Monday, November 10, 2008

The worst meal I've had in Glasgow since the great tripe disaster of 1978


We went there because we were in a hurry, Papingo was full and Atrio wasn't. Mistake. Cullen Skink? I think not. I had a superb Cullen Skink at the Ceilidh Place in Ullapool last Tuesday night, made to the classic recipe: chunks of tattie, smoked haddock, cream, onion. Atrio provided something of a contrast. Five minutes after everyone else had finished their (adequate) starters, I was served a bowl of tepid, creamy, salty water, sprinkled with chopped chives. At the bottom was what looked like reconstituted dried onion. No fish. No potato. I sent it back, protesting on behalf of Cullen and indeed all Skink everywhere.

Worse was to come: The attractive menu description of the veggie option was: aubergine with cous cous on a bed of rocket. What I got was this massive deep-fried lump of inedible leathery leather-substitute. Closer investigation showed that a thick slice of aubergine had been char grilled, coated with a pungent pink paste, then DEEP FRIED in a coating of cous cous. It was beyond appalling.

Service was delightful, the wine was chilled, the chips and vegetables were good. Magnus and Laura said their chicken and risotto were both good. Perhaps I was being punished for something.

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