Glasgow Living Part 21 – Pre Theatre Menu at Alston Bar & Beef

Readers, I’ve had a great month of reviews and socialising with other bloggers.  I also love how much of a community there is in Glasgow.  

My latest adventure was to Alston Bar & Beef. Alston’s new manager was really keen to engage the blogger community, so brought in a few of us in small groups to try out their new pre-theatre menu.  I went along with Foodie Explorers and EmmaEats for a night of socialising!

One thing to be clear about – this is for people who lovvveeees their meat.  No rude jokes at the back please.  The clue is in the bar and beef name.  Alston for those of you who don’t know, is UNDER central station in Glasgow.  No joke.  You go in through the main entrance to Glasgow Central, it’s on the left, down the stairs.  Terribly unassuming from the outside, but once down underground, there’s some cool blue and purple lighting and a great buzz.

Don’t be put off by the fact it’s inside a train station.  This is NOT station food.

The set menu – pre/theatre is served Monday to Thursday 12pm to 6.30pm and Friday and Saturday between 12pm and 4pm.

We started our night with a cocktail each from the extensive menu.  I  love my gins as you probably know.  I started with a little raspberry gin cocktail (Raspberry Royale) before moving onto Argentinian Malbec to go with the steaks.

Raspberry Royale Cocktail

I started with the tweed valley brisket and smoked cheddar croquettes (think posh potato croquettes) which were delicious.  Soft and smooth in the middle, then crispy on the outside.  I felt I couldn’t go to Alston and not order steak so went for a classic 227g bavette and chips.  I’d also recommend a focaccia to share at the table if you’re happy to get your carbs on. 

By this point I was starting to feel full and was concerned I wasn’t making it to dessert, but undeterred I continued on.  I cheated slightly, only going for lemon sorbet for dessert, but was assured by my dining partners that the poached pear and chocolate brownie on the menu were also delicious.

For value, you’re probably best going for at least 2 courses – one course will set you back £10, 2 courses are £13 and if you’ve room for dessert, 3 courses are £16.

I loved the vibe of Alston – the low lighting made it feel like a proper night out, even though it was a Thursday – and it was fairly busy around the bar and restaurant, creating a great atmosphere for everyone in the venue.

 For more info, visit the Alston website or visit their social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

Disclaimer: I was asked to visit Alston to review the new menu. Any opinions expressed are my own.