SIT anywhere, the waitress says gesturing across the half-full room.

"Anywhere," we say right back at her, eyes flicking nervously between that big, fat, comfy-looking six-seater booth up against the back wall and that tiny two-seater leper table right, tight in front of us at the draughty front door.

"Anywhere," she says again. Honestly? For a moment we're totally baffled. Put it down to being automatically directed to the worst table in the room at so many restaurants over so many years; put it down to knowing full-fat lunch time is 30 minutes away and they may need the six seater; put it down to scanning the room, entirely full of ladies, and noting not one of them took the only booth in the place when presumably told to sit, er, anywhere.

I try again. "Even at the booth," I ask awkwardly, half expecting a withering reply along the lines of "of course not the booth, stupid. There's only two of you".

But if there's scorn for the stupidity of the stupid men standing stupidly before her she hides it extremely well.

"Yes," she says pleasantly, before turning away and heading off. Fully boothed up, then, at the alpha table, menus in hand, drink orders taken, - two peppermint teas, please - and vaguely wondering what's going to happen if six angry women turn up at the door looking for lunch we scan the room.

White ceramic tiles, the nice ones with the bevelled edges, good lighting, airy windows and gentle chatter in the background.

I had been told this is very popular with south side ladies who lunch and even television personalities: football pundit Charlie Nicholas has been spotted here, apparently.

Indeed, it was my big pal Kevin McKenna, himself now a top TV personality, who texted me about it. I was meant to come with him, but an emergency intervened. Sort of.

It has a pleasant feel anyway. A young smiley waitress buzzes up to take the lunch order - repeats what she told me 30 seconds ago, that there is indeed a special, sir, and it's called salmon - and buzzes off again.

Hmm, we mutter looking at the menu. Sandwiches? No. Wrappy things? No. Salady stuff? No. Sharing plates? Definitely no. Soup? For lunch? What? No way.

Is the game parfait made here, Leo asks the waitress. Off she pops to check. "Home made," she says, leaving me none the wiser about whether it is or not. We order it anyway. And fish soup. Fish soup is different from ordinary soup isn't it? Then we'll have Toulouse sausages and a pizza with goat's cheese and pear.

We had actually been heading earlier to a brand spanking new place for lunch. So new that when I turned up and saw Leo behind plaster-marked glass being offered tea in a builder's mug I realised it hadn't actually opened yet.So Ollie's offered an emergency alternative, being pretty new itself.

The game liver parfait is pleasant, the beetroot and celeriac chutney decently sharp, wherever they are made. The fish soup is rich, spiced, tomatoey with hunks of crab throughout and light prawn dumplings bobbing about in it. It's so similar to the fish soup I had at Gamba in town that I'd imagine there would be copyright issues if it weren't for the fact that there's some link between the two restaurants.

The pizza is half high food couture - these toppings are apparently all the rage in New York - and half dessert. Pleasant though. The very mildly spiced Toulouse sausages and basil mash come on a tart bean ragout.

Clearly we ordered dishes more suited to the restaurant's evening custom. I say this because the pizza oven could have been hotter, the pizza's base was a little pale and floppy, and the microwave - or whatever it was that super-heated the sausages way beyond the temperature of anything else on the plate - could have been cooler.

A pleasant and well-run little restaurant, though. And they had me at "sit anywhere".

Ollie's

22 Nithsdale Road

Glasgow

0141 424 4600

Menu: Soup, sandwiches, sharing plates and salads, and more substantial main dishes including crab linguine, rump of lamb. 2

Service: Very relaxed, friendly and efficient. Clearly well run with a bright welcoming feel. 5

Price: Neighbourhood bistro prices with main courses available at just over a tenner. Reasonable. 3

Atmosphere: Bright, well-lit and comfortable. Buzzy, chattery feel. Pleasant, modern and clean look. 4

Food: Great fish soup and otherwise OK cooking though probably a distinct second when compared to the general good feel of the place. 6