When I heard that Eighty Eight on Dumbarton Road was set to close, I have to be honest, I was gutted. This little small plates restaurant was a space I always loved, and the food was always fresh, exciting and new. Saying goodbye to it was very sad, but the good news is, the very same team have given the space a little revamp and reopened under the new name, Tusco.
New Italian Sharing Plate Restaurants Glasgow
By Amy Glasgow
With the same chefs and front of house staff at the helm, I knew Tusco was likely to impress me. Tusco offers diners Italian-inspired dishes made for sharing, with fresh pasta, generous plates and simple, seasonal flavours done properly. Like its predecessor, the menu at Tusco changes regularly based on seasonal produce, which allows for a unique experience on every visit.
Starters
One dish that is a staple though is their house focaccia served with herby butter and extra virgin olive oil, and it is the perfect way to start off your meal while your other dishes are prepared. The butter is silky smooth with a hint of bright, fresh herbs, and the focaccia had a dark, crisp crust while staying beautifully light and fluffy inside.
Mains
Given that pasta is one of Tusco’s selling points, we decided to sample both pastas on offer, and one of them was a high hitter: cavatelli served with a wild leek pesto, burrata and asparagus. This dish felt like a bowl of spring, with a garlicky, salty and oh so moreish wild leek pesto mingling with creamy burrata and crunchy asparagus.
The other pasta dish of fennel sausage tortellini in brodo was tasty, and the broth was crystal clear, but it fell a little short next to the flavour punch of the cavatelli.
Another dish that absolutely blew us away was the barbecued hispi cabbage, drenched in an n’duja and mascarpone sauce and topped with a basil pangrattato. This was the unexpected highlight of the night and we devoured it in minutes, fighting over the final pieces of cabbage like ravenous rabbits.
What made the night even better was their offer of £5 Margaritas on Thursday – and I don’t just mean your basic tequila, lime, triple sec offering. While a classic marg was an option, I recommend sampling one of their SIX other options, each one just £5 from 6pm on Thursdays. In fact I’m heading back next Thursday for their Beach Marg, see you there.
For more on this Italian Sharing Plate Restaurants in Glasgow, visit –
Tusco
88 Dumbarton Road, G11 6NX
0141 212 6050
tusco.co.uk
