Café JJ

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

Behind its sage-green exterior, Café JJ's good-natured and efficient staff are usually busy serving students, hospital workers, teachers and Partick ladies generous portions of full-flavoured, wholesome food. A starter of home-made Scotch broth has a satisfyingly rich ham base and a good balance of red lentils to chunky root vegetables. Prawns marie rose are piled inches deep and bathed in a light sauce, but are surrounded by somewhat disappointing iceberg lettuce and cucumber. The main courses are a pan-global affair, ranging from panini and stuffed crêpes to pasta dishes and enchiladas. The latter is an enormous, crunchy tortilla gilded with melted cheddar and bulging with roasted vegetables and strips of chicken, topped off with a dollop of sour cream and light scattering of jalapeño pepper slices. It's wise to save space for dessert, however. The home-made date and walnut meringue showcases a seam of sticky toffee sweetness in burnished meringue with just a hint of mallow softness. The white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake is a favourite among regulars. Teas are a speciality, with options including Moroccan mint, Indian chai and Chinese green – while the less temperate may prefer to sample something from the regularly changing wine menu.

• High point: Eclectic menu options
• Low point: Ho-hum salad accompaniments