I love Glasgow. Music and clubs; poor quality football; rain; socialism; architecture; forthright and friendly people; art, culture and design; a genuine sense of independence; a city that takes a perverse pride in its rough edges. Glasgow has got it all, and not least in food.
Putting together these 'cheap eats' top 10s for the travel section - regular WoM readers will know the drill by now; superior fodder for under a tenner a head - is not as easy as it looks. It's not just my weight that is suffering, it's my soul. Finding 10 genuinely good cafes, pubs, delis and such in every city I visit often means a hunt that would put the search for the Loch Ness monster to shame.
In Glasgow, I had no such problems. Quite the opposite. There was far too much to fit in. There are some notable absentees from my 10, such as Shandon Belles and Heart Buchanan, which I skipped on the basis that I've written about them elsewhere for the Guardian. But go to both, they're great. At the same time, whilst running the rule over the likes of Banana Leaf, Cherry & Heather, Delizique, Piece and Where The Monkey Sleeps, I didn't have time / indigestion tablets to get to the Den, the legendary Asia Style, Sonny & Vito's, Velvet Elvis, Kokuryo or An Lochan, which is currently doing a two-course lunch for £9.95. For a Good Food Guide listed restaurant, that sounds pretty amazing. Is it any good?
Let's hear your tips and comments. Where have I missed? What else does Glasgow have to offer? And should I have made space to squeeze in Lucky 7? I love the place itself (think works canteen in a Canadian logging plant); I love the fact that they were playing Arthur Russell and the Slits on a Thursday afternoon; I think they're knocking out decently sourced, competently cooked food at crazily cheap prices. Trouble was, my lamb burger didn't really work. Was it just a bad choice?
So please share your thoughts and fill in the gaps, your thoughts will be appreciated. Seriously. Because when the Tories get in I've decided I'm moving to Glasgow! I urge all right-thinking Guardian readers to do the same ...
