TOOTS had turned an unflattering shade of red and angrier than a lonely rooster by the time I arrived. Even the two glasses of Rose she had inhaled hadn’t softened her mood.

I’d been held up chasing a lead on a new diner that was shut down by the cops after it served up salad instead of home fries and water without ice.

My plan to treat Blondie to a Valentine’s pre-theatre had got off to a bad start.

I hoped a three-course feast at one of Glasgow’s longest running restaurants would do the trick.

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The Baby Grand might be tucked away on Charing Cross but it’s still a popular spot.

The joint has undergone a bit of a revamp and diversifying its tried and tested pub grub offerings with a new deli offering fresh salads and American-inspired sandwiches to catch those customers on the run.

It’s also home to Scotland’s only vertical rotisserie. If all else failed, I could play Toots Amore on the baby grand, that still takes pride of place in the diner.

There was no time to lose. A friendly gal dropped off a couple of menus and before long we were both hoovering up a generously-sized platter of bread and olives.

If all the portion sizes were as generous as this, I’d be back in Blondie’s good books quicker than I thought.

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We decided to give the joint’s new salads a go. The good lady was still on a health kick and I’d been packing a few extra pounds and we figured we would have more calories to play with on the desserts, which are pleasingly all home made.

Toots was taken by the Spiced butternut squash, with red onion, tomato and and Greek yoghurt and it didn’t disappoint.

I plumped for the charred cauliflower – the vegetable du jour – that came with a tomato and caper salad and wholegrain mustard.

It was a little disappointing and not flavoursome enough to hold my attention. The individual ingredients didn’t quite mesh together and I left most of it behind. I hoped my main, the pub staple of fish and chips, would make up for it.

It was pleasant enough, the batter light and crispy but nothing to write home about and a little small portion-wise, compared to the bread and salads.

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Thankfully Blondie’s main was a bigger success. She had ordered Rotisserie cooked chicken that came with a gravy she said had a good kick to it, skinny fries and veg and polished off every morsel.

The service was swift and very attentive, deserving a special mention. I was craving something more and thankfully the desserts really hit the spot.

Blondie beat me to the sticky toffee pudding, which was served wtih ‘ultimate caramel sauce’ and ice cream and barely touched the sides.

Disappointingly, my choice of Portugese custard tart was not available on the night, but the chocolate brownie that came in its place satisfied my sweet tooth.

BILL

Starters

Butternut squash salad 

Baked cauliflower salad

Mains

Fish and Chips

Rotisserie chicken

Desserts

Sticky toffee pudding

Chocolate brownie

Drinks

Two glasses of Malbec - £7.60

Three-course pre-theatre

£16.95 x 2 = £33.90

Total £41.50

REVIEW

FOOD - ⭐⭐⭐

ATMOSPHERE - ⭐⭐⭐

SERVICE - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Baby Grand Bar & Grill, 3-7 Elmbank Gardens, Glasgow G2 4NQ