THE BYRE, Eaglesham Road, East Kilbride G75 8RH Tel:

01355 1666044

For such a hard-bitten broad, the Moll can sometimes be a real softie.

We were cruising in the Buick, feeling flush after a case that came off - don't ask - when she let out a squeal louder than the Tecmobile's tyres doing a handbrake turn.

"Aw, look Tec," she blared, "It's like a little Nativity scene."

A glittering star was up ahead - a pub done out with fairy lights, it did indeed look like an advent calender come to life.

The Byre (cowshed, see?) was beckoning and before I knew it, we were away in a manger.

We parked round the back and headed inside. You'd need three very wise men to figure out the layout of the place.

It's a real labyrinth, we didn't want a drink in the Sports Bar, or a fancy meal in The Bothy restaurant, but after a few circuits we found The Byre itself. It was a big, barn-like space, with a groovy bar and a lot of cosy booths, but they were all occupied, leaving us with the only option of little round tables, which you sat at on high bar stools.

It was okay for a drink, but the Tec isn't crazy about eating a meal with his legs dangling like a naughty schoolboy.

Never mind.

We took a look at the menu and it was short but tasty. Did we order at the bar?

A little more clarity would have been welcome, but, just as I was starting to feel this place looked better than it played, our luck changed.

Our charming waitress came and took our drinks orders, and then, jingle those bells, a booth came free. We made our move and were soon enjoying the place's welcoming ambience.

I had a beer and Toots ordered a glass of Merlot. She decided on the soup of the day, home-made tomato and vegetable. I went for a plate of nachos, which I guessed - rightly - Blondie would be dipping into.

The nachos were a star turn, presented in a cast iron frying pan and heaped with cheese, guacamole, sour cream and salsa. They tasted as good as they looked, too, and the portion was huge. Didn't stop them disappearing in a flash. The soup was piping hot and thick with vegetables - the Moll's spoon literally stood up in the bowl.

We were glad of a slight gap for another drink until the mains arrived.

I had a rack of pork ribs with fries and coleslaw, while the Moll had fun accessorizing a burger with cheese, bacon and pepperoni.

My ribs were at the expensive end of the menu, but worth every penny, a vast serving in a sauce with more than a nod to a sweet Chinese flavour instead of the usual barbecue. I made the Moll cringe (always fun) by asking for a doggy bag, as I couldn't begin to finish it.

She raved about her burger, which had a pizza-like vibe because of the cheese and pepperoni, and was juicy and delicious. All the salads, coleslaw and fries were terrific, too, and everything was presented to look tip-top.

After the ribs, I needed a lie-down, not a dessert, but the Moll was ready for a slice of fudge cake.

She ordered it a la mode, and the scoop of vanilla ice-cream it came with (OK, I had a tiny taste) was really excellent, light and almost sorbet-like to cut the richness of the decadent fudge.

Now, even Toots could take no more and we asked for the bill, which was very reasonable for quite a festive feast.

Christmas stars all round, I'd say.

STARTERS:

Tomato and vegetable soup £3.69

Nachos £4.49

MAINS

Rack of ribs with fries and coleslaw £13.99

Burger with cheese bacon and pepperoni £10.36

Dessert

Fudge cake £4.49

Drinks

2 Pints Tennents £5.50

2 Glasses Merlot £11.98

Total £54.50