It’s been a long time coming, this place - mainly because the last five months have felt like an eternity.
Anyone who watches new restaurant openings will know that Glaschu was due to open in March, in the corner Royal Exchange Square previously known as the Western Club.
That, as you can probably guess, didn’t happen - and I've been waiting to get a table at one of the city's hottest new openings ever since, wondering if it would withstand lockdown when many other, established places were struggling.
With Glasgow hospitality coming back to life bit by bit, Glaschu finally opened its doors last weekend - and I grabbed a table before the downpours hit on Friday evening (FYI, a window seat is a great place to people watch, especially during a storm).
It’s great to see bars and restaurants opening post-lockdown - and it’s even more encouraging that newbies are still able to gain a foothold in these scary times.
With all the uncertainties facing businesses at the moment in mind, Glasgow Live had vowed not to run any bad reviews for the near future - we don’t want to be even partly responsible for a fall in footfall anywhere. Thankfully, my visit to Glaschu was brilliant - and I’m glad to be able to tell you about it.
Where is it and what’s it like?
As mentioned, you’ll find it in the corner of Royal Exchange Square opposite the Social and Number 29 in the Merchant City. If you’ve visited the old Western Club before then you’ll know it has private members written all over it, from the grand staircase entrance to the swanky dining room, with huge windows looking down on the square below.
The old restaurant was, I have to say, a bit grey for my taste; a dining room that could have been stunning with just a few homely touches and a splash of colour.
Enter Glaschu. The room remains on the grand side but is brightened up by the odd pillar colour pop and huge dried flower bouquets hanging from the ceiling - in short, it’s more instagrammable for a younger generation of diners, and that seems deliberate.
Add in a decidedly unstuffy service - the staff are all friendly, chatty and seem to know the menu well - and it all makes for an upmarket yet unfussy meal that would please anyone, from your influencer pal to your old Da (and that’s before we get to the portion sizes - more to follow on that note).
What’s on the menu?
The a la carte isn’t huge but that’s no complaint for me - I’m not a fussy eater and there’s always something I fancy. I don’t trust places with pages and pages of food options - I’d rather they do a few things right than everything under the sun.
Here, there’s a highlight of fine Scottish produce in every dish, from roasted Orkney scallops with bacon jam and Stornoway black pudding crumb to cannon of roast lamb with confit tomatoes and onion soubise.
Of course, there’s a star attraction on the menu at Glaschu … but we’ll get to that.
What did you have?
To start, I went for lobster and langoustine cannelloni. Times have been hard this year, and any excuse to indulge in a wee bit of lobster is fine by me. Trust me, the price tag is worth it; an ample starter arrived, one big roll of pasta filled with plump, fresh seafood and bordered by a cep mushroom puree and shellfish veloute. It’s a real treat, and one you should push the boat out for. My pal’s goat’s cheese with salt baked beetroot, preserved lemon and honey was more a work of art than a salad - but again, well portioned and an ideal wee starter on a clammy night.
Besides, she had to save room for the main attraction. Since Glaschu revealed its menu, the beef wellington - a sharer dish for two - has stood out. £5 of every one sold is being donated to the STV Children’s Appeal, FYI, which is wonderful - but we all know you’re only going to order it if it’s worth the (sizeable) price tag.
Trust me when I say it’s worth every penny. Stick a cone on it (as Glaschu have done in their promotional shots) and it's the best wellington in town - apologies to the Duke just around the corner.
You know those restaurants you can’t take your dad to, because he’d only moan about the portions and how he was still hungry afterwards? This is not that place. The wellington arrived as two enormous hunks of fillet beef, cooked on the rare side of medium-rare (as requested) and encased in the flakiest golden pastry over mushroom and spinach. I’ll assume that Glaschu’s steak knives are brand new - but still, mine cut through this glorious piece of meat like it was butter on a warm day. I’m worried I’ll get inappropriate if I describe it any further.
The dish comes with salt-baked carrots and horseradish on the side and we added another, truffled potato puree - which was excellent, but entirely unneeded with everything else going on on the plate. If you’re starving, or pushing the boat out, then go for it - but the lot left us too full for dessert, this time anyway.
Any excuse for a return visit …
How much does it cost?
Ah, the finer points. I’m not going to lie to you; Glaschu is not a cheap meal out. But for something special, it’s definitely worth a visit. Starters range from £8 to £15 (that’ll be the lobster) and the sharing beef wellington clocks in at £85 for two.
The verdict
With a glamorous dining room and dishes that perfectly balance refinement with, let’s face it, a hearty Glaswegian appetite, I’d say Glasgow’s newest fine dining restaurant is worth splashing out on - the kind of place you’ll want to be treated to on your birthday, or to show off when your family come to visit.
Go on, be good to yourself - it’s been some year and you’ve earned a Friday night out on the town.
Glaschu, 32 Royal Exchange Sq, G1 3AB, 0141 248 2214
