Restaurant Review: Drury Street Bar and Kitchen

Drury Street Bar and Kitchen is the kind of place with many leather-bound books and smells of rich mahogany.

Were it a person, it would probably have a long-flowing beard or a well-groomed moustache, and cut about in a bow tie on the weekends.

None of those things are bad — especially when the food stands up to as high a standard as the image the place gives off.

The basement bar is the latest addition to Drury Street, famous for neighbours like The Horseshoe and Yesbar — and some of you can breathe a sigh of relief, much like the other half did the other night when he asked: “Was this the strip club before?”

It’s upstairs, apparently so this hipster gentleman’s bar, previously the Steampunk Cafe, isn’t encroaching on familiar turf (and the OH promises he’s never been, in case you’re wondering).

With a well-stocked bar perused, we had a look at Drury Street’s recently revamped menu.

I’ve said it before — Glasgow needs to get over burgers. There are far too many places slapping meat between bread and hoping no one will notice the sliding scale of quality.

Still, a burger done right is a wonderful thing — and so we skipped the promise of pizzas and BBQ chicken for one each.

The OH opted for the Drury Street burger; an 8-ouncer with bacon, cheese, onion rings and BBQ sauce. One bite and he muttered ‘tremendous’ — high praise from a man who knows his way around Glasgow’s many and varied pig out spots.

The meat was tender, the smoky toppings and fresh salad all complementing well. If there’s a slight criticism, it’s those otherwise delicious brioche buns — not quite crisped enough to hold back the meaty tide, the burger was soon falling apart.

I went for the Captains Sandwich; a thick fillet of haddock, beer battered and bunned with tartare sauce.

Alright, so no one goes to McDonald’s and orders the Filet-o-Fish — but Drury Street are on the ball with their chip shop-inspired treat.

Succulent fish, golden batter and tangy tartare and salsa were perfect on sweet brioche — like drunkenly shoving your fish supper between sliced white (in a good way).

Both burgers came with fries, which were decent and well seasoned.

A side of cowboy chilli - served with those homemade, crispy-yet-light tortilla chips and dips — was wonderful; the stew infused with coffee and beer, giving it a sweet, tangy note.

But the recipe I asked for afterwards was Drury’s spicy made-in-house ketchup — an accidental addition to the menu apparently, and one they should be slathering on everything now that they’ve done away with the usual processed stuff.

It’s a menu like many others in Glasgow — but it’s safe to say that Drury Street Bar and Kitchen could compete with the best of them.

Cowboy chilli bowl: coffee and beer infused chilli served with fresh tortilla chips and dips - £5

Drury Street burger: 8oz beef patty topped with bacon, cheese, onion rings and BBQ sauce, served on brioche with salad and fries - £10

Captains sandwich: beer battered haddock and tartare sauce served on brioche with salad and fries - £8

Total for two (minus drinks) - £23

Drury Street Bar and Kitchen

Drury Street

Glasgow

G2 5AP

Tel: 0141 204 2929