443 Duke Street, Glasgow 0141 550 2050 Style: Shabby-chic Food: Home-made Price: £3-£7 for lunch Wheelchair access: Yes Even from the street, Tibo is inviting. Huge plate glass windows are hung with plants, while wooden chairs jostle for space on the pavement. On the day I visit, the glass doors are flung open to welcome in the sunshine.
Tibo is an unexpected oasis on this busy east end artery and, by the looks of it, much loved by locals and regulars. The squashy sofas at the front are reserved for mothers with prams, while at the back - past the airy deli counter, wall-mounted wine racks and geometric print hangings - unadorned tables are occupied by professional, arty types discussing dissertations and absent colleagues. Thankfully, music is low-key.
A mission statement chalked on a blackboard assures diners that Tibo believes in simple, honest, home-made food, with home baking at the heart of its kitchen. I'm keen to try it out, and don't have long to wait. Service is swift if perfunctory - which, while offputting at dinner, is perhaps just what's needed at lunchtime. It stops me lingering too long on the wine list, which is short but imaginative. A Montepulciano rose at £3.65 for 175cl is a particular temptation, but I opt for a small bottle of still mineral water, which turns out to be a rather decent Highland Spring at just £1.
Like the wine list, the menu could give a few west-end eateries a run for their money. Salmon gravadlax with cheese scones, a whole pear with a wedge of Shropshire blue and a walnut dressing, chorizo with sunblush tomatoes and shavings of manchego - all appear innovative and original.
How I wish I'd opted for the sweet potato blinis with tomato, lime and coriander salsa ordered by all around me. They are piled high on the plate and generously layered with distinctly fresh-looking salsa. But I choose the lentil burger served with wholemeal bun, raita dip and salad, because it is made to a 20-year-old family recipe. It arrives not in a bun but sandwiched between two thick, unbuttered slices of wholemeal bread, and with a serving of cold pasta in tomato sauce.
I'd have preferred a bigger burger, or even two this size, because though tasty it is simply not enough. I had the feeling they'd run out and were trying to make up volume with the pasta. Neither are there any puddings left by 1.30pm. I am offered a croissant instead. Am I paying the price of popularity, or am I a victim of poor planning? Whatever, I'm hungry for more.
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