THE Moll's timekeeping is worse than a hot lead that goes nowhere when the boss is having a bad day.

 

I'd arranged to meet Blondie in The Scullery, a new bar and restaurant that's got everyone talking in the Finnieston neighbourhood.

An hour after parking the Buick on Claremont Street and I'm still watching the clock. I'd already sniffed out an affair in the foursome at the next table and turned down a drink from a hot Betty at the bar.

It was cold and dark and the rain was doing a tap dance on the window panes. I ordered up a coffee and the waitress sashayed over with complimentary shortbread. It was a nice touch and things were looking up. I've heard they bake fresh scones every day with flavours including chocolate chip and I vow to come back and try them.

Casing the joint, it seemed to have a nice ambience, all stripped back interiors with brickwork and twinkly lights and housed in a typical Glasgow tenement. It's owned by Kathleen Sheridan, formerly of The Ubiquitous Chip, and husband Scott Burgess so hopes are high it will deliver.

The restaurant also boasts a function space and the word on the street is they will host cinema nights, pop up kitchens, and whisky tastings.

It's a bit on the cold side though, when the door opens, there's a blast of air so fresh it could turn down the heat on the Sin City strip.

Suddenly Toots appears smart as you like and wearing the kind of heels that could puncture floors and hearts. "Don't have a cow," she shrieks.

"Patti's man has run off with that broad from the jazz bar, a girl's gotta be there for her BFF."

I ordered her a glass of mother's ruin to calm her nerves and we turn to the menu, the first thing I notice is how reasonably priced it is. There's a nice variety too, with steak, lobster and mussels all on the table, although the waiter informed us they had run out of both seafood options. It was Sunday night so I let them off. I'd like to see another option on the table for the vegetarians but that's being choosy.

The ham hock terrine has turned Toot's head and she polished it off in seconds.

Aiming for a healthy start to 2015, I was watching my red meet intake on doctors orders. I ordered up the fried halloumi salad with orange and walnut salad and I'm in heaven.

The haloumi was crisp and moreish and the orange adds a sweet contrast to the natural salty flavour of the cheese.

The service was swift and friendly and the staff can't do enough to make us feel welcome. Toots has taken a liking to the hot rod serving us so I distracted her with the main courses.

She's the adventurous type, so ordered up the slow cooked pigs cheeks with buttery mash and braised leeks in a cider jus.

"It's so tender," purred the Moll, her own cheeks flushing as she flutters her baby blues at the server.

I felt like paying homage to my Italian grand-momma so I ordered up the butternut, thyme and goat's cheese risotto.

It was delicioso, tasty and not too heavy, although I'd like the squash cooked a little longer. It was so filling that I couldn't fit in a dessert and there was some tempting choices on offer.

Blondie ordered up the apple and blackberry crumble with cinammon ice-cream that is outta sight good. A major selling point is that everything tasted home cooked here and you can tell that a lot of love and care has gone into the preparation.

"That's enough Mr," shrieks the Moll as I try to grab another fly bite and vow to return for some sweet stuff of my own.

Food 3

Atmosphere 3

Service 3

Food

Starters

Halloumi salad - £5.00

Ham hock terrine - £5.95

Mains

Veg risotto - £10.25

Pig's cheek - £13.95

Dessert

Apple and blackberry crumble - £5.50

Drinks

Tea - £2.00

Gin and tonic - £4.90

1 glass of Malbec - £4.30

1 glass of Rioja - £4.50

Total - £56.35