At long last, Celino's west end finally opens its doors! People all over town have been waiting anxiously for this to happen, and it seems to have taken months. Was it worth the wait? Hell yes!
Celino's have another branch in Alexandra Parade, so this venture into the West End is a welcome addition. Not that we are starved of good Italian food out here - there are plenty of Italian eateries on and around Byres Road - but Celino's have bagged a prime spot of their own on Dumbarton Road opposite Hyndland Street, occupying the ground floor of the student flats building, the site of the old Comet store.
The interior space is vast enough to enclose not just the restaurant at the rear, but a sizeable delicatessen and coffee bar at the front. It's a lot of space to fill, but on our visit early on a Thursday evening, they certainly seemed to have no trouble doing so. Although it was busy, the staff were extremely attentive and chatty, and I liked the way that your serving staff (all three of them!) were mentioned by name on the bill at the end.
For starters, I had the calamari fritti (always a regular standby); Herself had the gamberini alla Siciliana. The calamari was OK but not particularly outstanding, I would even say just verging on the overdone. However the prawns were a different story; succulent and with just the right amount of chilli to avoid being overpowering.
For mains, we both went for the pizza frutti di mare. I can't tell you how long it's been since I had a pizza, it's a rare treat for me as I can't handle cheese. To find this pizza on the menu without any cheese was a beacon in the darkness for me. And it was delicious to boot; lovely soft crust and plenty of seafood yumminess. The scallops in particular deserve a special mention.
We were both too stuffed for dessert but opted to try an espresso as I was keen to sample the coffee. I believe they roast their own beans, and it certainly came through in the tasting. This is definitely my favourite coffee in the West End from now on, and I intend to frequent the front coffee bar of a morning to make sure it stays that way.
So an easy four+ stars from me. I almost gave them a five, but it was let down just slightly by the calamari. But I'll be back before too long and hopefully that fifth star isn't too far away. read more