Amber Regent
Chinese, 50 West Regent Street, Glasgow G2 2RA
£58.44 for two starters, two mains, and a pot of tea
First Impressions
The Amber Regent sits just off the bustle of Buchanan Street. We’ve been before - as have many who’ve lived here any length of time - but this was our first revisit in several months, spurred along by memories of crispy duck and the promise of a Friday night that felt a bit fancier than your average takeaway at home.
Atmosphere & Service
If you’re a fan of a moodily lit dining room with a touch of the old-school, this is the place for you. The décor is unapologetically classic - flower motif wallpaper, wooden wall carvings and the sort of buzz you hope for when you walk into a city-centre restaurant on a Friday night. Despite the ongoing roadworks outside (take heed if you’re planning to visit soon), the place was hopping by 6pm, nearly full with what looked like every combination of birthday dinners, family get-togethers, and post-work Friday night drinks.
We lucked out with a booth (always a bonus) and settled in. The service was, for the most part, attentive and warm. Drinks arrived quickly, sauce refills came as soon as we asked, and there were little acts of thoughtfulness, like a hot water top-up for the teapot, unprompted. The only issue was that, while starters appeared in good time, mains ran on the late side. We weren’t in a rush, and the company was excellent (if we do say so ourselves), but if you’re the sort who times your dinner to the minute, worth noting.
The Food
Starters were a best-foot-forward affair: salt and pepper squid and vegetable spring rolls. The squid was a plate of crunchy, salty, spicy delight – right up Basil’s alley, though Brie (not usually shy on the sodium front) found it just at the edge of too salty. Still, the flavour was there, with that peppery kick you hope for. The spring rolls were winners: hot, crisp, full of clearly identifiable veg, and substantial enough to warrant serious disappointment when the plate was empty.
For mains, we gravitated (as is tradition) to the aromatic crispy duck with pancake wraps, cucumber, and what might have been celery (or another root vegetbale, we’ll leave it to the pedants in the comments). This is a dish we associate with special occasions, and while the theatre of it was all present and correct, the duck itself was a touch over on the crispy front. Borderline dry – not burnt, just nudging past that sweet spot between juicy and crunchy. The accompanying plum sauce helped bring things back together, but it’s fair to say we’ve had this executed better elsewhere.
The other main was Szechuan chicken. We expected (or hoped for) that numbing, tingling heat so synonymous with the dish. What arrived was well-flavoured and generously sauced, with tender chicken and hot rice, but it didn’t quite deliver the Szechuan fireworks we craved. The spicy tingle that was present in the squid starter was missing in the main event. Not bad by any means, but short of a showstopper.
Final Thoughts
All in, Amber Regent is exactly the sort of place you could rely on for a fun, social meal – especially if you’ve a group in tow. The food was enjoyable, the service friendly, and the atmosphere buzzy enough to make us want to linger. For two generously portioned starters, two mains, and a pot of fragrant jasmine tea, the bill clocked in at a very reasonable £58.44 – not bad for a Friday evening in the city centre.
A word to the thrifty: they run an early evening deal on Friday between 5 and 6.30pm where mains are half price – well worth taking advantage of if you can get away from work early.
Would we go again? In a heartbeat. This isn’t the city’s most exciting or boundary-pushing Chinese restaurant, but it’s reliable, central, and a great shout for groups.
Three Things to Know
- Early bird gets the deal: Friday mains half price between 5 and 6.30pm – check it’s still running before you book.
- Friday night buzz: Book ahead and don’t let ongoing roadworks put you off – the room fills up fast.
- Reliable, not revelatory: Expect a good meal and great service, but this isn’t the wild frontier of Glasgow’s Chinese restaurant scene.
Final score? A solid 8 out of 10 from Basil and 7 out of 10 from Brie.