Halloumi (Glasgow): Review

With 2017 off to a flying start and the promise of warmer months to come somewhere on the horizon (I write this whilst its blistering winds and torrential rain outside), reminiscing about a previous holiday to Greece got me thinking back to a recent visit to Glasgow. 

As far as I'm aware Glasgow and Greece really don't have too much in common. When it comes to heatwaves Scotland sees very few in comparison, and when it comes to a quick dip in the sea, you'd be mental if you dared sit near The Clyde, never jump in the damn thing. However, there is one place which springs to mind when I think of Greece and Glasgow, and that's Halloumi.

A young restaurant only a few months old, Halloumi, which is based on Hope Street, has made a name for itself in the vibrant city, offering up some of the best Greek-Cypriot mezze in town. Specialising in fresh, authentic food, the eatery is all about sharing dishes, and diners are encouraged to pick three or four dishes to share amongst one another to get a real taste of Greece.

Stepping into the restaurant it immediately transports you to a warmer, more familiar surrounding. With painted white stone walls, and treacles of greenery and foliage meandering throughout, I felt like I was back in Greece, soaking up the countries culture in the Mediterranean heat.

Opting for cocktails we treated ourselves to the Saint Basil; Martin Millers gin, Chambord, strawberry puree, black pepper, basil and cranberry juice (£7) and the Watermelon Punch; vodka, Filfat, fresh watermelon, guava juice, and lime juice (£7). Both were deliciously fresh and really hit the spot.

For lunch we had opted for six dishes between the two of us. We were pretty hungry, however even though the waitress had encouraged us to order more, we decided to stick to six dishes which ended up being more than enough for us.

Arriving one after the other the dishes filled the table. From humous made with ground chickpeas, fresh garlic, olive oil and lemon juice (£4.45), to Keftedes; homemade lamb meatballs (£5.45), to King prawns with chilli and garlic, and cooked in chilli garlic and olive oil (£6.95), I just couldn't get enough.

Then our stiffado; a rich beef and shallot strew (£5.95) arrived, as did our grilled octopus with smoked paprika (£6.95). The octopus looked incredible and I was totally caught off guard when we were presented with a tentacle. Nevertheless it was sublime. Last but not least we chomped on our halloumi fries (£5.95). A first for me, they were pretty delicious and if you love salty foods they are a must-order.

Slowly but surely one by one the plates emptied and although we never actually licked the plates, we scooped up all of the leftover sauce with the ends of the pitta bread. Bellies full, we politely said our farewells to the attentive staff  and were on our way. The perfect spot to grab a quick bite for lunch, or meander through dinner, I would definitely recommend Halloumi and all it has to offer. Something completely new to Glasgow, it was refreshing to try somewhere that wasn't a burger bar and served up something rather special. efcharistó!

   For Now...

  Just Julia

Shilling Brewing Co (Glasgow): Review

Glasgow is a city known for its passion, and rich history of brewing. It's a city which is innovative, forward-thinking and collaborative when it comes to its food and drink industry, and possesses a huge range of foodie establishments which offer up unique, artisan dishes.

Recently I discovered a new found love for craft beer, not my usual preferred tipple of choice, my tastebuds seem to be playing tricks on me, allowing me to indulge in some exciting new flavours. Maybe getting older isn't so bad after all...

With a passion for pizza and my tastebuds looking for their next foodie fix, it wasn't long until I'd sold in the idea to my boyfriend. After all Shilling Brewing Co is the new place-to-be on the Glasgow brewing front, and he does love pizza and beer - it was an easy sell really.

Previously an old bank, the eatery, which is located on 92 West George Street boasts its own in-house brewery, and is the first brewpub to don the city of Glasgow. It's also home to a coupla oven which all of the homemade pizzas are cooked in.

The beer of choice was the unicorn IPA. Named after Scotland's national animal, the IPA is unique in flavour and can be ordered in a pint, 2/3 pint or 1/3 of a pint. Perfect measures if you'd like to try out a few of their other beers too. In all honesty, I'm obsessed with unicorns, so it was always and only ever going to be the unicorn IPA, a good choice and very refreshing, the perfect pairing with a pizza.

 

As well as its brews, the brewery specialises in pizza and pizza alone, so if you don't like eating pizza then best stick to the beers. Actually, even if you don't like pizza, I urge you to give these bad boys a go. Legit, one of the best pizza's I've eaten in Glasgow, so much so, I'd say it's a close call between these pizza's and Paseano's pizza's for the top spot. 

