Glasgow restaurant institution has new owners - how is the food?

The Herald Scotland

2 days ago

Whether you choose to believe that or not is up to you, but what there's no denying is that many people, myself included, count themselves as big fans of their beans.
(Image: Newsquest)
If you've spent time in Oban, you might recognise their lovely little shop on the waterfront selling empanadas, pastries and hot drinks, though they've been expanding at rapid speed in Glasgow with units on Sauchiehall Street and across the West End.
Perhaps the most buzz surrounding one of their new city outlets was the takeover of Zique's, a West End 'institution' previously owned by Mhairi Taylor for more than 20 years.
Announcing the news online, Taylor assured customers that the business was in capable hands with Hinba and said that she was looking forward to seeing them take the neighbourhood restaurant from strength to strength.
So here mum and I are tonight, making our way past the post-work-pint beer garden dwellers of Partick on our way to investigate how the renamed Zique's Hinba is getting on so far.
With floor-to-ceiling windows, it's a beautiful place to be on a sunny evening, though there are only a few of us in. The kitchen and bar are open plan and small, so we hear pans sizzle and drinks mixed as we try to make sense of the menu.
Printed on a slim piece of card, it's divided into four different sections with little indication as to what size each plate will be, other than varying prices. Going by the numbers, we guess it's a snacks, starters, bigger plates and dessert sort of deal, and after a little time to fine-tune our choices, our server confirms we should have all bases covered.
Pictured: Canapes kick off the meal (Image: Newsquest)
Narrowly beating a glass of Vinho Verde (£7) and a French 75 cocktail (£10) to the table is a lemon mascarpone-based canapé. I like these delicate pastry cones very much. They're fresh, zesty and Mum, on the other hand, says it's a little too much like a citrus cheesecake. Different strokes.
At least we both agree that the boquerones (£4) make for a gorgeous dish, their tiny silvery skins covered in pops of leafy green and swimming in orange oil spiked with plenty of smoked paprika.
Pictured: Boquerones with smoked paprika and capers (Image: Newsquest)
When halved in the name of fairness, molten cheese filling spills out of a single broccoli and Manchego croquette (£3) into a tomato sauce that's got hints of Heinz soup about it. I say this with appreciation- it's tangy, comforting, and nostalgic. It's a wee bit strange to me that these tasty little guys are served solo, but for only £3 a pop, you can't grumble too much.
Next, a tennis ball-sized mound of crab is served on a thick, homemade crumpet with three sun-dried tomatoes balanced on top like cherries on a sundae. (£12) The crumpet element of the dish is a fraction too dense for the flecks of seasoned white crab meat, pulling focus away from the fresh seafood flavour, which a lighter bake might complement, but they're on the right track.
Pictured: White crab, sundried tomato and crab butter crumpet (Image: Newsquest)
From the second section of the menu is a dish sure to divide opinion, leaving folk shocked or swooning depending on your feelings towards sticky yeast spread. I place myself firmly in the Marmite lover camp, so these new potatoes coated in the stuff (£7)were always going to be a part of our order. I'm less convinced by the apricot pesto, which seems just a stretch too far, but the end result is an intriguing mix of big, gravy-like flavours and sweet stone fruit. It shouldn't work, but it does.
I'd love to know who figured this out for the first time.
Pictured: Marmite new potatoes with apricot pesto (Image: Newsquest)
A final savoury plate of pork fillet (£17) is done well, split into three pieces and served with thin rectangles of smoked belly. The addition of tamarind to the dish is a wise move, giving surprisingly mellow gooseberries a bit of a nudge to liven up.
After feeling like the kitchen had hit its stride with the more substantial dishes, a dessert of chocolate sorbet with strawberry and hibiscus (£7) is an odd one. Like a diet hot chocolate sachet prepared with boiling water rather than proper cocoa powder and full-fat milk, the flavour of this iced pudding feels washed out. I'd skip that and choose the affogato next time.
Pictured: Chocolate sorbet dessert (Image: Newsquest)
After eating, I'm still not sure I've got a handle on the menu here, but such is the way with small-plate eating. Throw some darts at the board, accept that your food will arrive as and when it's ready and hope that you've ordered enough to reach the dessert course feeling satisfied.
It's not for everyone, but I'd argue it's in tune with the summertime wine bar vibe here. And props to the kitchen team for their presentation. Every single dish of the evening has been a feast for the eyes in bright summer hues of orange, green and reds with an arty, minimalist approach to plating that matches the surroundings.
There's no magical Hebridean air to credit for the food tonight, but new owners Hinba appear to be settling into Glasgow's West End nicely, all the same.
Menu: Small plate lovers will be happy here, but I struggled to find the flow of this menu. 3/5
Service: Cheery, helpful and attentive while giving customers space to enjoy their meal. 4/5
Atmosphere: . Only a few tables in meant it was missing a bit of buzz, but it's a beautiful place to spend a sunny evening. 3/5
Price:. Always hard to judge with a menu so varied, but with the pork dish the most expensive at £17 - it's not bad for the West End. 3/5
Food: Highlights of marmite potatoes and boquerones, but the crab crumpet and dessert weren't for me. Top marks for presentation. 7/10
Total: 20/30
Zique's Hinba is located at 66 Hyndland Street, Glasgow.