the haddock in the £9 fish and chips was a star. 6/10 22/30

EDA, 8 HIGH STREET, GLASGOW. TEL: 0141 552 2843

“There will be another golden moment when the Tavuk Iskender arrives and I taste first the little garnish of shredded salad and discover, as I suspected I would, that the cabbage, lettuce, onion yada-yada is not only lightly dressed in lemon and oil but, hallelujah, seasoned too. I eat it all.”

Menu: It’s Turkish food and pretty much exactly as we would expect it to be, fabulous fresh, grills, casseroles, hot and cold meze. Boom. 4/5

Atmosphere: It’s a big old barn of a place at Glasgow Cross, but somehow with the grills and the open kitchen it still has a vibe. 4/5

Service: Excellent service from a helpful and cheery young waiter who was knowledgeable and friendly. 5/5

Price: At first I thought the prices were high, then I saw the portions. The mixed meze serves four at £25, the Tavuk Isender, ditto, £19.50 4/5

Food: Very high standard of food preparation, real pride in what they do, genuinely banging flavours. 8/10 25/30

EL SANTO, 84 MILLER STREET, GLASGOW. TEL: 0141 260 0770

“The tacos do look freshly made and are filled alternatively with crisped pork, apple and coriander pesto and refried beans or with breaded cod cheek, mango gel, jalapeno and, uh, caviar. The pork is crisp enough not to be chewy, pesto has a kick.”

Menu: Interesting Latin America inspired restaurant with pastel de gambas, pico de Gallo, ceviches, charcoal grill parilla, ambitious. 3/5

Atmosphere: The strongest point. Pleasant low-lit Latino, intimate lighting, atmospheric music. 4/5

Service: At these prices it wasn’t great. Food delivered in passing, big gaps between dishes, mid-week staff shortages?

3/5

Price: Tacos at a tenner for two are good value, dessert at £9 not so much. The rest inbetween. 3/5

Food: They’ve set themselves a hard task with such a varied menu: tacos were good, ceviche okay-dokey, otherwise a bit ho-hum.

6/10 19/30