There is a certain body of thought that claims that Australians are not the most imaginative sorts when it comes to naming places.  There is a bay in downtown Sydney which was first used by an Englishman with the unlikely surname of Darling and to this day it is still known as Darling Harbour.  There is a part of the Circular Quay which is very rocky and is therefore known as “The Rocks.”  I didn’t ask what Wooloomooloo means, but perhaps the original Aboriginals were having a laugh at the colonisers.

I thought of this as I looked up at the place I was destined to have my dinner at in Glasgow.  It is a large glass-fronted building that sits at a corner and straddles the junction, making people who want the light to turn green, turn green with envy at the relaxed atmosphere and platefuls of food inside.

This is a grill and specialises in pub-like food but this is all done and presented with a certain panache making it a little more upscale than the phrase “pub-food” would normally imply.  Its Australian-like name notwithstanding, I walked in.

The décor is modern faux-Scandinavian chic and certainly influenced by modern designers and a hefty account at Habitat. I dodged past the mirrored wall separating the seating area from the bar and was shown to my table next to one of the grand walls of glass.  Being able to eat late in the day in broad daylight when as far north as Scotland was quite a treat.

The menu is, as I expected, a pub menu with a few refinements to make sure that you realise that the chef cares about what he’s putting on your plate.  I decided to go for an old favourite and ordered the burger.  The waiter coughed gently and pointed out that the hand-made beef patties are cooked medium and would that be acceptable?  I acquiesced, never having had that question put to me for such a simple dish.

To complement it and the atmosphere, I noticed that they had Italian beers and ordered a Peroni.  The barman managed to get this wrong; I didn’t realise immediately so it was only when I started to sip that I noticed that I had been served an Erdinger instead.  Not a great calamity but I said nothing to see whether the staff would notice.  As I was served my complimentary bread rolls, he did notice and insisted on getting a replacement for me.  This was unusual as waiters rarely pay such close attention to the actual drinks themselves, preferring to focus on the food which is a pity.  I assured him that I was fine with the beer.  He asked – again – and almost made me feel bad for telling him that I was perfectly happy with the unprompted beer.

The burger arrived shortly.  It smelt juicy, and sat on the bun, gently sizzling.  The patty is a well-put-together concoction that lets you note the chunks of meat as they twirl around your mouth, juices spreading across your tongue flooding the valleys of your taste buds.  The plate came with chips (which everyone prefers to call fries all of a sudden – the Americans have a lot to answer for) and with proper French mustard that can singe the top of your beard like real mustard is supposed to do.

The bill worked itself out to GBP 16.65 for the abovementioned items, which is slightly on the steep side. (€ 20.00 at the current rates for a burger and a beer)  Having said that, the ambiance and the quality of the food are quite good so, exchange rates permitting, this can be rather good value if all you want is something quick and easy.  The bill itself fluttered itself on to my table with a hand written “Thanks!” at the bottom by the waiter.  Not something I’ve seen before and the kind of personal touch that can put a smile on your face too.  Or maybe it was the burger, I’m not sure.

The Unexpected Traveller documents his travels and close encounters of the odd kind on his blog.  He still thinks that the Australian taxi service leaves a little to be desired.

Have you got a favourite burger joint? Leave us a comment and tell us all about it!