Firebird

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 – in the shops now or buy online.

Openly positioned on a corner of Argyle Street in an area now filled with dining choices, Firebird celebrates it tenth year in 2008 – still winning new customers with its mix of laid-back ambience, good, affordable food and friendly staff. Smokers and outdoor diners are well catered for with continental-style tables from which to watch the world go by. Inside, the dining room is an informal, bright and modern space, with large windows and local artwork. There's even a real fire on the go, which is cosy, if a little out of place. Firebird is quite rightly noted for its thin and very crispy pizzas (all cooked in a wood-fired oven), which are topped with a range of ingredients, including chorizo and butterbean or Italian sausage and red onion. The sandwich selection is particularly interesting: a toasted ciabatta with roasted butternut squash, smoked paprika, feta and almond pesto is well-balanced and shows, like many dishes, a different approach to the norm. The starter and dessert menus are small but considered, featuring daily specials that can include a delicately spiced tarte tatin. In the evening, the menu expands to include more innovative bistro dishes such as pheasant breast with parsnip mash or pork fillet with sage, caramelised apples, chestnuts and a cider sauce. Yum. It's an all-round sort of place: a bit of a bar, a bit of a bistro, good for snacks or supper, with DJs at the weekend. Chances are it'll be around for ten more years.

• High point: Italian sausage pizza with red onion
• Low point: Artwork on display