Steve Albini cookery blog

For those of you who like that sort of stuff, Steve Albini has a cookery blog

http://mariobatalivoice.blogspot.com/

Check it out

Jamie Oliver's Italian Kitchen - Glasgow

I can't remember if I wrote about this place the last time I went. I was there in the middle of the very cold snap Glasgow experienced before Christmas for a work night out. I enjoyed the food although it was a Christmas menu.

I went back today as a combined birthday/mothers' day treat for my mum. It was very busy for a Monday lunchtime in Glasgow. We had the meat anitpasti to start with. This includes a selection of cold meats with olives, peppers and some cheese. I had tried this before during my previous visit and I was keen to try it again.

We had a special for the main meal. Aberdeen angus beef with onions and mushrooms on toasted bread. Great flavours and very filling.

After all of that we had no room left for a pudding so we settled for a coffee before heading off. Jamie Oliver's is very clearly a commercial venture but it's decent food and a nice environment. Worth a try.

Kobe Steak - Is it worth it?

I've been a doctor for nearly 7 years and for most of that time I've not had much money. I finished medical school with £40,000 of debts that I am still paying off. To compound my financial woes I spent 2 and a half years doing clinical research on a basic wage while paying a very expensive mortgage. I was living on about £200 a month for a long time.


I started a new job in February and I now earn a lot more money. I've bought some new clothes and I have been treating myself to lots of other stuff. I like meat and I wanted to try a Kobe steak.


The Kobe steak that I went for is not a real Kobe steak. It is Wagyū beef which is essentially the same thing but doesn't need to be reared in Japan. The animals that this meat comes from are allegedly massaged and fed beer. So the steak I had (at the Grill on the Corner in Glasgow) was very nice. It had a melt in the mouth quality and it was a good size. It was well cooked although I wasn't too inspired by the chips that came with it. I feel that I got my £55 worth but I am sure that I had equally nice bit of meat in the past.


A good experience but probably not one I will repeat regularly.

Glasgow Mela, Kelvingrove Park

I went along to the Glasgow Mela in Kelvingrove Park today. I've been meaning to check it out for years but this was the first time when I've not been otherwise engaged. The Mela has been going on for several years (possibly 20) celebrating Indian and South East Asian culture. It's colourful and noisy and generally good fun.

It was a good day for it today. The sun was out and it was warm. The event seemed fairly busy and I think a significant proportion of Glasgows asian population was in attendance. There was music, dancing and scary looking acrobatics.

There was also a satellite street fair on Gibson Street just down from the University. Lots of arty stalls and bands.

All good fun. Will try to attend next year.

new stuff on the site

I've been messing around with the site a bit. I've tried to make it more pretty and easier to find stuff. I'm using the new blogger beta stuff which seems cool. This interweb stuff is turning me into more of a nerd than before.

One cool things is the labels that I've started to add to the bottom of posts. They include broad catagories like music, film, books, shite and egomania. Click on a few and explore the site. I love you longtime if you do.

funk

Food review - Monster Mash, Glasgow

I went here tonight after a recommendation from a workmate. Monster Mash is a cafe-type restuarant in the studenty Byres Road/Hillhead area of Glasgow. It has a sort of Beano theme to it. The menu features bangers n mash, macaroni cheese, chocolate ice cream and milk shakes. It's a belle and sebastian fans wet dream.

The decor is modern but cheezy. Old cafe style tables, tomato shaped ketchup bottles and brown sauce. You can buy sherbert dips and expensive bottled beer. Copies of the beano are lying about just in case you want to relive your childhood. It's family friendly too (there was a big family on the opposite table) but thankfully there were no screaming brats.

The food was good. I went for bangers and mash. The sausages were of good quality and were well cooked. They weren't cheap at £7 but I didn't feel ripped off. The mustard flavoured mash was tasty and the onion gravy was class. My pal liked his ice cream.

I'll go back. I'd take a girl there (if she had a sense of humour). Not glitzy but cozy.

dafunk