The Arches Cafe Bar Glasgow for #totalfoodgeeksglasgow

Jun 14, 2012 by scotslarder

Finally the food geeks of Glasgow got together. Albeit a relatively small collection of 10 from a population of circa 1 million but a passionate bunch they are.  Food bloggers, suppliers, enthusiastic amateur cooks and dining outers extraordinaire. We met up in the bar in The Arches Cafe Bar at 253 Argyle Street, Glasgow and were met by Head Chef Robbie McGuinness as we quaffed an aperitif. I have to say Robbie and his team were the stars of the night. A specially created menu at a stunning price with a really artistic and creative use of ingredients. This was a meal for food geeks by food geeks.

Safely sat down at our table there was a glass of cava to welcome us. As a menu that included ham hough and rabbit Battenburg, rump of lamb and blueberry frangipan tart was mentally digested strangers became acquainted with real names as opposed to Twitter ones and the choice was raved about. I went for the ham hough and rabbit terrine with honey cider jelly and sage crisps. The ham being quite simply stunning, packed with sweet meatiness. The attention to detail on the rabbit, with the leg meat stripped and wrapped around the loin coming together in the classic Battenburg four square arrangement was both fun and stylish with lots of flavours and textures.

So first difficult choice overcome, now what to have for the main. All three options sounded amazing and the more I write this blog the more I try to broaden my choices and tastebuds. But mackerel just as it comes into season is not to be turned down and so that was  what I went for. Beautifully cooked with a slight crisp to the skin but still with the greeny blue shimmer lighting up the plate alongside the well cooked baby beets and a cauliflower horseradish cream adding a bit of bite and creaminess. Again a very elegant plate with lots of interesting flavour combinations.

So to dessert and for once I came out of my comfort zone. My usual rule is when cheese is available read the menu, consider the options and then go for the cheese. This time I went for the Chocolate Nemesis as the bee pollen and salted caramel were far more interesting than some former guitarists’ blue efforts. And what a choice it was, rich, moist, delicate chocolate cake with a shard of pollinated chocolate and a sweet savoury mousse. It’s rare a chocolate dessert can be so rich yet light that you wish the cake portion had been bigger. This was one of those occasions.

All in all this was a lovely meal and for the price of £10 it was nothing short of stunning. I can’t praise The Arches enough for the way they embraced the first #totalfoodgeeksglasgow night. There will be many more nights but this will retain a little spiritual home feel about it. We’ll be getting together every six weeks or so, why not come and join us by contacting myself or Briony from theglasgowfoodblog or follow the hashtag #totalfoodgeeksglasgow. We hope you’ll join us.