Rab Ha's

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

Named after a famed, long-since-departed Glasgow glutton, this hotel bar and restaurant is a well-established Merchant City favourite. Diners pass through the friendly, welcoming buzz of the bar before heading for the basement restaurant where white tablecloths, dimmed lighting and candles create a relaxed mood within a small, intimate setting. Understated without being bland, and stylish without being garish, both the décor and the menu display contemporary touches while retaining traditional charm. Elegantly draped slices of smoked salmon are drizzled with a cucumber and mint dressing and given a lift from a handful of peppery rocket, making for a refreshing starter. Mains can include soft scallops with a nut butter crust, the meaty sweetness of the shellfish accentuated by curry spices in an accompanying kedgeree. A tender sirloin steak is gently seasoned and served charred on the outside, dark pink in the middle, and comes with a butter-rich, creamy yet piquant béarnaise sauce, soft fondant potato and caramelised onions. For dessert, the rich creaminess of a cheesecake is tempered by the addition of stem ginger and a pineapple and chilli salsa.

• High point: Mix of contemporary elegance and traditional charm
• Low point: Loos could use some TLC