DRYGATE BREWING CO, 85 Drygate, Glasgow Tel:

0141 212 8815

IT had been too long since I'd cruised the mean streets of the east, looking for trouble. Way too long.

The last time I was in the 'hood, Johnny Myres was doing time for stealing the Moll's heart in the aisles of the five 'n dime.

He won't make that mistake again. I dragged Blondie away from the Avon lady and called a cab.

We pulled up on Drygate lane - it's the site of a new brewery, restaurant, beer hall and bottle shop that's bringing all the hipsters east of the City.

Housed in a former box factory, I've had a hunch it was going to win a few prizes for design.

Eyeballing the joint, it was all mild steel, cast concrete, solid wood and shiny light fittings with a German utilitarian vibe, a nod to the building's industrial past. Cooler than Toots in her knee-high boots. She sure was dressed to kill with a glitzy little black number and a mink stole, that was attracting admiring glances as she sashayed off to powder her nose.

When she finally re-appeared, a friendly gal showed us to a table and immediately went to get some water while we devoured the menu and sipped on two perfectly mixed gins.

We chose to share the goat's cheese and walnut (meat-free) salami with beetroot, apple chutney, rye bread and herb butter and it was outa sight! Fresh, flavoursome and worth every penny of the £6 price tag.

The Moll licked her Chanel red kisser as her generous-sized ribeye steak arrived, declaring it tender, packed with flavour and a perfectly cooked medium rare. The potato rosti was crisp and tangy and the onions and mushrooms fried to perfection and perfectly paired with a black pepper sauce.

"It's divine," she purrs, saying it's better than what the Big Apple has to offer and I know I'm onto a winner with this joint.

I've picked out the red wine poached monkfish with puy lentil and celeriac cassoulet. The fish is melt in the mouth fresh and temptingly presented in little rounds, the cassoulet a tasty accompaniment. There's a little too much salt for my liking but it doesn't take the shine off the prize.

As well as a good selection of hearty mains, Drygate also offers a grazing menu, perfect for washing down one of the 24 different beers on tap here, with three of Drygate's own at its core: Bear face Lager (4.4% abv), Outtaspace Apple Ale (4.7%) and Gladeye IPA (5.5%). Even if beer is not your bag the wine list won't disappoint, with every one available by the glass.

We left enough room to share a dessert, apple and walnut parfait, along with some sweet nothings but it's took its sweet time to arrive.

Blondie tapped her talons on the table and I was ready to call for assistance when the waitress appears and apologises for the delay, offering to take it off the bill. The Moll flashed her pearly whites and I breathed a sigh of relief.

They say good things come to those who wait and it didn't disappoint when it was finally on the table.

The apple and walnut parfait was rich and refreshing, while the toffee sauce was deliciously moreish, with two tasty bite-sized portions of sticky toffee pudding on the side that left us wanting more.

Our waitress tried to tempt us with tickets for that night's comedy show, the venue has teamed up with the Edinburgh's festival venue Gilded Balloon, but I knew it was time to vamoose when Johnny Myres appeared, and made a beeline for Blondie. But I had the last laugh this time as it was me who got to take the little lady home.

STARTER: Goat's cheese salami £6

MAINS Red wine poached monkfish £16

Ribeye steak £18.50

DESSERT

Apple & walnut parfait £5.25 (no charge)

DRINKS

2 Blackwoods gin and tonic £8.80

1 bottle Sauvignon Blanc £17

TOTAL £66.30