Got to Fino early, a bit too early, the plan had been to grab a drink in a new bar "The Round" - also in the Rotunda - but typically I got to the new bar before it had actually opened for business. Doh! Anyway the Fino staff were quite happy for us to be there at 5pm so that was fine.
The space is really unusual, it's the very top level of the rotunda and is a complete dome. Until last year it was a small casino, but I'd never been, casinos for me are just a way of extending a good night! The glass roof of the dome is covered by a rather rubbish mural of a starry sky, if it was down to me I would remove it so you could see the real, actual night sky, but maybe they're scared of customers seeing pigeon poo. That said the place feels really comfy and welcoming. It has a better whispering gallery than St Paul's though. The guy across the room from me sounded like God booming behind me every time he quietly whispered to his lady friend.
Man, it took ages to get served, luckily we had a little appetizer of tasty olives, almonds, and bread with a yoghurt dip given to us when we came in. I have a habit of deliberately not catching the eye of slow -serving staff, just to see how long it will actually take them and how irritated I will get. It did take a while, but just as I was winding up to a sarky summoning one of them appeared. He appeared a bit confused that we hadn't even ordered a drink at this point. I asked to try the North 28 house lager before ordering a whole pint, a request that seemed to confuse him even further, but it was duly tried - it was ok - and ordered.
The menu is interesting, with a different slant on some old tapas standards, as well as some very cheffie sounding options. We ordered Albóndigas (meatballs, but this time haggis and black pudding meatballs), Pimientos del piquillo rellenos de carne ( small red peppers filled with meat), Huevos con patatas y chistorra (which are chorizos with potatoes and a fried egg on top to you and me), Crujiente de ternera estofada con puré de boniato (a large beef filo parcel with a sweet potato mash), Gambas al ajillo con pasta brick y salsa romesco (garlic prawns in a filo cone) and Ensaladilla rusa (tuna salad with egg again).
Before the food came a probably-Spanish waiter asked us if we knew how tapas worked, and how it could come at different times. We said yes and were immediately hit by the full whack of our order. I complained about the initial service in the review, but once they got moving they really got moving! It came so fast I really wonder how freshly it was prepared.
The food itself was slightly underwhelming. My partner commented that the tuna salad was really bland, and the prawns were "nothing exciting". I thought my haggis and black pudding Albondigas were unusual but not quite herby enough, the sauce being rich, but really quite plain, and that pretty much goes for all the sauces. The "solids" were all well-cooked though, and fairly tasty. Particulary noteworthy were the beef filo parcel, I liked that and it was large, and the small chorizos were well-sourced, they were very tasty.
All-in-all I would go back, its very early days, and maybe so it was a slightly average tasting for a Glasgow tapas bar, but the creative menu and comfortable surroundings push it easily into the threes. It could become very good. read more