I love a traditional pizza, the more toppings the better in my eyes, and if it comes lathered in BBQ sauce, then we're on to a winner. However, when you see a pizza on the menu which boasts haggis, red onion, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and chilli and Irn Bru jam (£9), you've got to try it out! The pizza was light, and left me full, not the heavy full feeling you sometimes get eating doughy foods, but the satisfied full, leaving a real positive taste in my mouth. The haggis and chilli and Irn Bru jam was phenomenal. Haggis in itself is fantastic, but that chilli and Irn Bru jam was bloody awesome, and I'd order it again, and again, and again. Haggis ft chilli and Irn Bru jam, I love you.

My boyfriend decided to keep it tradizionale (that's traditional in Italian) and ordered a pepperoni pizza featuring jalapeños, mozzarella, red chilli, tomato sauce and red peppers (£10). You can also build your own pizza, and add four different toppings for just £11, bargin. Armed with our own personal pizza cutters, we delved into the gourmet thin-crust pizza, fresh out of the coupla oven, putting those hunger pangs to bay. Better still, all of the pizza's are made using dough risen with brewers' yeast.

Mid pizza meltdown, I sneaked off to discover the rest of the brewery. I'd heard how impressive this place was, and that the tasting rooms and toilets were in what used to be the old bank safes. Did I believe anyone? No. Do I now believe them? Absolutely. It's definitely worth while going for a wonder round this place, you just never know what you might find...

Back to dinner, another great element to this feast was the crust dippers. Gone are the days you have to leave those poor, soulless crusts, hello the era of foodie heaven where crust dippers are a thing. Hello Shilling BBQ and aioli sauces, god damn they were good.

The most fantabulous part about my experience at Shilling Brewing Co (minus the food) was the fact I was seated right in front of a kick ass unicorn. Yeah I just made up a word, but they have a unicorn on the wall - AMAZING.

As a whole, the new brewpub is shit hot. The interiors are, as the kids now say "sick", and the pizza and beers are cracking. A great wee place to stop in for a pizza and beers with your pals, or a fab place for a casual date with your other half. Heck I'd even go as far as saying to take your parents and grandparents along, this place has something for everyone and really caters to all ages.

I will definitely be returning armed with a crowd of my friends to try out another pizza, and together we will sit staring longingly at that unicorn, dreaming of the day we can finally own one...as if.

So if you like great pizza and you love good craft beer, be sure to pay the brewpub a visit, you won't regret it.

For Now...

Just Julia

Tantrum doughnuts (Glasgow): Review

It's no word of a lie that when we're asked to think of doughnuts two things usually spring to mind, the first, a slightly over weight policeman sitting happily in his police car dunking a doughnut into a fine brew, patiently awaiting a call on the radio, which, usually - in the movies - always seems to be a bank robbery or a high speed car chase, predictable, I think so. The second connotation when thinking about doughnuts would be the over exaggerated experience of Krispy Kreme. Living in Aberdeen I know may the individual who has driven for miles down to Edinburgh for the day just to pick up a box of doughnuts. Each to their own I guess...

It was only about a month ago that I learned the whereabouts of Tantrum Doughnuts, following each other on Instagram I felt we already kind of knew each other, so I was really keen to meet this new sweet pal I had made on social media. Impromptu, as my coffee stops, or more like hot chocolate stops usually are, last weekend before heading back up the road to Aberdream, I dropped into the eatery with my boyfriend to try out what I had only heard as Glasgow's best kept doughy secret.

Launching at the end of last year in December, Tantrum Doughnuts, situated on 35 Old Dumbarton Road, has built up quite the reputation in the city, so much so that every time I've passed the shop it's always been full - a good sign for any business, especially on a weekday.

The brainchild of Iain Baillie (former pastry chef at The Fat Duck, One Devonshire Gardens, Gleneagles Hotel and latterly, Glasgow's very own Ox and Finch - another must try on my foodie list) and his wife, Annika, the cafe has grown from strength to strength, welcoming hundreds of revellers through its doors.

The best bit about these doughnuts is the way they are cooked. Fried in rapeseed oil in small batches to ensure each and every doughnut retains both freshness and flavour, they are then smothered, filled and/or covered with homemade custards, fondants, purées and jams which are all made in-house.

