‘Tis the season to celebrate, officially. And where better to have a celebratory meal than at One Devonshire Gardens by Hotel du Vin, in Hyndland?
Since it opened in 1986, this iconic venue has been a magnet for Glaswegians looking to mark a special occasion. Yet despite this long heritage of hospitality (and even longer physical presence in the city, with the terrace of townhouses the hotel occupies being built in the 1870s) they do not shy away from innovation.
The fresh, seasonal menu in the hotel restaurant is frequently updated and refreshed – with head chef Gary Townsend recently being nominated for National Chef of the Year.
It was with this in mind that I was invited down to sample their new Champagne Lunch. Despite the opulent settings of the One Devonshire Gardens by Hotel du Vin restaurant, the Champagne Lunch is charged at a very reasonable £35 per person for three courses.
Gary Townsend and his team have curated a menu that showcases the very best of Scotland’s larder, with highlights including an Ayrshire pork belly to start and a sea bream fillet (served with brown shrimps) as one of the three main courses.
I opted for the potato and leek velouté – delightfully light while still full of flavour – for my starter, while my dining partner chose the goats cheese with beetroot, apple and walnuts.
It all tasted delightful, helped in part by the fact it was being washed down with a crisp glass of champagne.
For my main, I chose the risotto with wild mushrooms and black truffle. Ordering vegetarian courses on a set menu can often be a disappointment, with non-meat options often feeling like an afterthought or a tick box exercise. This couldn’t have been more different: the risotto packed a punch, with a texture quite unlike the smooth (and frankly stodgy) risottos I have had in the past.
Full marks were also issued for the cheese selection we ordered for dessert. Cheese is a bit of a speciality for the restaurant at One Devonshire Gardens, and the quality and variety on offer finished off our meal in style.
My One Devonshire Gardens experience didn't finish there, though. I was fortunate enough to be staying overnight in one of their deluxe rooms, complete with separate dining area, a wildly extravagant chandelier and, best of all, uber luxurious bathroom.
Each room in the hotel has an individual name and that translates into the design. Rather than a bland corporate hotel, the décor in the rooms is bold and brave with bright patterns and artistic wallpaper. My personal highlight was the huge bath, where I enjoyed a long soak with the L'occitane products provided before collapsing into the enormous bed.
Breakfast was served in the restaurant, and it was a delight to enjoy its opulence once more before leaving. The menu was extensive but I opted for the oak smoked salmon with scrambled eggs – probably the best hotel breakfast I've ever had – with the bonus of filling me up until dinnertime.
Parting was indeed sweet sorrow, as my sadness to check out only convinced me that scheduling a return trip was a matter of urgency. That's my new year’s resolution sorted…
The Champagne Lunch at One Devonshire Gardens by Hotel du Vin is available Friday and Saturday from 12pm - 2pm, or Sunday 12.30 pm - 3pm for £35 per person. Find out more, and book online, at www.hotelduvin.com/locations/glasgow
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article