WHILE the nearby food scene in Finnieston and Partick is often in a state of flux with new openings and pop-ups, Hyndland is more used to sitting in a state of vaguely bohemian contentment. Epicures has been a focal point for the neighbourhood, so it was big news locally when the brasserie was given a makeover after being bought by Oli Norman last year. Now we hear they are to enter a new era of brunch and baking in partnership with Cail Bruich.
The two businesses say they had developed plans for a joint venture before lockdown and rumours of a new Cail Bruich space had been swirling for the past couple of weeks.
The 3 AA Rosette-rated kitchen team from Cail Bruich will now be responsible for the food menu at Epicures, opening with a focus on brunch – supplemented by sandwiches and salads – alongside a dedicated bakery offering cakes, pastries and breads for sit-in meals or takeaway. In part, this is inspired by the breakfast pastries menu Cail Bruich was offering to pick up from the restaurant during lockdown, which proved popular.
Oli Norman, owner of Epicures, said: “I’ve long been a huge fan of Cail Bruich and the exceptional quality of food, drink and service and am really excited about Chris and his team taking over the operation at Epicures.
“Throughout lockdown, visits to the CB Bakery were a highlight, so to bring the offering to Epicures is a real joy, along with taking the food offering to a whole new level.”
Chris Charalambous, owner of Cail Bruich, said: “Epicures is a Glasgow institution and to be offered the chance to put our spin on a neighbourhood brunch spot is very exciting.
“We’ll follow the same ethos as we always have on sourcing artisan producers and treating their produce with care and respect.
“The menu will reflect our passion for creating modern, eye-catching and most importantly tasty dishes. A bakery is something I’ve always wanted to open and seeing how well it was received during lockdown, it made perfect sense to give it a permanent home. We’re firm believers that every neighbourhood should have a good bakery, so we hope that the new Epicures is the hub of Hyndland.”
Epicures by Cail Bruich will open on Friday, August 14, with bookings live from Monday, August 10, at 5pm.
It’s a full offering at Bananamoon
THEY are as comfortable serving you a cheese and beans toastie as they are serving up a Levantine flatbread spinach manakish pizza.
Over cocktails or coffee, many strands of life come together at Bananamoon on Great Western Road. It’s small but there’s plenty of space and light, quirky design and art motifs. A mezzanine level will soon be a speakeasy-style upstairs bar area.
During the week, Bananamoon is populated by students, families, folk taking a break while walking their dogs, or just me trying to escape the incessant rain. There’s outside tables that catch the sun late into the evening, but not today. As I’m munching on a Palestinian meat pastry at a corner table, I’m told the updated menu is made up of different Middle Eastern plates, featuring family recipes, principally from the owner’s mum and granny. They have also inspired the Mrs Falafel food truck, a brand new part of the business – think fully loaded pittas, wraps, lots of babaganoush and lamb koftas.
You’ll find Mrs Falafel on Ashley Street in Woodlands.
Spiritualist back in mix after lockdown
BACK from their lockdown hiatus and ready to shake things up with a steady supply of colourful cocktails, The Spiritualist has reopened Thursday to Sunday on Miller Street.
Their food menu is currently not available, creating more space to spread out tables for those looking for drinks.
READ MORE: Epicures in Hyndland closes doors
An online system using your smartphone is responsible for quickly taking track and trace details. You will also access menus on your phone before an order is taken by staff wearing PPE. After that, it’s business as usual with drinks like a mango mojito featuring spiced Bacardi Oakheart rum, agave nectar, fresh lime juice and mango mix or Stolen Kisses, with Haku vodka, sugar syrup, fresh grapefruit, mint, cucumber, Mediterranean tonic and fresh flowers. Homemade cocktails may have filled the gap while bars were closed but you can’t beat the real thing. Limited walk-in space available but booking a place before you visit is recommended.
Special Glasgowist dinner served up
GLASGOWIST readers are invited to a six-course dining experience at Glaschu, the new fine-dining restaurant that opened on Royal Exchange Square last week.
The special event menu will be served for one night only on August 18. It was devised after a chat I had with head chef Dion Scott that ended up with a challenge: Could he design a menu that showcased the best of Scottish produce and introduced what Glaschu is all about? He has put together a seasonal feast that illustrates his refined approach to cooking, displaying the confident attitude to ingredients that you would expect from a chef who has worked with Heston Blumenthal. You also have the option of a drink pairings menu to compliment each course.
To join us for A Glasgowist Dinner call 0141 248 2214 or email contact@glaschurestaurant.co.uk.
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