Rogano

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• What are these?

• Average price 2 courses:
   £17.50 (set lunch)
   £37 (evening meal)
• House wine: £16 per bottle

• High point: Art deco interior
• Low point: High prices
• Food served: Mon-Sun noon-2.30pm, 6.30-10.30pm. Café: Mon-Sun noon-11pm.
• Bar open: Mon-Sat 11am-11.45pm; Sun 12.30-11.45pm.
• Private dining: Up to 18 covers
• Open since: 1935
• Also offers: Childrens portions, Childrens high chairs, Pre-theatre menu

The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 is now in the shops.

This review is from the 2007 edition.

The grand old lady of Glasgow dining, the art deco Rogano has been a principal haunt of the city's rich list (and visiting celebrities) since 1935. Perhaps understandably, she's spent much of that time trading on her fame and reputation, while quality hasn't always kept pace with prices, which would be at the high end in central London, let alone Glasgow. Happily, though, following a £6 million-plus acquisition by the Lynette Leisure company in 2006, she's sailing strong, and the cooking approaches that of the better fish restaurants in town. Some dishes on the menu may be rather old-fashioned - sole meunieère and lobster thermador, for example - but they're none the worse for it. And there is a nod to fashion, given the seared tuna with wasabi or sea bass served with pak-choi. As Rogano is listed in all of the guide books, the place pulls in lots of tourists (as well as the high bling-factor locals), and the beautiful 1930s bar is always an entertaining place in which to knock back a few oysters with a glass of champagne. Everything is dear, although the café downstairs serves food of equivalent quality at more accessible prices. There's nowhere else quite like Rogano, and anyone who professes to know Glasgow really should go, at least once.