Another visit to Ox and Finch, West End, Glasgow

We are going to Ox and Finch (http://www.oxandfinch.com) during this Christmas and New Year Holiday for dinner again. This would be our 3rd time to have dinner and I can't wait.  I blogged about this place while ago when Emily and I went there for the first time. Second time we went was on 30 April this year (yes, it is still Hogmanay in Scotland whist some parts of the world have already celebrated 2016) when my sister Mariko and her husband Kenji came to Scotland for Emily and Craig's wedding but I never got around to blog about that time. Approaching the end of year 2015, I have been reflecting all the good things happened this year and certainly the wedding and their visit to Scotland were really big events of the year. We had a lovely lunch at Ox and Finch at that time ....

There were six of us, Emily, Craig, Mariko, Kenji, my husband and I. It was a lovely early summer with warm sunshine. We got a large round table in the corner to ourselves. We celebrated with drinks, first the forthcoming nuptials between Emily and Craig and also the fact that Mariko and Kenji came to Glasgow, all the way from Japan. This was really a big deal, considering that Kenji hates flying and this was his 2nd trip abroad ever in his entire life. I think his first trip was their honeymoon to New Caledonia.

Anyway, we KAMPAI-ed to each other to start our lunch....

Whilst waiting for our food to arrive, we had sourdough bread with extra virgin olive oil and also toasted sourdough bread with Romesco spread. I love their Romesco spread!

Soon, our order started to arrive one by one ...

This one was my favourite, buffalo mozzarella, grilled figs, mint and 8-year aged balsamic. If you are meat-eater, you can get the one with proscuitto.

Next arrived was crab and crayfish with chilli, mango and glass noodle salad. We had this last time - the was really refreshingly tasty.

Someone ordered seared scallops, ramsay's black pudding, cauliflower and cider vinaigrette.

We also had seared tuna nicoise with olive trapanned.

... chips, truffle salt and roasted garlic aioli ...

and venison, pancetta and neep scotch pie ....

What else? Smoked haddock brandade, poached free-range egg, capers and cornichons (which are small French pickles) and also charlotte potatoes with wild garlic pesto.

The conversation was naturally entered around Emily and Craig's wedding. We were busy talking, drinking and eating.  There seems to be lots of food however when there were 6 of us to share each plate, there were not much food to go around. We concluded that 2 - 4 would be the optimum numbers of people to share food at Ox and Finch in order to appreciate their greatness.

Kenji and Mariko liked this organic lager ....

and look at the size of the glass .... Kenji couldn't help taking photo of Mariko holding the glass ...

Mariko and Kenji brought wedding gifts from Japan ... these are money envelopes for celebrations.

We then had coffees and some desserts to finish our meals.  I must say that Ox and Finch does a really good coffee!

This is yuzu (Japanese citrus fruit) parfait with coconut ice creaj, mango and pineapple.

Also tried hot and cold chocolate and cherry trifle ...

I wanted to try lemon and earl grey baked alaska ....

All our desserts line ups ....

We had lovely lunch at Ox and Finch back in late April and can't wait to go back again to try different menu. 

That'a all forks but I will be back soon (I promise ...) with my latest blog about Ox and Finch.

Next year, 2016, is the year of monkey. People who were born in Monkey year are wise, intelligent, confident, charismatic, loyal and inventive and have leadership. Sounds fantastic.

Wish you a happy and prosperous new year!