Since moving to Glasgow almost two years ago one of the restaurants I have frequented most regularly has been Bar Soba located just beside The Lighthouse in Glasgow's city centre. It's quirky, has a great veggie selection and has a great collection of cocktails. However, when Hayley was through two week's ago for a Science Centre visit I used it as a chance to visit the West End branch of Bar Soba.
The West End version is definitely in a similar vein, though that is definitely not a bad thing. The menu is the same and the decor is strikingly similar. However the vibe of the place feels quite different. Everytime I've been to Bar Soba in the City Centre - even during the day - it has been busy and buzzing and definitely has a 'bar' vibe to it. When me and Hayley went along at roughly 4pm on a Friday we had the place almost to ourselves, the layout was more akin to that of a traditional restaurant (the City Centre has the bar in the middle with tables circling it) and had plenty of natural lighting coming in through the big windows looking out onto Byres Road (perfect for food photos).
Even though I've been to Bar Soba a few times I still managed to find something I hadn't already tried - the veg version of the Japanese Katsu curry with some wok fried Asian greens as a side. I find it very difficult to pick a favourite dish at either of the Bar Sobas and the only way to describe my rating is to say it was just as lovely as some of the other dishes I've tried and that Bar Soba (both city centre and west end) is a place I keep recommending again again and again, and is one of my 'safe' restaurants if taking someone out to dinner I don't know very well or if I'm not sure what I want and I am in the area anyway.
City Centre, West End - and I imagine the branch in Edinburgh - are all worth a visit!
Morag x