The Apartment

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

This landmark Tollcross diner has been putting style and ambience at the heart of the eating experience for nearly ten years now. Lights are dimmed to seductive levels, with funky beats gently reverberating through the multi-annexed floor space. Staff tend to be young, attractive and friendly, as does a fair share of the clientele. In individual, and almost beligerent, style they don’t do starters, a number of kebab-style meat and fish dishes with pita instead suggested for sharing. Portuguese lamb balls arrive on two lengthy skewers pumping fragrances of aromatic garlic and Mediterranean spices into the air. There’s a further selection of fish dishes and rustic, continental-style cooked meats. Parma ham wrapped around a loin of cod keeps the flesh taut and moist, while rabbit leg with Toulouse sausage is the kind of hearty meal you’d expect to find in a French bistro. But the Apartment has an identity all of its own, as they’ve been proving consistently for a surprisingly long time now.

• High point: Super cool and friendly with a range of fine rustic cuisine
• Low point: Just a touch off the beaten track