#9 Queen's Park, Glasgow, LA.
Where's for dinner, this week?
Last week we went quite hard on the old Michelins and Rosettes, so this week we’re taking it back a notch.
Eating out isn’t about awards and accolades, it’s about sharing good food with people you love. And that includes with just yourself.
It can be enjoying a new cuisine, trying latest food trend, discovering someone going against the grain, or maybe just returning to an old love that just ticks the box perfectly.
The latter is what we’re focusing on this week. Food that brings me comfort and joy in its familiarity, but at places I’ve yet to enjoy.
1. Lula’s, Queen’s Park, London
An act of self love for me, is taking myself to brunch. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but it does have to be good, and Lula’s caught my eye - for their menu and logo.
I’m rarely this part of town, Queen’s Park…
*Googles exact location* Yep. Couldn’t be further from the comfort of South East London.
But maybe that’s all part of the adventure.
Their dinner menu is positively bursting with gluten free options, so although nothing on their brunch menu is marked as such, I have high hopes they could cater.
Plates are bright, with the strong sense of green, which pairs perfectly to their outdoor terrace that looks more like Queensland than Queen’s Park. But although at first look brunch dishes are giving Aussie vibes, Lula’s is instead a modern take on European dining.
I still haven’t gotten over the hurdle of dinner alone, but brunch solo I can do. So we’ll have to call this one Where’s for Lunch?
2. Gaga, Glasgow
South Asian food holds a special place in my heart. Trips to Hong Kong, Thailand and Vietnam have been fuelled by trying the best food I could get my hands on.
Whenever given the choice, I will always choose Thai, Malaysian or Vietnamese cuisine, for its warm comfort hugs and kicks of flavour.
Everything about Gaga’s is giving me the green light. The branding, the restaurant interiors and the stunning dishes.
Helpfully labeled with a separate allergen menu, there’s lots I can and want to try - like tiger prawns with sambal, kari lamb curry, and sea bass with chilli and coconut butter. Heavenly.
Fellow pooch owners - your dog is welcome too. So if they can hold their wee bladder long enough on the train (we are currently debating how our mini poodle might travel from London to Scotland), it could be a visit for them too.
3. Honey Hi, LA
When I’ve got sun on my face, I just want to eat well, and HoneyHi (a very cute spot on Sunset Blvd, LA) has just the menu, and the sun.
Their Instagram is so full of colour I want to lean in and try everything. According to the online reviews, the cafe is 100% gluten free too, though you’d never guess it from the stacks of pancakes, sweet treats and colourful dishes.
Although they typically open 9-4 for all your breakfast, brunch and lunch needs, they also host intimate dinners, with a recent pop up called “Goodness”.
Here Chef Camila curates an intentional dinner of well sourced foods to enjoy with friends, and shares the stories behind each dish. I really enjoy detail like this, and hope to one day time a visit to join them for one.
But if I do one thing in LA, I’ll be grabbing their famous pancake mix - which is naturally gluten free and available to take away - and a cap. I’m a sucker for merch.
Every week I’ll be tempting you with where your next meal out could be - one in London, one in the UK, and one beyond.
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