A taste of California arrived in the city centre late last year. So L.A. burst onto the food scene, complete with a sunshine infused menu, fresh flavours, a slick bar, stylish interior and a bit of the razzle dazzle we have come to expect from venues created by James and Louise Rusk.
Rusk & Rusk, the independent hospitality group, already has Hutchesons City Grill, The 158 Club Lounge, The Butchershop and The Spanish Butcher. Each location has its own strengths but they share a common commitment to providing a distinctive drinking and dining experience.
Glasgowist actually tasted one of the first dishes from the Pacific-tinged menu – a chickpea panisse, cauliflower and almond puree, puy lentil and squash salad – just before the restaurant opened. The recipe is featured in the Glasgow and West Coast Cook Book.
At the time, chef John Molloy talked with enthusiasm about the vibrant ingredient palette he was assembling and the West Coast influences that would shape the dishes.
Now fully formed, So L.A. joins the Rusk & Rusk pack with plenty of attitude.
At weekends the bar dispenses a steady stream of bourbon, rum and tequila cocktails while the main dining room is popular with couples and groups of friends looking for a fun atmosphere.
Sunday brunch serves from 1pm to 4pm – think grilled avocado, soft shell crab Benedict, breakfast burritos and mimosas.
We visit mid-week for a leisurely dinner, choosing the pre-theatre menu. Two courses are £17 and three courses are £21 (Mon-Thurs 12-6pm, Friday and Saturday 12-5pm, Sunday 4-6pm). It’s a tightly assembled menu with nods to Californian street food, Asian flavours, with some Scottish steak for good measure.
Plotting a course, our choices include Kaffir lime and chilli mussels, street corn and slow cooked pork ribs to start.
The ribs aren’t the meatiest we’ve ever been served but the coating is a sensation. Chilli, brown sugar glaze, pear, sesame and orange. A marinade we’d now add to just about anything.
Kaffir lime and chilli elevate the taste profile of the plump steamed mussels. Then the street corn, quite a simple presentation of corn on the cob, turns out to be a surprisingly complex layering of fresh flavours. Interesting.
All going well, the spiced fish curry and steak frites are selected for mains. The chefs here know their steaks and the 35 day dry-aged underblade steak is spot on, served with skinny fries and a choice of sauce (we added chimichurri).
Our spiced fish curry has a myriad of added ingredients we are told, amounting to a very satisfying result. Fish out the perfectly cooked chunks of cod from the sauce.
Top tip: Save room for dessert at So L.A. when you visit. We’ve had the creme brulee at Hutchesons and the dish here has a similar presentation, but there is more of that kaffir lime, a citrus shortbread and shaved coconut for a delightfully light, sweet treat. The dark chocolate delice with orange gel and kirsh soaked cherries is another winning combination.
So L.A. is not afraid to stand out from the crowd in the city centre.
We expect the menu will continue to evolve. For now, visit for the buzzy atmosphere, charming staff, creative cocktails and confident cooking.
So L.A.
43 Mitchell Street
Glasgow
G1 3LA
T: 0141 473 7333