Gamba
- Telephone 0141 572 0899
- Food served Mon–Sat noon–2.30pm, 5–10pm; Sun 5–9pm.
- Pre-theatre times Mon–Sat 5–6.15pm
- Average price £16.95 (set lunch); £33 (evening meal)
- Pre-theatre price £16.95
- Website www.gamba.co.uk
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The 2013 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).
This review is taken from the current (2013) edition.
Even by fish restaurant standards, Gamba’s luxurious touches (and hefty prices) put it at the top end of the scale. Many dishes use more than one type of seafood for some unashamed, full-on eating. Take the Isle of Ghiga Halibut – a choice catch at the best of times, served here with peat-smoked haddock and cream of scallop and leek – adding richness and considerable depth. It’s like the most masterly, poshest Cullen skink you’ve ever had. A starter of prawn, shrimp and crayfish doesn’t quite take the good old cocktail to the same heights (the hit of chilli and lime is good though marie rose sauce overpowers the subtleties of the three shellfish), but a main of hake, fried in deliciously nutty butter and topped in whole almonds, capers and little brown shrimp is as good as it gets – a brilliant plate of contrasting textures and sweet-toasty-fishy explosions, garnished with lemon wrapped in muslin to prevent the seeds falling. It’s all swish stuff, enhanced by the intimate dimensions and low lighting that keep Gamba perennially popular with romantic couples and corporate diners alike.
- High point: Generous portions of seafood combinations …
- Low point: but they are pricey
- Number of wines sold by the glass: 9
- Provides: Gluten-free options, Pre-theatre menu, Free wi-fi
- Music on stereo: Easy listening, laid back stuff
- Capacity: 65
- Largest group: 65
- Open since: 1998
- House wine: £19 per bottle
Reviews & features
Side Dishes
13 Mar 2008
Gamba restaurant in Glasgow is celebrating its 10th birthday with a series of special meals, kicking off with an Oriental night on Friday 14 March. Tickets cost £59.95 for four courses with wines; book on 0141 572 0899. Two of leith’s most venerable…
Comments & ratings
- 3. Paul James – 9 Jul 2010, 1:58pm Report
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Bang on review, this place cooks beautiful fishes dishes. If you love fish, you will love gamba!
- 2. ShonaS – 9 Sep 2009, 1:03pm Report
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I would give my experience at Gamba 0 stars. Having previously visited the restaurant and enjoyed the experience, I had a dreadful time on Friday 28th Aug 2009. My partner and I had received vouchers for the meal as a gift and the meal was to be a treat to kick off a week long holiday for us. The signature dish of fish soup was overly hot, had very few dumplings and did not live up to my previous visit. Not only that but it made my stomach go into cramp almost immediately, so much so that I felt very unwell and had to leave the restaurant without eating more than two small mouthfuls of my main course. My partner did not eat the majority of his main course as we had to leave the restaurant due to my illness and discomfort. I did not wish to ruin our evening so attempted a couple of forkfuls of my main but could not continue. We attempted to take the remains of our dinner with us but the restaurant have a policy that no food is to leave the premises. By this time I was in severe discomfort and had to leave. The restaurant charged us full price for our truncated meal - over £110 for a below-average starter that made me ill. Half an hour after leaving the restaurant my partner vomited. I spoke to a manager on the following Sunday and he claimed I had eaten 3/4's of my main course - I had not. He also claimed that we could not have been ill - we clearly were. There was no apology or indication that Gamba were in any way bothered that we had had such a horrendous time at their restaurant. Both my partner and my uncle have been unwell following previous visits to Gamba. I will never go back and I warn others that they may also become ill from Gamba's food.
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1.
SCOOBY32 – 22 Feb 2009, 5:18pm
Gamba
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We visited Gamba on Saturday. Restaurant was fairly quiet. Good point was there was no intrusive music. Food was very nice. I had smoked salmon - £10 starter and then as it turned out the dearest thing on the menu, £24 for 5 scallops with some superfluous jasmine rice. What I had was nice, but there wasn't a great deal to the main course. With our List card, we managed to get £34 off the bill, otherwise LUNCH would have been just over £100 not including tip. Does anyone else think this a tad excessive, no matter how nice a restaurant or how good the food? The set menu of £12.95/£15.95 (2/3 courses respectively) had 3 items on it for each course, none of which were startling and could be had from many other establishments at a much lesser price. The bottom line is the restaurant was nice, the food was lovely, although I have eaten just as well if not better elsewhere, not least at its sister establishment, Urban Brasserie, much better value for money, much more choice and also on your List Card (this incidentally was what had pre-empted my visit to Gamba). Word of warning - it is definitely a seafood restaurant, for those who don't know that Gamba means Prawn. There were 2 starters I believe on the a la carte and 2 mains, which were not fish or seafood related, so be careful if you are going with someone who isn't a big fish eater. Is Gamba worth the money? No. Even on the List card scheme. Don't think so. We had 2 starters, 2 mains, 2 coffees, a beer and a £20 bottle of wine and it was £67 for lunch. Like I said, £100+ if paying the full price. What I will say is that their a la carte lunch menu appeared to be the same as their a la carte dinner menu and was priced accordingly. How could they improve it? Add more choice to their set lunch menu, even if it meant putting the price up a couple of pounds. Can they justify a main course at £24 and then asking you to pay for side dishes? I don't think so. Haven't they heard of the credit crunch?
Average rating /5 from 1 review of Gamba.
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