This week, an Atomic Meatball Meltdown at Riverhill Restaurant, a premier at the GFT and streets of fun at the Gibson Gala.

Lunch @ Riverhill Restaurant

Riverhill Coffee Shop on Gordon Street is one of the best independents in the city centre, serving spectacular coffee, bites and snacks that, frankly, put it's competitors to shame. So, I was excited to try out it's new sister restaurant, just round the corner, on West Nile Street.

I took a pal for lunch and the place was full to bursting, so I was glad I had booked a table. It was buzzy and when we sat down and glanced at what was on offer, we could see why, they have one seriously exciting menu. Let me share with you some of the highlights (although if you had tried to share any of my real lunch, you would have had a fight on your hands!)

To start with, I had the Cauliflower Skordallia, sounds weird and it was, but in the most delicious way. Skordallia is a Greek dish, usually made from potatoes. The Riverhill version was like a velvety lick of garlicky heaven and worked perfectly scooped up with their fresh unleavened bread. To follow I had a Croque Madame, a seriously under-represented dish (but one of my favourites). Basically, it's a cross between breakfast and lunch, with eggs and hollandaise on top of a cheese and ham piece. My friend - sold by the name alone - had the daily special of an 'Atomic Meatball Meltdown': it was lunch Armageddon, bursting with texture, succulent gherkins, salty pork scratchings and juicy, enticingly flavoured meatballs.

As it was lunch, three courses seemed too much (even for the pregnant lady) so I asked for the bill and took a rain check on dessert. I'll be back, though, sooner rather than later, perhaps even for breakfast. They're open from 8am during the week, 9am at weekends, serving an array of champion, hangover-busting starts, like Chakchouka baked eggs.

Plus, you booze bandits, will be pleased to hear, they have now been served their liquor license. I've heard their Bone Marrow Bloody Mary is a belter!

BBC Stonemouth Premier @ GFT

This week I was delighted to be invited to a sneak preview of new BBC Scotland drama Stonemouth at the GFT. The production is an adaptation of one of Iain Bank's last novels, and he was involved in some of the pre-production before he sadly passed away in 2013.

The action is set in the fictional town of 'Stonemouth' (although it was almost all filmed in Macduff) and is captivating from the get go; like a Scottish Broadchurch, but better. The drama centres on a bloke called Stuart Gilmour, played by Christian Cooke (Goggle him, you'll see why, and ladies you can thank me later!) Stuart returns home for the funeral of his best mate, Callum, brother of his ex-fiancé and son of local gangster in residence, Don Murston (Peter Mullan). Aye, it's a close knit community!

The plot is humour and humanity personified, with plenty of caustic undertones; making it quintessentially Scottish. It's well acted and fantastic to see brilliantly made homegrown drama making it onto small (and big) screens, here and around the UK. The drama is also an ideal backdrop to showcase other Scottish talent, the soundtrack contains excellent tunes from pals of mine - and Mercury Prize winners - Young Fathers and Mogwai.

The first episode is this Monday at 9pm on BBC One Scotland (airing UK-wide next Thursday). In an era of box set binging on Netflix, I'm biting my nails waiting for the next episode - as I'll have had to wait nearly two weeks! - thankfully, you lucky folk will only have to wait the one! And, you know what folks, I think it's unmissable!

Gibson Street Gala

A strange set up has the Gibson Street Gala occurring, each year, a week before the West End Festival proper begins, which kicks off this weekend with the parade. In many ways, it's a wee taster of what's to come; but that's not to say it's small fry, it's one of the biggest events in the West End, even within the festival itself, so it seems (perhaps) a bit of a shame they don't join forces.

Anyway, time to get off my soap box, in fact, the Gibson Street Gala doesn't really need any help. It gets bigger and bigger each year, having started off as 'Bard in the Backcourt' ten years ago, it has now expanded into an extravaganza of live music and entertainment, great food, a market full of stalls, showcasing community projects, groups and nearby shops as well as a range of artwork and paintings by local artists.

The weather was typically untypical for this year; freezing, blowing a hoolie one minute followed by shades of sunshine the next. As well as all the grown-up goings on, this year there was also specially dedicated Kidizones on Otago Street and Hillhead Primary, along with a ridiculously popular, and retro, Coconut Shy. Sometimes old school is best, from games, to lovely community-minded days oot!

Wee Bird Recommends

The spectacular BBC at the Quay continues until Monday, with music from Honeyblood, Twin Atlantic and KT Tunstall, amongst others. Many of the events are free, so just get yourself Clydeside and you could score the best seat in city! Wee would also be remiss not to remind you it's Parade Day on Sunday: get your West End Fest on from 12pm, Byres Road with around 80,000 other raring revellers. Rumour has it, even the sun is going to make an appearance!