“Good cheap scran”
Website: http://www.scranglasgow.co.uk/
Instagram: @scrangla
Address: 594 Alexandra Parade, Glasgow G31 3BS
General Information: Tues – Sat 9am – 4pm, Sun 9am – 3pm (no bookings)
Date Visited: 25/11/18
I have a mental list of brunch spots I’d like to visit in our fair city and this list grows ever longer, without end, due to a few factors. One is that the brunch scene in Glasgow has exploded to rival that of our Australian counterparts, which raced ahead of us a few years back in #brunchappreciation. Secondly, whether I like it or not, I tend to gravitate back to the same spots (Singl-End, Partick Duck Club, Potluck), simply ’cause you know what you’re getting and it’s easy to lean on those you love rather than risk it all on something new. However, much like with our romantic lives, Instagram now serves as a veritable foodie Tinder (even moreso since the app re-styling), meaning new options and choices are in your face every single day.
It’s a strong person who can ignore the pretty pottery and plant adorned tables with natural light streaming in from high ceiling windows to caress the beautifully plated food at these ever-increasing establishments. So much so, that with the passage of time you are generally worn down into thinking ‘once won’t hurt’ … although please don’t apply this same methodology to your love life. My purpose today is to convince you to take that leap out of the brunch-o-topia of Glasgow Southside… and enter new territory in the East End’s Alexandra Parade.
In an unlikely turn of events, Scran doesn’t seem to have broken into the foodie mainstream of #brunchgoals quite yet; at least not to the level it certainly deserves. And this is why I’ve decided to break my blog-brain-block of recent weeks with a blog post dedicated to the numerous reasons why it needs to move it’s way up (preferably to the top) of your ‘to – go’ list. Their window stencils alone (with a special festive pattern over December) should be enough to draw you along, in addition to the fact parking isn’t usually an issue – BONUS!
My friend, Simone, was visiting from London and I had given her various options of where to go for Sunday brunch – and Scran was her choice. I’d seen it featured on @chriseatsglasgow Instagram before too, so her selection meant we took the dive into ‘trying something new’ with readiness and abandon. It’s a tiny wee place, with about 12 – 14 seats approx. and it doesn’t take bookings, so be prepared to wait. As we waited for our table, there were numerous people coming and going for items from their takeaway menu, which was displayed on the shelf just on the left hand side as you enter the cafe.
I seem to have wonderful luck when it comes to being seated anywhere for the first time; as when we were offered the high stools by the window with great lighting I leaped up into them with childish delight. The menu is simple, but all the better for it; Jonathan says that the phrase ‘simple but effective’ is overused, but I can confidently say it hits the mark when used in Scran terms. Not considering the fact that their specials board reigns supreme in the foodie world (in my opinion at least).
Sadly however, their special was all sold out by the time we arrived around 11am, so I didn’t even ask what it had been for fear of regretful FOMO. Featured on their specials menu in recent months has been dishes such as: Arran Eggs Special (Arran black pudding, haggis and mustard on sourdough topped with poached eggs, hollandaise and finished off with a side of clapshot and bacon crumb); Crab & Avocado Special (crab and avocado on toasted sourdough with lemon, chilli, courgettes, poached eggs and hollandaise); Roast Beef Special (roast beef, potatoes, cauli flower cheese and spinach with poached eggs) and Smoked Ham Special (smoked ham, duck eggs, sweet potato mash, pineapple fritters and sriracha).
We ordered the Poached Eggs Stornoway, Crushed Avocado on Toast, Crispy Halloumi Scran Fries and a side of potato scone for Simone with a coffee each (oat milk for Simone and you other non-diary drinkers out there)! Unbeknownst to us, the cafe had a power cut for a short duration whilst we were in, hence why our breakfast took a little longer than expected to arrive. However, due to my long-winded catch up with Simone over coffee, we hadn’t really noticed too much. The waitress came over and offered us another coffee on the house, due to the wait, which we thoroughly appreciated and was very well received (good customer service!)
When the food arrived, we dug in with fervour (momentarily appreciating the food through the lens of my Nikon like all typical foodies do). The bacon crumb on the Poached Eggs Stornoway offered a splash of contrast to the hollandaise yellow, the avocado was nicely seasoned atop it’s toasted sourdough and the potato scones the perfect combination of soft and crisp.
What (pleasantly) surprised me, most of all, were the Scran Fries with halloumi, spicy sauce and crispy onions loaded on top of a bowl of hot fries – absolutely delicious ! Chris (@glasgochris – the Head Chef) was generous with his toppings; meaning that even when we reached the bottom of the bowl there was still chunks of halloumi dripping in sauce and onions to scoop up alongside your fries.
We spent a good two hours just sitting at the window, watching the world go by and enjoying our ‘good cheap scran’ as that’s the very essence of what it was. The total bill came in at under £20, which is unheard of these days for such good quality grub, and only further makes this independent cafe in the East End worth a visit.
It deserves a spot alongside its Southside sisters of mentionable top brunch spots to visit in Glasgow, if only to ensure us over here on the East-side (with other spots such as Tibo, Coia’s, Pizza East etc.) demonstrate that we know what we’re talking about when it comes to good food too ! So from an East End gal to an East End cafe – keep doing what you’re doing! And you’ll inevitably need to move to a bigger space to accommodate the flocking foodies looking for something new on their palate !
Lx
