Glo Restaurant - Reading

glo at Reading has brought an added air of sophistication to eating out in this well located university town, located on the north side of the tracks and the river. Whatever the purpose of your call at glo, winding down with colleagues after a brusque day at your particular coalface, a tryst with romantic intent, or just enjoying the company of friends and some expertly constructed cocktails, disappointment is not on the menu.

The glo Loft Bar is a good place to loosen up for what's to come, and also a perfect place to hire for groups and parties. Smart, chic and soothing it has the qualities to satisfy and enhance. Those signature cocktails are the perfect way to go, perhaps starting with one of the seven listed martinis, before going on to classic longs, sparklers or shooters. Driving? Select one of the five non alcoholic varieties, including a mix-it-yourself lemonade twist.

An Asian inspired menu offers a range of casual contemporary eating, and they recommend the pleasures of shared food to give maximum pleasure. Whatever, you will be indulging in home style eating with that Asian edge never far away. Dim sum is a speciality with over twenty dishes from which to select. Look out for pork and prawn siu mai, hoi sin duck dumplings and Shanghai siew long bao amongst the steamed. Some ten or so tapas include Asian spring onion bread, and chilli chips.

That old favourite crispy duck spring roll leads off the crispy dim sum, a crispy soya bean wrap with prawns represents the new wave and aromatic duck puffs are pure melt in the mouth. Starters, which I tend to regard as heavyweight dim sum, and can be eaten as such include goat's cheese, beetroot and coriander parcels, Thai fish cakes and a house speciality, the sizzling glo sampler.

No pro-Asian menu would be complete without a selection of noodles; here there are eight listed chilli black bean beef, aromatic duck and Thai green chicken amongst them. By the way if the sticky lemon and chilli chicken is on parade, go for it. Nor is Asia ever far from a good curry, all six choices served with steamed rice, crisp salad garnish, poppadom and dips. Try the piri piri black tiger prawn curry, a recent menu addition.

Nowadays you seem to be never less than ten metres from a pizza, and glo is on the mark once again giving a new dimension to this much loved Italian invention, all served with prawn crackers, salad garnish and dips, with Bombay baa baa ? no, just go and find out for yourself - Mongolian beef and a Thai margherita amongst them.

The grills are equally spectacular with Thai battered fish and chilli chips, ginger lamb chops, and pork Sichuan. For real indulgence though adjust your previous intake to leave space for the sizzling glo platter.

In the puddings Asia meets Britain, so think Thai black rice pudding, sticky rice with coconut caramel (pure delight) and money bags which are something you won't need at glo to enjoy an evening's relaxation.

The taste in wines is eclectic and not so large as to be thoroughly confusing. Several are by the glass and all under £20 except for the sparklers. Glo stays open until 2am and as a refuge for the restless night hawks it could hardly be bettered. Their smart Website will tell you more. Only one thing left to say - enjoy!