This article appears as part of the Food Matters newsletter.
On a Wednesday night in Glasgow city centre, it takes a lone entertainer breathing fire in the distance to settle the debate over which building we’re heading to for our dinner reservation.
A polite nod on the way past (she was really quite good) and we’re welcomed to Zhima with the same mix of nervous energy and enthusiasm that accompanies any launch night event.
The front-of-house team needn’t worry though, because lovely as they are, it’s the transformation of the Prezzo on St Vincent Place that instantly sets the right tone.
It’s a beautiful space, hitting all the right marks for the much coveted ‘Insta worthy’ status that most modern restaurants strive to achieve.
A backlit bar complete with a black-marbled counter? It’s there. Soft lighting in dark wooden booths that are irresistibly photogenic? Yep, them too. Detailed glassware to make that Lychee Martini look extra chic? You bet.
When it arrives, our food is vibrant and flavourful from pork and chicken meatballs in a thick and nutty satay sauce to succulent slow roast pork belly in a Sichuan sauce delicately spiced with chilli.
Diving into my choice of Fillet Steak Cantonese Style with an added side of wok-fried noodles, I note that it tastes like a well-executed version of a dish you would be happy to receive from your favourite Chinese takeaway. Bonus points in my book.
It’s only later when looking into the prices and finding this course alone costs a total of just under £35 that I question whether I’d rather consult Deliveroo when craving something similar in future.
Sign up for Food Matters and get a weekly update on Sarah's culinary journeys.
But that, unfortunately, is the world we live in and to their credit, Zhima delivers decent portion sizes and tasty food in a smart-casual setting.
The kind of restaurant that does what it says on the tin, and one I imagine as the starting point of many a birthday night out or dinner date this summer.
My only concern? This place is big. Very big, in fact, as a nosey walk to the back of the venue later reveals.
It’s while trying to picture the place full during a regular weeknight service that I struggle to chase a discussion I’d had with one of Scotland’s leading culinary figures earlier that afternoon from my thoughts.
Read more:
Food Matters | Time to salute our local dining spots again before they disappear for good
The closure of Brian Maule at Le Chardon d’Or last summer sent shockwaves through the city, for many serving as a stark warning that no one was safe.
Although apprehensive to wade into any tired political squabbling surrounding the loss of his restaurant, Maule had told me: “The city is tired and in a bad way at the moment.
“It’s not getting the same footfall and then there's the LEZ.
“The reality is that people are hanging on and hoping for change that might not come.”
I liked Zhima. And, as the latest opening from the Hunky Dory Group which owns Panang, Topolabamba and Chaakoo Bombay Café not far down the road, can appreciate that its owners know a thing or two about what it takes to succeed in the city centre.
But with such stiff competition, and diners who are looking to spend what spare cash they have on high-quality, value-for-money meals, I just hope they can hold onto that launch night spark long after that friendly fire dancer’s flame has faded.
You can read the full exclusive interview on what comes next for Chef Brian Maule here, and find out more about Zhima here.
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 here