Restaurant review: The Secret Garden, Trongate, Glasgow
By Richard Mooney
Asian Fusion Tapas, you say? What on earth are they? Well they’re basically a very tasty experience…that is, if you go to the SecretGarden.
Tucked away at the back of the popular Gate bar and restaurant on the Trongate, the SecretGarden really is a secret. I couldn’t find it at first, the sign posting for it wasn’t exactly the clearest.
I had parked just across from it on the corner of Albion Street and Trongate. The sign for it is small and hard to make out, perhaps a bit too secret-ish.
Upon entering you are greeted by the staff of the Gate. They’re friendly and very helpful, taking your coat and (if you happen to have one like I did) wet brolly.
The setting of the Gate bar is like something straight out of Sex and the City; modern, sleek and sassy. I could have sat in there all night enjoying their wide range of non-alcoholic cocktails (as I said I was driving).
The back drop to the SecretGarden keeps in the same tone with the Gate, but is a tad more relaxing. Luxuriously, large padded white seats surround the tables by the walls and the cutlery is set out perfectly.
One thing though was that I had to ask for chopsticks.
Being a South East Asian restaurant, I expected chopsticks to be set out with standard cutlery, but this is a minor point and I was duly given a pair without hesitation.
The tapas on offer consisted of Masaman chicken, Chicken in sesame seeds, Chilli Chicken, Teriyaki beef, Lamb meatballs, Pork Saag, Prawn tempura, Crab fritters, Sweet and sour monkfish, Vegetable croquettes, Sweet potato Bravas and Tomatoes with Paneer cheese. These were all accompanied with Soy, ginger noodles and lemongrass boiled rice.
Needless to say everything was absolutely delicious. The selection on offer had something for everyone and we were asked by the waiter if we were allergic to nuts before he served us the food. The chicken dishes in particular were magnifique.
The staff were excellent and very helpful. A brilliant service all round.
If you’re up for something different or just want a darn good meal you should try the SecretGarden.