What I really enjoyed about the cafe is that they base their offering on the availability of seasonal ingredients which they source from local suppliers, further enhancing the freshness and high quality of the doughnuts. No wonder they're so damn tasty. 

It was really hard to pick which one I wanted, they all looked so enticing. Feeling the pressure to pick the right one, I opted for the pistachio and hibiscus ring, whilst my boyfriend decided on the chocolate and hazelnut filled, cinnamon sugar doughnut. To be perfectly honest, he chose the one I was dying to try out, but I have absolutely no regrets as I actually LOVED the way my doughnut tasted. It also featured a lot of different textures and wasn't too heavy which was perfect for me. The doughnuts melted in your mouth and tasted so fresh, it was extremely apparent that these were no ordinary doughnuts, there were artisan doughnuts. MMM.

Other doughnut flavours I'd like to get my hands on to try out include; maple candied bacon and puffed pork crackling, almond old fashioned, and vanilla crème brûlée. Then again, you can't beat a traditional raspberry jam filled doughnut.

Obviously it wouldn't be a proper outing to a foodie establishment for me without a token milkshake, a chocolate mallow milkshake this time. Chocolate ice cream mixed with milk, topped with one of the sweetest toasted marshmallows I've ever tasted. So damn good. A first in my life, I decided to try out the hot chocolate instead, which, may I add, was utterly divine, leaving my boyfriend to enjoy the mammoth milkshake. Of course I undoubtedly managed to sneak a wee sip or two of the milkshake, because given the opportunity, who wouldn't, am I right!?

I really loved the intimate feel the cafe presented, small and cosy, the artisanal space was extremely pleasant, and the smells coming from the back were what I could only imagine Willy Wonka's sweet factory would smell like. I also enjoyed the "Made by people, not machines" gracefully plastered above the doorway, reassuring customers that a lot of love and attention goes into these wee sweet treats.

I will definitely be returning, and most certainly will be purchasing a box of Glasgow's finest doughnuts to take home and share with my Aberdonian pals next time I'm in. Tantrum Doughnuts, it was a ruddy pleasure.

For Now...

Just Julia

The Hyndland Fox (Glasgow): Review

Nestled away in the heart of Hyndland in Glasgow's West End, lies a restaurant so witty and smart, so cute and crafty that even those who are in a hurry, would pop in to see what all the fuss is about.

A known haven for foodies, The Hyndland Fox, situated at 43 Clarence Drive, has a reputation for being one of the best places to grab breakfast or brunch in Glasgow. Not one to usually meander the streets looking for somewhere to eat breakfast, I stumbed upon The Hyndland Fox a few months ago and literally can't seem to stay away from the place.

My relationship with The Hyndland Fox has been a curiously fun wee thing, I first stepped foot in The Fox when I came to Glasgow for a job interview. Looking for somewhere which served up a hearty breakfast, it seemed to be the place to be. Fast forward a few lunchtime pit stops, and a number of light in-between flat viewing small dishes, it wasn't surprising I soon enough began to get to know a few members of staff. I love getting to meet new people and trying out new places, and when you find a place which serves up food as good as The Fox does, who can blame me for taking all of my friends there for brunch every time they come to visit. Only a ten minute walk away from my flat you can imagine how much of a struggle it's been to stay away.

Arriving for dinner one Sunday evening, I took residence in the kings seat (so I've decided to call it) watching the restaurant fill with people who were all coming to indulge in the delicious dishes.

With The Hyndland Fox recenly updating their food and drink menu's, the eatery has a number of Scottish dishes on the menu, something I was very happy to see. To start the meal off with a bang, I decided to order the mussles of the day (£6.25) which was to be served with two slices of warm sourdough bread. Not a massive fan of mussles, I was really eager to see how I would get on tackling this dish. I love seafood, however, there's something about mussles I have never seemed to enjoy . It wasn't until I lifted the cloche that the smell of the garlic hit the back of my nose, I knew we were on to a winner. The mussles were cooked beautifully, and drowned in a mariner sauce which was perfect for dipping my bread into. I love garlic so the fact it was infused in it was divine. The garnish on top was questioned, but I still managed to manoeuvre around it to get to the goods. Without a doubt this dish could easily be a lighter main meal option as there were so many mussels which was great! I would absolutely, definitely, 100% order these again.

