The weather was perfectly tropical when I popped by the new restaurant ‘Gather by Zique’.
In place of the previous ‘Delizique’, the same team have a new venture, which opened earlier this year.
The space is open, bright and modern. I was seated in a comfortable big basket chair with an attractive window view.
The style and feel of the place has a subtle elegance and there are hints of a variated texture and colour which I found aesthetically pleasing.
The inspiration for the name appears to stem from the owners’ farming ideals, as in simply “to gather” from the land, to harvest. It is a resourceful and creative notion to use the produce from the farm owned and run by Mhairi and her husband Dick.
The menu is altered and refreshed according to the season, keeping up-to-date with fresh goods and inspired by local Scottish ingredients.
Specifically, with the dishes I chose, I noticed a theme of fresh green throughout which was fitting for a vibrant summer menu.
The pricing of food ranges from a starter of around £6 and goes up to a main course of about £17. And by West End standards I would say the prices are very reasonable.
I was intrigued by the sound of one of the canapés - Sage and Olive fritters £1.50. So I put them to the test. Crisp, salty and aromatic; an unexpected triumph.
Courgette flower stuffed with ricotta, mint, lemon & peas, raw courgette £7. Just like the canapé, the delicious light batter gave it that added texture, going on from the crunchy stem to the soft filling of the courgette flower. “Fritter-Vicious.”
The citrusy thinly sliced courgette lifted the whole dish, with the perfect summer combination of mint and lemon, a simple yet effective combination of flavour.
Grilled asparagus with broad bean & rocket pesto, crispy rocket £7. The asparagus was chargrilled to give it a delicious smoky effect that went hand in hand with the vibrant pesto and rocket with a light crisp. As a big lover of pesto, I was particularly impressed by the creativity and diverse taste.
Sage and parma ham wrapped hake with Roman spring stew of artichoke, broad beans & peas £17. The hake was cooked beautifully with a lovely soft texture. I felt like the dish was delicate on presentation but strong on flavour.
I really liked the addition of fresh herbs in all of the dishes, reminiscent of all the lovely greenery surrounding us in the summertime in Glasgow.
Chocolate semi-freddo, poached cherries, hazelnut praline, warm choclate & Frangelico sauce £7. The dessert had a gorgeous cerise jus, which was a striking contrast against the white of the plate.
The ‘semi-freddo’, half frozen chocolate, was a perfect taste of sweet to cleanse the palate, accompanied with candied crunchy hazelnuts and soft cherries. A flavoursome gift that keeps giving.
Overall I would definitely return to Gather and see how they continue to grow and develop as the menu changes with the seasons. I enjoyed the laid-back style yet in keeping with fine dining service and presentation.
They have many wines and cocktails I have yet to explore, so I will be planning my return. I’m sure the place will continue to impress and be a great success.
My own take on homemade Pesto
Inspired by the unique pesto from the asparagus dish I thought I’d try and recreate it.
Pesto is such a perfect sauce to accompany so many different meals, bursting with herby flavour and so simple to make, too easy not to try out for yourself.
Obviously, you can alter the recipe to your own taste but I liked to keep it classic.
I took a big generous bunch of basil and whizzed it up in a blender with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 garlic cloves, pine nuts, parmesan and salt + pepper to taste.
Literally ready in seconds. See for yourself how easy and diverse pesto can be. “Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy.”
Gather by Pique
70-72 Hyndland St, Glasgow
G11 5PT
0141 339 2000
