Sat 29/12 - The Left Bank

Address - Gibson Street, Glasgow
Website - http://www.theleftbank.co.uk/

The Left Bank seemed like a good place to start this as it is a) yummy and b) has won an Observer Food Monthly award for best cheap eats. It is also pretty handy cos the menu is very varied so can accommodate all sorts of fussiness.

The three of us arrived about 3, so it was pushing the definition of brunch but I hadn't had breakfast and I did have dinner later so I think that it fits.

The decor in the Left Bank is cosy and features some nice Timerous Beastie wallpaper. We settled ourselves and almost immediately had our drinks order taken, 1 bottled water, 1 diet coke and 1 soy latte (bonus points for fairtrade coffee and having soya milk, there is also a fair vegan selection as well as vegitarian). We then spent a while on the menu, k and c decided on the breakfasts pretty quickly, k meat (£6.95) and c meat-free (£6.75). I, however, couldn't decide. I was very tempted by the Bombay Breakfast (should it be the Mumbai breakfast? pondered C) but went with the homemade beans on toast with cheese (a paltry £3.45).

The food didn't take very long to arrive and i was very happy with my choice, thick homemade toast and the baked beans were a bit spicy and seemed to be cannellini beans with just the right amount of cheese. The others weren't too happy with their breakfasts - they had both fancied fried eggs but they arrived poached, I assume that had they asked for fried they would have got it. C found the veggie haggis sausage a bit spicy and K thought that the creamy sauce on the mushrooms didn't really go but said they were nice anyway - she certainly finished them all. The bacon was great and I tasted the sausage and have to say they were very nice, again it came with the same beans and toast which were well received.

Looking about to the other tables most people seemed to be going for the Mussels and seemed to be enjoying them.

Overall, I was pretty happy with the meal, I don't think that you could make beans on toast with cheese any nicer and the service was just the way I like it, attentive but not too in your face. We sat for ages after we'd finished and, even though it was pretty busy, I didn't feel pressurised to either order anything else or be on our way.