The Arches Café Bar

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• Average price 2 courses:
   £10 (lunch)
   £15 (evening meal)
• House wine: £9.95 per bottle

• High point: Very good starters
• Low point: Main courses could perhaps use a little TLC
• Food served: Mon-Sun noon-9pm
• Bar open: Mon-Sat 11am-midnight; Sun 12.30pm-midnight
• Open since: 2001
• Also offers: Childrens portions, Childrens high chairs, Wheelchair access, Pre-theatre menu
• Opening times: 10.00am-10.00; Sun 12.00-10.00

The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 is now in the shops.

This review is from the 2007 edition.

Being underground isn't just about subterranean existence - being underground is, of course, the supreme height of cool. The Arches Café Bar transcends semantics by being both down in the basement and undeniably hip. Designed by Glasgow design stars Timorous Beasties and One Foot Taller in 2001, the room is lined with contemporary blocks of blonde wooden tables and chocolatey leather benches. From the double-height ceiling hang a dozen glowing, jewel-coloured lights. The menu continues in a stylish vein, with dishes such as sun-blush tomato, spinach and blue cheese tart, or Barnsley lamb chop topped with a well-perched poached egg. A starter of tomato tartar comes piled high atop a lusciously olive oiled herby toast, and the avocado, marscapone and pistachio pâté is like guacamole's more elegant cousin. As you can probably tell, descriptions are vivid, and therefore the dishes have a great deal to live up to. Wild mushroom and sun-blush tomato risotto with goat's cheese sounds like a taste explosion, but isn't quite as dramatic as that. The Asian stir-fried beef is infused with a lovely peppery honey kick, but it's the kind of dish that is often marred by overcooked meat. This quibble aside, only the smallest amount of tweaking would elevate this subterranean eatery to a much higher ground.