The chef behind one of Glasgow’s most eagerly awaited restaurant openings has spoken of the team’s excitement as they prepare to showcase the best of Scottish produce in a prime city centre location.
The Merchant Steakhouse will welcome its first customers next Friday, April 28 at the former home of Canteen 58 on Ingram Street.
During a first look tour this morning, the Glasgow Times was given the inside scoop on what to expect from the latest spot by the Bow Hospitality group as we sat down to chat with executive chef, William Lee.
He said: “The space is looking great, it’s very luxurious which suits our menu.
“We don’t want to come off as pretentious because that’s not us, but everything has been meticulously planned and done to the highest standard.
“I know that Ryan, the owner, has been looking for the perfect venue for around six years now.
“The menu itself has been in development for over a year and has been ripped up and put back together until we were happy with it.
“We got there eventually.”
@glasgowtimes Are you excited to pay the Merchant Steakhouse a visit? 🥩 #glasgowtiktok #glasgowfood #glasgow ♬ Aesthetic - Tollan Kim
The transformation of the split-level venue is impressive, with a dark and moody colour scheme that’s studded with accents of neon light and Harris Tweed to further hammer home a Scottish theme.
A large bar area allows for plenty of room for cocktail shaking while downstairs offers an opulent ‘chefs table’ which can be booked for a theatrical fine dining experience.
The keen attention to detail is extended to the kitchen too with an Argentinian-influenced Parilla style grill which William says will truly give their cuts of Aberdeen Angus beef the edge.
He explained: “A good Steakhouse is built around its grill, so we always knew it was going to be a focal point.
“We spent such a long time selecting our beef that we had to find a way to do it justice.
“We decided on a Parilla style grill that’s been built specifically for our kitchen and charcoal that’s imported from South Africa.
“It’s hard work to master but the difference in flavour is night and day.
“And the beef itself? It’s difficult to find words to describe it other than phenomenal.”
With just one week to go until the Merchant Steakhouse opens and bookings now live, we ask William how it feels to see a venture that was years in the making become a reality.
He replied: “I think ‘buzzing’ is the word to describe how we’re feeling.
“It’s time to get cooking and show Glasgow what we’ve got to offer.”
The Merchant Steakhouse is located at 56 Ingram Street.
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