I've always wanted to be French. It probably started around the time I first watched Amelie. Ever since I've been convinced that I was born on the wrong side of the Channel. I consider cheese and garlic food groups, I'm very fond of a Breton stripe and I hate to smile in photographs. Oh and don't even get me started on my penchant for a good Cote Du Rhone...
My favourite restaurant when I lived in Edinburgh was a gorgeous little French bistro on Victoria Street where I would regularly gorge on frogs legs and duck with puy lentils. Since I moved west though, I've struggled to find a decent counterpart. Meaning I was more than willing to venture out into the rain on a miserable Monday night to see what brand new Atlantic Bar & Brasserie on St Vincent Place had to offer. Atlantic is the little sister of well established The Anchor Line. Who coincidentally do the best cocktail I've ever had in Glasgow (Smoked French 75 in case you're interested).
Usually when I get invited to 'try the food', I take Ava. As much as I like to deny it, this blog of mine does often take on the tone of a 'mummy blog' and so I like to see how family friendly these places are when it comes to catering for kids. However on this occasion mummy needed a night out and a cocktail. So I called a good friend (and fellow mummy), who was thankfully only too happy to join me for a night away from Peppa Pig stories and chicken nuggets...
We were greeted quickly at the door by some nice but professional staff. This was pretty much the tone all night. Excellent service in a manner only the French do best. No over-zealous cheesy up-selling or over-excited enquiries about where you were off to next. Assertive waiters who were friendly yet aloof at the same time. The kind of service that constantly reminds you that you are not in Frankie & Benny's.
However the food would have done that anyway. The steak tartare knocked a popular steak restaurant in the southside off its number one spot as my favourite place to eat steak tartare. This was the best I've had yet. Raw beef is rather flavourless meaning you have to know what you are doing with this dish and they definitely did. It had the perfect amount of herbs and the salty capers worked amazingly with the tartness of the gherkins. Brought together by the egg yolk this was so good that I wished I had ordered the larger version for my main. Louise's mushrooms looked amazing and I am told they were delicious. Rich, creamy and seasoned well, her only complaint was the mammoth portion of brioche that accompanied it. But that's hardly a complaint...
For my main I opted for the chicken and Louise the duck. I'd had a nudge that rotisserie was the way to go in this restaurant and I wasn't misinformed. The chicken (that's half a chicken - I only managed the breast), was moist and tender and the hickory sauce I had chosen it with was sweet, sticky and smoky. The side of salad with roasted baby beets and candied walnuts was underwhelming and didn't wow me at all however I was delighted to discover my favourite ever 'garniture' of sautéed lettuce with peas and pancetta on the menu. It was delicious. The salty pancetta was crisp and wonderful and the lettuce braised perfectly. Louise's duck was cooked pink and tasted tender and well seasoned. The coriander was slightly over-powering although she did say this might be to personal taste and we both enjoyed the food tremendously.
As I'm wary of a French white (I can only really tolerate a Chablis), we opted for the house Sauvignon. I figured this would be the safest choice as it would be chosen to suit the masses. It was lovely and now has me questioning if it was merely a couple of cheap Chardonnay's that originally put me off a French blanc. Being a girl after my own heart, Louise & I both went for a cocktail (or two) rather than a dessert and we can confirm that all four were expertly mixed and very tasty. If only it hadn't been a school night...
Luckily (for them) it was and we headed home before closing. Full, a teeny bit tipsy and much like the Entente Cordiale - both in complete agreement that we would be back.
Atlantic Bar & Brasserie, Lower Ground, 12-16 St Vincent Place, G1. 0141 221 0220
I was invited as a guest of Atlantic Bar & Brasserie. You can read more about my disclosure policy here. All photos courtesy of Atlantic Bar & Brasserie.
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