My guest for the evening opted for the Harissa chicken skewers (£5.95), a dish which had also been teasing me as a starter. Chicken and chorizo with a zingy minted yoghurt dipping sauce on the side, the dish was full of different flavours and very light for a starter which suited perfectly. Both dishes were devoured very quickly, and I even managed to get a wee taster of the skewers in exchange for a slice of bread and some mussels. And who said chivalry was dead!?

Powering on to the main event, unexpectedly, I decided on trying out something I wouldn't usually order at a restaurant, shepherd's pie. Alas, his was not any old shepherd's pie, this was a duck and sherry shepherd's pie (£12.95). With confit duck and puy lentils cooked and topped with a crispy layer of mash potato with a hearty serving of kale on the side which was topped with smoked bacon pieces, there were a lot of flavours to consider when sampling his dish. The duck and lentil jus which had formed within the pie was heavenly. The duck itself was cooked just right, and the mashed potato top was lovely and crispy, exactly how I like it. Usually a fish and chips kind of lass, I surprised myself when I ordered this dish. Needless to say I did order a side of fries, although I must confess it was purely only for research purposes, although I did eat quite a few, and when I say quite a few I really mean almost all of them.

Whilst staying in Glasgow I've noticed a recent new trend of cooking in truffle oil fore-fronting the foodie scene. Intrigued by how good they sounded, it was only right to order a side portion of the truffle and rosemary chips (£2.95)just  to see what all the fuss was about obviously. By god if there is one thing you must do in this life, it's to try out truffle chips - there are no words.

Expectedly, my guest decided on a rare steak, very typical of him. A lover of steak I was interested to see how well The Fox would pull this one off. I'm very picky when it comes to steak, and so is my other half (for those of you sitting in anticipation, the mystery guest is my boyfriend). I'm not a fan of rare steaks, I usually order mine medium-rare, and as much as he had ordered it rare, I believe this steak was more medium than rare. Nevertheless, it tasted ruddy good and was accompanied by a very interesting, and usually paired sauce, chimichurri. This chimichuri was a little on the warm side for me, but a lover of all things spicy and accustomed to a good hot sauce, he had no issues with the spicier version. The 8oz Ayrshire 21 day dry aged ribeye steak (£19.95) was served with chimichurri, slow roast tomato, flat cup mushrooms and chunky chips. Hats off to the chef as it was affa fine.

I'm not going to lie, dessert was a serious struggle. Not only did I have very limited space left, if any, for a pudding, but there was also so many darn things I wanted to sample on the dessert menu. With a lot of toing nd frowing, one salted caramel and hazelnut chocolate tart (£5.45) with tablet ice cream, and one fresh Scottish wild berry eton mess (£5.45) were ordered. Not only did the tart itself melt in my mouth almost putting me into a chocolate coma, but the tablet ice cream ft tablet pieces throughout it almost sent me over the edge. The eton mess also tasted delicious, as messy as it looked,  but that's the point of an eton mess, right?

After what seemed like the best Sunday dinner I'd had in months was finally polished off, and a final cup of coffee ordered it was time to sit back, relax and take in the energetic, yet calm atmosphere The Fox beholds.

The perfect getaway for a morning catch up coffee with friends, a romantic meal with your loved one, Sunday brunch with the extended family or even an after work tipple, The Hyndland Fox has something for everyone on it's menu's.

Without a doubt I would return  to The Fox in a heartbeat, not just because of the vast food and drinks menu the eatery boasts, but because of the friendly, homely atmosphere it possesses too. Come to think of it, my friends are coming to visit soon so it looks like brunch at The Fox will be on the cards much sooner than I thought.

So catch The Fox if you can, because one you visit, you'll be dying yo return...

  For Now...

Just Julia

*I was invited along to the restaurant to review my experience. I was gifted this meal, however the review is a true and honest reflection of my experience.

MOËT PARTY DAY: Glasgow

One of the most prestigious of tipples - that is Champagne of course - has been a drink individuals across the globe have adored for centuries. Accustomed (I wish) to indulging in a glass of champagne from time to time (translate to- when I get gifted a divine bottle on a special occasion), the taste of champagne always transports me to some warm Mediterranean vineyard, nestled in the beautiful countryside of Southern France.

Last weekend, leading champagne extraordinaire's, Moët & Chandon, organised a nationwide party to celebrate its first ever champagne spray moment which took place on 11th June 1967, putting on its biggest event to date, the very first Moët Party Day.

