Backstage Bistro

Send us more details about this place.

The 2011/12 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

Tucked quietly down a side street close to the King's Theatre, Backstage Bistro could easily go unnoticed. But a great value pre-theatre menu, cheap bring-your-own-bottle corkage and a lively atmosphere have earned this cosy little place a loyal following among those in the know. Co-owner Karla El-Qmache makes manning front of house single-handed look effortless, while her husband, co-owner and chef Hamouda El-Qmache, freshly prepares every dish, drawing on his Moroccan heritage to add an intriguing twist to the selection of à la carte starters. Alongside sautéed mushrooms and soup of the day are the coriander-rich filo parcels of chicken briwat and the delicately spiced lamb meatballs of kofta tagine, which arrive in the characteristic conical dish surrounded by bubbling tomato sauce. Mains stick to a more traditional homely style, with grilled sirloin steak accompanied by delicious hand-cut chips and a succulent salmon fillet generously doused in creamy dill sauce. There's a tempting range of desserts, too, but sticky baklava and sweet Moroccan mint tea provide another tantalising taste of North Africa in this quiet corner of Tollcross.

• High point: Great value pre-theatre menu…
• Low point: …sadly doesn't include Moroccan dishes.