It's not always the prettiest presentation or the most intricately designed dishes that make the biggest impact. Most of the time, it's something simple yet so up my street that it becomes a cyberspace-siren call, luring me in to identify its source.
In the case of The Anchor at the Abbey, a historic Paisley pub recently reopened with a brand-new look after a year of closure, it was a colourful shot of anchovy fillets laid out in a circle and doused in lashings of oil and vinegar that first got me hooked.
A caption suggesting that these savoury bar snacks would be 'best enjoyed with a glass of crisp Picpoul' sealed the deal, and since then, these guys have been stuck firmly on my radar.
It took a few months to get around to booking, but a seasonal shift to dark nights and miserable rain means that tonight, there are few places I'd rather be dining than in the corner of a cosy pub with an indie-heavy mix playing over the speakers and a muted game of football on the big screen in the way of entertainment.
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Drinks orders have already been sorted by a friendly guy in a beanie hat, who'd offered to swap our table for one in a more open dining section, if we preferred, while dropping off a large malbec (£8.50) and a Guinness (£4.90). There was no need; I like our little nook, surrounded by an eclectic display of retro pop-culture art on the walls.
Pictured: A pork and sage scotch egg with Guinness ketchup (Image: Newsquest)
Jim Morrison, The Beatles and Hendrix watch over us as we dive into the first 'Bar Bite' of an enormous scotch egg (£9), cooked just long enough to achieve a jammy yellow yolk. There's a thick wall of peppery pork and sage sausage meat between golden bread crumb, and on the side is a small silver pot of Guinness ketchup, a touch too runny but well balanced in its vinegary, booze-infused sweetness.
The second starter of whiskey smoked salmon mille-feuille (£10) catches me off guard. Perhaps having watched too much Bake Off in my time, I'd anticipated a bit of pastry somewhere in this dish. Instead, it's a generous slab of layered fish topped with salty, crisped-up capers, delicate pearl onions, and a few very cheffy-looking blobs of a mayo-like substance.
Traditional pub grub, it is not, but so far I'm on board with the modern take on a bar menu that lands somewhere between gastropub and a trendy small plates spot.
Pictured: Venison and Guinness slow-cooked stew with pomme purée, braised red cabbage, pickled blackberries and a puff pastry lid (Image: Newsquest)
There's even more Guinness in the mix next, this time in a 'Large Plate' of slow-cooked venison stew (£22) served with a puff pastry lid, braised red cabbage and pickled blackberries. It's a hearty portion, with plenty of meat packed into a thick sauce laced with carrots and onions cooked down until soft and sweet. All good stuff.
The issue here is that slapping a £22 price tag on the menu has set the bar impossibly high.
I'm fine with calling mash pomme puree and piping it onto the plate with a pool of herby oil, or replacing the standard steak with venison, but if we're poshing up pub food and charging a premium for it, then there's got to be a little more wow factor besides some skilful presentation.
Pictured: Mushroom, spinach and squash lasagne with pistachio pesto and garlic sourdough (Image: Newsquest)
A hastily selected replacement for the monkfish cheeks in butterbean stew (the kitchen is out of that one today) is a veggie-friendly lasagne with mushroom, squash, spinach and pistachio pesto (£16).
The smell of rich, tangy tomato emanating from another, yet another beautifully constructed plate of food is a promising sign, and though the reheated pasta sheets have soaked up most of the flavour from the sauce, there's still an element of comforting carby goodness bolstered by a doorstop-sized hunk of garlic sourdough.
For dessert, it's a choice of affogato, boozy affogato or burnt Basque cheesecake. Except, ah, they're out of the cheesecake tonight, too.
Scratch that then. We'll just take a minute to finish the last of our drinks instead. And really, the relaxed and comfortable atmosphere of this place has been the best part of the experience anyway.
Pictured: Anchor at the Abbey in Paisley (Image: Newsquest)
The team has done a fantastic job of sprucing the space up, and a mixed bag of age demographics, including regulars in for a few quiet pints and groups for sit-down dinner, suggests that others appreciate what they have to offer.
It's a fun little spot, and even with a few lingering reservations over their main dishes, I'm glad for that plate of anchovies which led me to investigate The Anchor at the Abbey this evening.
Menu: The menu here is a good mix of small plates/bar snacks and main dishes, but unfortunately, not all were available on the day we dined. 3/5
Service: Our server is friendly and attentive while splitting his time between waiting tables and pouring drinks behind the bar. 4/5
Atmosphere: More lively than we had expected on a Tuesday evening, but there's a nice, chilled vibe about the place. 3/5
Price: A scotch egg for £9 and stew at £22, this is premium pricing for poshed-up pub food. 2/5
Food: It's a perfectly pleasant meal, if not quite meeting expectations with the mains. Top marks for presentation. 6/10
Total: 18/30