Inited along to the party, and not wanting to miss out, I was intrigued to find out about the company's recently launched Ice Impérical champagne. The latest addition to the Moët & Chandon family, the Ice Impérial is the first and only champagne to be created to be enjoyed over ice. This new, smooth and deliciously fruity champagne is like no other, and when I say nothing compares to it, I truly mean nothing compares.

Heading to  The Lane on Ashton Lane, boyfriend in tow, the sweet sounds of a euphoric saxophone slowly teased us to where the white-themed street party was.

And with a clink of our perfectly branded glasses, #moetpartyday had commenced.

The set up of the Moët Ice Party was incredible, with crisp white, Balearic-inspired seating and tables outside, comfy high quality bean bags to perch our bottoms on, bespoke branding materials and two Emperor King penguins strategically placed for some serious selfie fun. Not to mention the fun selfie props they had on all of the tables and the huge Dive Into the Now Moët Ice photo board they had for guests to almost literally, jump into the moment.

On the tables containers filled with mint sprigs and perfectly sliced cucumber were there us to use, garnishing our champagne, creating a whole new mix of flavours to tantilise our tastebuds, keeping our palate guessing as to what would flavours would come next. To be able to drink a glass of champagne so easily, with a sweet, yet still slightly crisp twist to it was delightfully pleasant. Never before have I drank champagne over ice, and never again will a glass of champagne go down so smoothly. The Ice Impérial had won the royal champagne seal of approval from me.

With Moët in my hand and food on my mind, I began to realise that I'd need to slow things down a little and get some grub in my tum if I was to last all day and make it to the evening event. This meant one thing, a hearty, yet light lunch was needed to ensure we were going to make it out later, putting those hunger pangs to bed.

I opted for a smoked chicken, tallegio and rocket sandwich accompanied with truffle fries, and my other half decided on the club sandwich with cajun fries. Both great choices and both demolished within the hour.

#moetmonent's took place throughout the day, gifting the public with complimentary drinks - not a bad set up for those lucky sods passing by I must say. Both events were open to the public, with many individuals passing through Ashton Lane popping in for a glass or two.

As day turned to night we left the stunning lane, spruced ourselves up ready to check out the Moët Imperial Party, and headed to our next destination. Entering the enchanted Corinthian Club, one of, if not the most beautiful and elegant establishements I've ever stepped foot in, we were lead to the VIP section and welcomed with a chilled glass of Imperial Moët. The older, and wiser sister of the Ice Impérial champagne we had tried earlier, the traditional Imperial Moët was much more crisp and bubbly than the champagne we had been drinking throughout the day. This champagne seemed much more elegant, and very well suited to the character of the Corinthian too.

With stunning golden glasses (which I was dying to take home may I add), we sipped champagne all evening as David Barbarossa played a mixture of up beat music, catering to all ages. I loved the prestigiousness of this brand, and the organisation of a successful nationwide event is extremely applaudable. The Corinthian was by far the best venue for the evening event and really added to the glamorous up-market feel the event boasted in the most relaxed environment.

Again, like at the quirky Ashton Lane, food was also provided and by god, those canapés were out of this world. With the likes of tempura prawns with a hot sweet chilli sauce, salmon and cream cheese hors d'oeuvres and haggis bon bon's with whisky sauce available, all were consumed and all tasted exceptionally good.

Sadly I wasn't quick enough to get pictures of the food, although with it being THAT delicious, it didn't surprise me that people were immediately returning for seconds and thirds. The prawns and the haggis bon bon's were a definite highlight for me - if you ever go to The Corinthian, try them.

More #moetmoments took place within The Corinthian, with girls showing off the champagne and handing out complimentary bottles to the public to enjoy, encouraging everyone to get involved in the celebrations. Everyone was in high spirits and loved both events.

With Moët on our minds, in our hands, and even circulating within our bloodstreams, we decided to call it a night and head home. A huge success in my eyes, Moët had captured the hearts of the nation once again. With a bottle of Moët champagne opened every second around the globe, it's no wonder that the champagne power house is one of the world's favourites.

A huge thank you to Mary McGowan from The Vine PR Company for having us, we had a delightful time and I hope to work alongside her and her fantastic team again in the near future. Also, big up to The Moët & Chandon team for putting on a cracking nationwide event. A great event by everyone involved.

  For Now...

Just Julia