Founders Melanie McCallum & Domenico del Priore

A new healthy eating concept comes to Glasgow

7th December 2009, 2:20pm

Cookie, a new kind of eatery incorporating a restaurant, café, deli and shop, opened its doors in Glasgow's southside last week.

Offering seasonal and local food and drink at an accessible price, Cookie stocks fresh fruit and veg, its own roasted coffee and a selection of the finest deli produce, which is both traceable and seasonal.

Cookie's founders, husband and wife team Domenico del Priore and Dr Melanie McCallum, aim for the outlet to become a platform for local and national healthy eating programmes.

Mr del Priore said: "The local landscape and resources play a central role in our menu and our kitchen is open for all to see. And as well as operating as a traditional restaurant, Cookie operates as a cooking club, which means that members can use its professional equipment as a resource for their culinary ambitions and rent it out for a whole host of occasions and cook for themselves, their friends or community group.

"Our open kitchen is fundamental to our aim to remove the mystery behind food preparation, to encourage you to enquire about our food and to see for yourself how it is cooked. We invite customers to ask us about our food, our cooking techniques, where we source our ingredients, the nutritional value of a particular meal and we're happy to provide cooking tips and recommendations. A family restaurant, we cater for all tastes and welcome customers of all ages."

Cookie's lunch menu features new olive oil and bread; meat and veg soups of the day and house antipasti; pasta of the day and a selection of pizzas. Salads include green bean and almond; broccoli, peas, feta and lemon; mackerel and pickled herring and potato. And desserts feature a choice of banana and honey muffin with ice-cream; lemon drizzle cake and a house ice-cream selection.

Meanwhile evening menu starters feature soup of the day; rillettes of duck with spiced apple chutney; house antipasti and pasta of the day. Mains include roast lamb, with rosemary and bubble and squeak; thyme roast chicken with pumpkin and pine-nuts; pork loin with crackling bean casserole and brill, bread and capers. For dessert, diners can choose from a selection of: tart of the day; banana and honey muffin with ice-cream; a house ice-cream selection and a cheese board with mostrada honey quince.

As well as offering an eatery, deli and shop, Cookie operates as a club, bar, off license, a food and wine importer and a gallery promoting design and art.