I've been dying to try out this place for ages! Whilst I was really looking forward to it, I was also a little apprehensive. You know that way when you are really looking forward to something it sometimes doesn't live up to your expectations. Well thankfully it was great - from the minute you walk in the atmosphere is lively, ecliptic and quirky. However, there was one little thing that didn't sit right with me but I will address that later and no it's not about a glass of water (for a change). We were brought down to our table and advised that our waiter would be over to us shortly. Our waiter was very friendly - he took our drink order and advised if we had any questions on the menu we should just ask. We ordered a bottle of Malbec and some water. Two glasses of water and a jug of water were placed on the table (ooohh we are off to a good start).
Food
So after some time looking over the extensive menu - you can get anything from curries, tagine's, burgers, kebabs, chicken etc, we placed our order. I ordered the baked camembert and lamb tagine. Mr EmmaEats ordered the wings and the steak sandwich. Shortly after we placed our order the waiter came back to advise that there was no lamb tagine left and gave me the menu and a few moments to pick something else. I was a little disappointed but as there was loads on the menu to pick from I wasn't stuck for choice. I decided to go for the avocado, bacon and stilton salad - however I asked could the stilton be replaced with halloumi as stilton doesn't agree with me.
I've been dreaming about having baked camembert for some months now so when I saw it on the menu I had to go for it and it was just delicious and just the right amount. The camembert came with some focaccia, lettuce, apple and grapes. There was also some garlic and rosemary baked on the camembert. It really was just so delicious and everything worked very well together. Mr EE wings were beautifully presented in casket and the sauce came in a small glass bottle. It took Mr EE a good bit of exertion to get the sauce out of the bottle though - so whilst it might look pretty I'm not sure if its entirely practical. Once he got the sauce out and onto the wings he really enjoyed them.
My salad for my main course arrived out and I was also given a side portion of halloumi cheese covered in sweet chilli sauce. As you can see from the photo the salad was huge. I know it may look like there was more salad than filling but I can guarantee you that there was loads of filling and it was very tasty. The side portion of halloumi in chilli sauce was amazing - words cannot describe how tasty it was. Mr EE had the steak sandwich and was really satisfied with it - he had asked for the cheesy chips instead of normal chips and also had a side portion of coleslaw. Mr EE said that his sandwich was exactly what he needed.
Throughout my meal I had a look at all the food that the waiters were bringing out to other tables. Some of them were presented in unusual and quirky ways such as wicker closed baskets and small barrels. The kebabs also seemed to be some sort of performance (I mean that in a good way) - they were placed on the table then the waiter would pour the sauce that accompanied the kebabs into the small bowl like container at the top of the kebab stand - this bowl obviously had a hole in it and the sauce would slowly drip down. It looked pretty cool. I think I might have to try this the next time I visit.
For dessert I just went for an americano, while Mr EE went for the apple crumble and custard. I must admit that I was very tempted by the strawberry and marshmallow kebab but I had promised myself that I was not having a dessert (and I was also stuffed). Mr EE said his dessert was delicious but he did struggle to finish it. Food Rating:- 4.5/5.
Service
Our service was great - our waiter was very chatty and friendly and ensured that we enjoyed the experience. There was no rush on the courses which meant that we could relax between them. Service Rating:- 5/5.
Atmosphere
As I said the atmosphere in this place is great. I loved the look of the place and their light fittings are so cool (I'm beginning to see a pattern with me - I think I'm obsessed with light fittings)! On the negative side of things - we did find the music a little loud, we felt that we were shouting across the table at one another and that the lighting was a lot on the low side (I'm sounding more and more like my mother). I wouldn't let this put me off though as I loved the place but it is certainly not someone where you would go for a romantic meal or to have a good chat with someone. Atmosphere Rating:- 4/5.
Price
The price of the meal was very reasonable - the total price was £71.50 which was really good for the quality and quantity of the food. However, the thing that didn't sit right with me was that I was charged £3.95 for the extra halloumi on the side that was given to me. I have no problem paying money for food but I was never advised that the extra helping was coming at a cost (and I hadn't even asked for a side portion, I had just looked for a swap). I am however presuming that this was an unfortunate error and was not meant to be on my bill. Unfortunately, I didn't notice this until after I left restaurant so I wasn't in a position to bring it up. Price Rating:- 4.5/5.
Last Words
I really like this place and the food was really good. I think the Trading House is certainly worth a visit, it has it all, good food, good atmosphere and cocktails (which I didn't get to sample this time). With regard to the price issue, I'm sure if I had noticed it when I was in the restaurant they would have dealt with appropriately as I believe the customer experience is very important to the Trading House. On a side note, I like the fact that you can get up from your dinner and take a few steps into a pub without having to brave the elements!! There was live music in the bar and a good crowd too. Total Rating:- 18 of out 20.
Date visited: Friday, 19 February 2016.
Restaurant Details:-
The Trading House,
24 St Vincent Place,
Glasgow,
G1 2EU.
Website: The Trading House Website
Telephone: 0141 223 7010
Thanks a mil for reading.
Emma Mai xx
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