Staging Dram Scotland

Tag: Fergus McVicar

Alchemilla Opens it’s Doors in Glasgow’s Finnieston

Fergus McVicar and Rosie Healy have opened Alchemilla at Finnieston. The new restaurant, which has a quirky Scandinavian feel, can seat around 60 people.

Says Fergus, “Rosie is an old friend of mine. She was living in London and working at Ottolenghi, and she wanted to come back to Glasgow. This was an ideal opportunity to do something together. We are business partners and she obviously is looking after the food side, and has brought some other London chefs with her, while I am concentrating on the bar side and of course the music.”

He continues, “The whole design is actually anti-design. I think it is fresh and different. It’s not just a bar, but it’s not a posh restaurant either. Just good food, with fresh, simply prepared produce. We also do great cocktails and nice wines.”

The design has a very 1960’s Danish feel – from its birch stools, which are bespoke,to its bright orange formica bar top which stretches the length of the room to its gold lights sourced from an old aviation school and the Paul Bert Serpette market in Paris. There’s also a stand out piece of artwork – a giant 3m x 2.5m Thomas Ruff photograph, one of only four in existence.

The restaurant also boasts a mezzanine level and a private dining room downstairs. Says Fergus, “The private dining room seats 14, and has its own record player with 40 classic albums to play. There’s also a bar down there, which has it’s own fish tank. It’s a great space to entertain in.”

Fergus concludes, “I’m not in this for the money, I’ve got four bars and a nightclub. It just felt right to do a restaurant. I couldn’t and wouldn’t have done it unless I had hooked up with Rosie, she’s just so charismatic, fun to work with and passionate about food. I love music and booze so we make a good team. I’m in this business for the long haul , it’s my career, it’s what I do for a living and I’m not fannying about ,but I need to keep being creative, do different things ,or I’d just get bored and bore everyone else.”

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Hotting up in Mitchell Lane

Chop Chop opened its first Glasgow restaurant on Mitchell Lane last month and now Fergus McVicar has just opened Tabac. Chop Chop, which already operates in Edinburgh specialises in north eastern Chinese cuisine, and serves dishes served in an authentic Chinese manner, where dishes are brought to the table in random order as soon as they are ready. Their first restaurant in Edinburgh has been open for over nine years, it has been a huge success and has over 20,000 loyal members.

Owner and head chef Jian Wang said, “We are really excited about the new design in our Glasgow restaurant which will be emulated across our subsequent restaurant openings. We have been planning to expand for a number of years and Glasgow seemed like the obvious next step.”

Meanwhile Fergus, who is a well known figure in Glasgow bar-land, with his previous successes including The Variety Bar and Chinaski’s, has opened Tabac. Located on the site of the former Bar 10, the new bar, which has some striking lighting arrangements, is being promoted as an “Illicit drinking den” and has a very definite French cafe/bistro feel.

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