Haven't managed to get away this Easter? Don't worry, take a once-in-a-lunchtime trip around the world in Glasgow. The city is well-known for its fabulous choice of global restaurants ... and with these delicious choices you won't need to worry about taking your passport.

Start by heading east to India ...

The Herald:

The Dhabba

In North India, roadside diners are commonly known as dhabbas. For generations, these family run establishments have been captivating hungry travellers with their own menu of closely guarded recipes, passed on from father to son. Over time, the remarkable taste of these dhabbas soon began to spread from the highways into the cities. Many internationally acclaimed hotels started adopting the concept of the dhabba into their own restaurants, with some laying claim to being the best Indian restaurants in the world.

The Dhabba were pioneers of real North Indian cuisine in Scotland. Since The Dhabba opened in 2002, they have endeavoured to bring the true essence of North Indian cuisine to Glasgow. This isn’t your standard curry, this is cuisine that has been refined over hundreds of years, but given a modern touch. It’s an experience that has brought people back time and time again to discover dishes never before encountered in Scotland. 

Only the freshest ingredients sourced from Scotland and spices from India are used to prepare the vast array of dishes. These vary from  classic North Indian preparations like the Pilee Daal, Palak Paneer, Murg Kadai, Bhuna Gosht to more contemporary chaat preparatiosn like the Bhel Puri, Gol Gappa and Sheetal Kachori.  The Dhabba also offers a speciality cuisine once enjoyed by the rulers of India, called the Dum Pukht — slow cooked delicacies prepared with exquisite meats, herbs and spices. 

All this has earned The Dhabba its critical acclaim as one of the best North Indian restaurants in the UK , winning various awards including the Scottish Tourist Boards’ Cultural Cuisine Excellence Award, one of only two Indian restaurants to win the award.

The Dhabba offers special deals like two courses for £11.95 and lunch from £7.95.

www.thedhabba.com

The Herald:

Dakhin

Between the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean lies a tropical expanse of endless beaches, mountain ranges and plateaus criss-crossed by a maze of rivers. The region is as diverse as it is breathtaking. This is South India. It is a land with a unique cuisine. The food is light yet nourishing, subtle yet spicy and the combination of rice, coconut, lentils, and regional spices give South Indian food a distinctive taste easily differentiated from any other region of India.

Set amidst the centre of Glasgow’s Merchant city district Dakhin is the UK’s only Indian restaurant that serves solely gluten-free fare.  With an eclectic and varied menu, Dakhin is the city’s best place for authentic South Indian cuisine. Dakhin has won various accolades over the years including the Scottish Tourist Boards’ Cultural Cuisine Excellence Award, one of only two Indian restaurants to win the award.

Find out more in this video

Dakhin’s vast array of speciality dishes from India’s southern region include classics like the Masala Dosa, Idli Wada Sambhar, Mamsam Pepper Fry, Kozhi Stew, Ennai Kathrikai and more. Since opening its doors in 2004, its unique menu of chicken, lamb, seafood and vegetarian preparations have become favourites amongst the discerning customer. The restaurant boasts an open-plan kitchen, allowing diners to watch the dedicated kitchen team preparing delectable meals especially the Paper Dosa a large gluten-free bread thats 2-3 feet long.

Dakhin offers great deals during certain times — two courses for £15.95,  half price on main dishes and lunches for £9.95.

www.dakhin.com

Go a little further ...

The Herald:

Chaophraya

Escape the busy city for a culinary experience with a difference at Chaophraya Glasgow located at Nelson Mandela place (formerly the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama).

Kim Kaewkraikhot, the founder of Chaophraya was originally a humble street food hawker with a Pad Thai cart back in Bangkok. But Kim had a dream of bringing her love of Thai cuisine to the UK. Kim has now opened 8 Chaophraya restaurants across Britain, with Chaophraya in Glasgow being the largest Thai restaurant in Europe.

Opened in 2012, Chaophraya serves a range of classic Thai and signature dishes. Set over four floors, the restaurant impressively blends contemporary Thai design with the characterful heritage surroundings.

The fourth floor accommodates some of the best private dining & meeting space in the city. From a traditional Thai sunken seating arrangement, romantic Buddha balcony for two, a quirky room using driftwood from Thailand, to the Thai Ballroom which can seat up to 28 guests, Chaophraya’s private dining rooms offer unique spaces to host the perfect corporate event or family celebration. 

Behind the scenes, the Chaophraya chef team have been working hard, developing an exciting new menu featuring some incredible new dishes and also bringing back some highly requested classics.  Celebrating the traditional ‘Thai way’ of sharing food during dinner, Chaophraya have created a ‘Thai reimagined’ menu -  featuring traditional Thai dishes with inspiration from Kim’s travels and life in the UK and Europe.

Chaophraya also hosts Cooking School experiences, where you can learn about Thai ingredients, culture and how to cook a three course Thai meal from scratch, taught by their expert chefs.

