Review of Jamie's Italian
Jamie's Italian - 1 George Square, Glasgow, G1 1HL
Housed in the dramatic old GPO building overlooking Glasgow's historic George Square, Jamie Oliver's much hyped Italian restaurant opened to mixed reviews this summer, despite hungry diners queuing round the block to get a taste of celebrity cuisine. Bookings are annoyingly not taken for parties of less than 6, so we took our chances, turned up and hoped for the best.
The interior is a curious mix of styles that were presumably picked to reflect Jamie's personal philosophy of "good food for all". Chic chandeliers jostle for place with hanging joints of meat on the ceiling, while the seating ranges from elegant looking leather sofas to bright red metal patio furniture. Concealed speakers blast out classic pop hits and the lighting is dimmed for intimacy. I had dressed to impress for the occasion, but my fellow diners seemed to trend towards casual attire. Children are welcome and a kids menu is available on request, as well as a special badge if they eat all their greens. The front door is buggy and wheelchair accessible, although the bathrooms are down a large flight of stairs.
My starter was baked chestnut mushrooms with buffalo mozzarella, which was beautifully presented, albeit just off the mark taste-wise. My main course of crab and squid ink risotto on the other hand was a creamy treat of ebony deliciousness, artfully arranged and drizzled with chilli oil. Along with a side of crisp radicchio and rocket salad served with generous servings of Parmesan, I was sufficiently satisfied with my meal so far to overlook the tiny piece of crab shell found in my risotto. Unfortunately dessert was a bit of a let down. When your average Scot hears the words "ice cream" they invariably think, "Nardini's" and start to salivate, but evidently Jamie Oliver thinks, "Walls" and goes back to counting the money from the overpriced mugs and tea towels available in the foyer (£8 each if you're interested). Three scoops of suspiciously supermarket-looking ice cream arrived in a school dinners style metal dish, topped with nuts (not what I asked for) and tinned fruit. Not revolting by any means, but certainly not the standard I would have expected from a famed TV chef.
My main annoyance was not the food however, but the snail pace of the service. On arrival we had to loiter around the door for a couple of minutes before being spotted, and waiters walked past our table several times without so much as a sideways glance to check if we needed anything. The service we did receive however was polite and friendly, even if our slightly bamboozled English waiter confused our accents for Northern Irish! I intend to return to Jamie's Italian, but am perhaps not in a great rush to do so. To be honest, I'd rather save the money and just make one of Jamie's recipes at home.
Total cost for two (including drinks): £56.65
Housed in the dramatic old GPO building overlooking Glasgow's historic George Square, Jamie Oliver's much hyped Italian restaurant opened to mixed reviews this summer, despite hungry diners queuing round the block to get a taste of celebrity cuisine. Bookings are annoyingly not taken for parties of less than 6, so we took our chances, turned up and hoped for the best.
The interior is a curious mix of styles that were presumably picked to reflect Jamie's personal philosophy of "good food for all". Chic chandeliers jostle for place with hanging joints of meat on the ceiling, while the seating ranges from elegant looking leather sofas to bright red metal patio furniture. Concealed speakers blast out classic pop hits and the lighting is dimmed for intimacy. I had dressed to impress for the occasion, but my fellow diners seemed to trend towards casual attire. Children are welcome and a kids menu is available on request, as well as a special badge if they eat all their greens. The front door is buggy and wheelchair accessible, although the bathrooms are down a large flight of stairs.
My starter was baked chestnut mushrooms with buffalo mozzarella, which was beautifully presented, albeit just off the mark taste-wise. My main course of crab and squid ink risotto on the other hand was a creamy treat of ebony deliciousness, artfully arranged and drizzled with chilli oil. Along with a side of crisp radicchio and rocket salad served with generous servings of Parmesan, I was sufficiently satisfied with my meal so far to overlook the tiny piece of crab shell found in my risotto. Unfortunately dessert was a bit of a let down. When your average Scot hears the words "ice cream" they invariably think, "Nardini's" and start to salivate, but evidently Jamie Oliver thinks, "Walls" and goes back to counting the money from the overpriced mugs and tea towels available in the foyer (£8 each if you're interested). Three scoops of suspiciously supermarket-looking ice cream arrived in a school dinners style metal dish, topped with nuts (not what I asked for) and tinned fruit. Not revolting by any means, but certainly not the standard I would have expected from a famed TV chef.
My main annoyance was not the food however, but the snail pace of the service. On arrival we had to loiter around the door for a couple of minutes before being spotted, and waiters walked past our table several times without so much as a sideways glance to check if we needed anything. The service we did receive however was polite and friendly, even if our slightly bamboozled English waiter confused our accents for Northern Irish! I intend to return to Jamie's Italian, but am perhaps not in a great rush to do so. To be honest, I'd rather save the money and just make one of Jamie's recipes at home.
Total cost for two (including drinks): £56.65