The place, I questioned, ought to I take a customer from the Outer Hebrides for dinner?
Not seafood, she will get sufficient of that at house. No burgers, pizzas or different younger folks favourites as a result of she's older than me and even much less fascinated by loaded fries and cauliflower repackaged for vegans.
She's an excellent cook dinner, resourceful and affected person sufficient to order za'atar on-line and develop her personal kale.
I surveyed my spreadsheet, rejected many of the west coast choices and questioned about Silk Street Deli.
In the course of the day this can be a sandwich store and unassuming takeaway within the southside's Minard Street. On weekend evenings, proprietor Tanya Gohil of Million Pound Menu fame makes use of the identical dynamic flavours that make her crammed rolls sing in a set menu.
It is precisely the type of city consuming journey that's lacking from Benbecula. I booked us in.
Silk Street will not be licensed, which ought to have been our sign to purchase some actually good wine to take pleasure in at retail costs. Sadly we had been too disorganised and ended up with some nasty sauvy B (as our daughters name it) from throughout the highway.
The £6 corkage was nearly as a lot because the abrasive vino.
Tanya's menu adjustments with the season and we had been the final of her summer season diners. She is a British Indian who's unafraid to combine up flavours from up and down the Silk Street. With 4000 miles of commerce routes, crossing Europe, Asia, Africa and the Center East, there's loads of floor to cowl.
The Customer situated our summer season crudites, with whipped beans and a puddle of inexperienced oil, across the jap Mediterranean. The uncooked veg - cucumber, radishes and endive - had been precisely the bitter, crunchy components that seem in a standard mezze unfold.
The bean dip, mercifully mild on the preserved lemon, was an incredible match with the herby depths of the oil. All that was lacking was one thing spongy to soak all of it up. Its absence was defined by the numerous carbs to come back.
Our subsequent course was a Levantine tackle bruschetta, the toast and tomatoes supplemented with a beneficiant blast of sumac. This lemony, peppery berry sat very fortunately on the fats, candy toms. And the bread was gentle sufficient to drink in all of the sumac-specked, tomato seedy olive oil.
Then, potatoes. Spectacular tamarind roasted potatoes, sitting in a pool of yoghurt.
I beloved the boldness on present right here, giving a humble ingredient a full spot on the invoice, with just some sticky, bitter crusting and a sprinkling of sesame seeds for assist.
These jogged my memory of 5 March's wonderful roasties, though with a distinct flavour profile. However there, they're a part of an expansion of small dishes which can be shared and eaten collectively. Right here, their star billing meant we savoured each one.
They had been a delight. Tamarind, the eye-puckering date-like fruit utilized in south Indian cookery, is a favorite of mine. The potatoes alone had nice texture and color and the tamarind gave them the large whack of flavour that they wanted.
They had been additionally sturdy sufficient to face as much as the wine, which was fairly extra assertive than both of us would have wished.
The final dish on the set menu was mushroom shawarma. This got here in a sometimes Center Japanese arrange, with entire inexperienced herbs, pickled turnips and chillis, sumac-heavy onions and two sauces. And, lastly, flatbread.
The mushrooms had been fairly filthy - dry and spicy on the surface, juicy inside, which isn't a simple factor to tug off. They had been good on their very own and a pleasure to mix with all of the bits and items on the plate.
The mango harissa, which fortunately bore no resemblance to the bitter pink putty bought in jars, was a very good factor to dot on prime. There was additionally an intensely garlic tahini paste, a bit like hummus with out the chickpeas.
We had a stunning time mixing and matching all of it.
Desserts usually are not included within the set menu however we had been weak within the face of scorching tea with tahini cookies. This was a intelligent little bit of alchemy.
On their very own, the tiny biscuits tasted like damp sand. However mixed with the candy, black brew, they turned nutty and moreish.
Fortunately there have been simply two every, in any other case we'd have been rolled house.
Silk Street will not be a elaborate eating expertise. It is higher than that, an opportunity to eat some daring, surprising meals that is been cooked to order and served thoughtfully. If it was all introduced out on the similar time, within the small plates type, it will be far much less spectacular .
I can not wait to see what Tanya is cooking for autumn.
SILK ROAD DELI 34 Minard Rd, Glasgow G41 2HW Tel: 07400 425417 Guide at: silkroadbookings@gmail.com
Opening hours: Thursday to Sunday, 6-9pm
Invoice for 2: £65.50
Meals 7/10 - Considerate, flavour-centred cooking
Decor 3/5 - May very well be comfier
Bathrooms 3/5 - Primary however clear
Service 4/5 - Pleasant
Worth for cash 4/5 - Banging
Complete 21/30