How about a couple of drinks? Chaophraya Glasgow is also home to their cocktail bar Palm Sugar which boasts delicious classic and signature cocktails, a well-sized wine list and range of beers. An ideal spot for a catch-up drink with friends and colleagues.

chaophraya.co.uk/glasgow

The Herald:

Amber Regent

We are celebrating our 30th year in business with a whole new look.

We were founded in 1988, and staff and owners plan to be there for decades to come - but there are big changes as the six-figure refurbishment was unveiled last summer.

Manangeress Christina Chung,  runs the restaurant with sister Angie, said: “There has been an explosion of restaurants opening in Glasgow, and with such fierce competition you have to be willing to adapt to remain relevant.

“For us, investing in our family-run restaurant is a commitment to the future - we’ve been here since 1988 and we plan on being here for many more years to come.”

The Amber Regent will continue to focus on blending Scottish produce with Cantonese flavours - but the menus have been reworked to match the swanky new interior.

But loyal customers will be glad to know that one thing that hasn’t changed: the famous half price mains deal, running for almost three decades and available every evening (times vary).

We have created a new look for the restaurant but customers will still be able to order many of their favourite dishes, even if it isn’t on the new menu we’re happy to accommodate off-menu requests.
amberregent.com/

Arrive in the Americas ...

The Herald:

Viva brazil

Sim por favor! – Say “yes please” to Glasgow’s only authentic Brazilian Churrascaria, a place where the hospitality is warm and the food plentiful. Our Churrasco style dining dates back to the campfire roasts of South American cowboys, where cuts of meat would be grilled in the fire embers and shared. At Viva Brazil we cook our selection of 14 meats on our own charcoal BBQ and our Passadors (meat carvers) will deliver and carve at your table skewers of marinated chilli chicken thighs, smoked gammon with honey and mustard, and five choices of steak including the Brazilian favourite – Picanha. In traditional rodizio style the BBQ offerings keep coming until you signal the Passadors to take a break using our Sim por favor/Nao Obrigado disk - that’s yes please/no thanks in Portuguese. In addition to the carnivorous feast we have a salad island hosting hot and cold sides, salads, and traditional Brazilian dishes all freshly made in house and continuously changing. One thing we will always have available is Brazil’s national dish Feijoada – a smoky, meaty stew made with pork and black beans. It’s best accompanied by another Brazilian treasure - the Caipirinha cocktail. Cachaça rum, sugar, and lime muddled together make this favourite.

Bring the kids along and they can enjoy their own mini rodizio, perfect to engage the fussiest eaters, or they can choose from a selection of dishes from our kids menu. Under 10’s eat for free with an adult and we have activities to keep them occupied so family fun is always on the cards. Every Sunday at Viva Brazil we celebrate with balloon modelling or face painting and desserts are free for everyone. As with traditional Brazilian hospitality, the most important things at Viva Brazil are food, drink, and family!

Viva Brazil

87-91 Bothwell Street

Glasgow
G2 7AA

0141 204 0240

www.vivabrazilrestaurants.com/glasgow

Then it's back to Europe ...

The Herald:

Rioja Finnieston

Flavours of Spain, in the heart of Glasgow

Authentic tastes of Spain right on your doorstop

Put quite simply an in our opinion, we are possibly the best and most authentic Tapas Restaurant in Glasgow.

All dishes are cooked to order & boast the finest, freshest of Spanish ingredients.  Our Spanish Chef’s are a creative

Bunch & our diverse dishes will leave you forgetting that you’re sitting in Glasgow

It’s not just food we’re passionate about, we mix superbly unique cocktails & we serve amazing wines all put together in an interesting and eclectic interior in the heart of Glasgow’s vibrant Finnieston strip.

So come in & see what the fuss is all about.

riojafinnieston.co.uk/

The Herald:

Bavaria Brauhaus

THIS wonderful Bavarian-style Brauhaus opened in Nov 2015 and is  Restauraunt/Bar which offers a truly authentic experience of Bavaria. 

The Fresco-decorated ceiling, the staff in authentic Bavarian dress and the Haus Oompah Band all help to create a truly unique experience here in Glasgow. 

The establishment gets its inspiration from the Bavarian bier halls of Munich, primarily the magnificent Hofbräuhaus, and deliver the finest biers that Munich has to offer. These are known as 'The Big 6'. But Bavaria Brauhaus doesn;t stop there -  its range covers the whole of Germany taking the district specialty beers of Cologne and Dusseldorf into their collection, along with the most popular from all over the country. This took their Draught German biers to a total of 24, with a bottle range of up to 35. 

The establishment prides itself on delivering authentic hearty Bavarian cuisine and primarily serves food in the Bavarian style. Yet, staff regularly travel throughout the whole of Germany to try and find new and exciting delicacies they feel would work here in Glasgow.

Classic Bavarian/German style dishes include Bratwurst, Flammkuchen (German Style pizza), Schweinshaxe (Pork Knuckle), Spanferkel(Pork Belly), Käse Spätzle (Bavarian Style noodles)  and of course an Apple and Raisin Strudel. 

Bavaria Nrauhaus, of course, also do the good old classics like burgers, fish and chips and steaks but tend to find that the majority of customers, once they have tried the German Food, stick with it.

See www.bavariabrauhaus.com