Bistro at One Devonshire Gardens

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

Maintaining a relaxed air of elegance and sophistication without straying too far into the realms of elitism or pretentiousness, One Devonshire Gardens remains an address of note for the Glasgow gourmet. The 'simple classics' menu showcases the best of Scottish fare while a more creative menu by head chef Paul Tamburrini displays a distinctly French influence – perhaps in keeping with the kitchen's Michelin ambitions. Clean, intense flavours and meticulous attention to detail make most dishes leaving the kitchen here an epicurean experience. Subtle hints of apple and tomato in an aigre doux sauce bring out the sweetness of an appetiser of baby vegetables and tender langoustine tails. Of the main courses, chimneys of rolled-up tender rabbit are topped by delicately cheesy foam 'smoke' and surrounded by tiny morels and perfectly plump, pink kidneys. Flavoursome rolls of well-poached sole are teamed with creamy egg yolk and a paper-thin wafer of pommes Maxim. The 500 label-strong wine list arrives courtesy of a sommelier eager to usher diners in appropriate directions, while the service, given the opulent surroundings and high calibre of the food, is delightfully efficient and friendly.

• High point: Elegant, artistic and imaginative food
• Low point: Slight overuse of fashionable foam