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Here at restaurant-guide.com we have a list of cuisines under which to define the restaurants about which we write. But when it came to Red Onion the list offered no inspiration to us whatsoever, so taking the easy way out we resorted to International, a definition with which the owner John Quigley, I suspect, might not entirely agree. In fact, he didn't and suggested that we add Modern British and Brasserie, widening the field somewhat. But how do you describe the cuisine of somebody who is capitalising on years of international travel as chef to, as they say, stars of stage and screen, combining them into one glorious self-indulgent presentation of ingredients, recipes, whimsies and inspired concoctions.

However, underlying it all is a menu that gives the general picture, with starters of, say, French onion soup, hot and sour seafood broth, and toasted cheese, seared squid with rocket, chilli and lime, or tiger prawn salad with mango. Main courses include coq au vin, five spiced duck with sweet potatoes, pak choi and shitake mushrooms, finnan haddie with poached egg and mornay sauce (go on, use your imagination), steak frites, or shepherd's pie and peas. What might be described as a signature dish is the red onion and mulled cheddar tart. For a salad try the aptly named tears of the tiger, hot spicy beef with mixed leaves.

Because they do these sort of things rather well in Scotland I would linger over the organic burger with tomato pickle and fresh cut fries rounded off with egg, bacon or cheese. Then there's the Cobb Salad - a boiled egg, Mull cheddar, red onion (of course), chicken, avocado, Ayrshire gammon, tomato and ranch dressing, a dish fit for a welcome from the Pipes. Puddings seem to fall back on more familiar sources. Perhaps stars of stage and screen did not survive that far into the meal, so it's familiar dishes such as sticky toffee pudding and custard, apple tarte tatin and vanilla ice cream, or lemon cheesecake with strawberries.

The historic North Rotunda building, which was once an entrance to the under water tunnel across the Clyde is now home to the chic Yen Oriental and Teppanyaki Restaurant. The interior is modish, pleasant and comfortable and the teppanyaki table provides an escape from the passive dine-in experience of usual restaurants where you are oblivious to the theatricals that occur behind closed kitchen doors.

Quality seasonal ingredients from the larder result in some inspirational Cantonese, Japanese and Thai cooking and chicken satay, king prawn tempura and fresh mussels with black bean sauce pave the way for mains such as Thai green duck curry, Szechwan style beef, and the spicy and sour chicken tom yam. At Yen Oriental and Teppanyaki Restaurant, a variety of noodles to complement the gravy dishes feature on the menu as does a range of sushi.

Banana fritters or an ice cream could be perfect to those for whom no meal is complete without a dessert.

The original concept for All Bar One was developed by two enterprising ladies, who wanted a bar ideal for women to have a drink and something to eat without the intimidating confines of a traditional pub. Little wonder, that the place has huge glass frontage, open spaces and interiors that are bright and airy. The first outlet opened in Sutton in 1994, became a huge hit, and there has been no looking back since. Today there are close to forty outlets, including one in Cologne, Germany. Irrespective of location, they have identical wooden flooring, menu and service. Antique mirrors, natural colours and reclaimed wooden furniture combine classic and modern styles well.

The menu has tapas from different parts of the world, including the Mediterranean region, Italy and the East. One can also have a variety of burgers, sandwiches and salads. Baked goats' cheese parcels, flat mushroom and halloumi burgers are highlights of the menu, as is the All Bar One beef and coriander burger, a house speciality. With the emphasis being as much on drink as the food, many outlets display a wall of champagne and wines, with beers and spirits thrown in for good measure. The blackboards on the wall often flaunt the impressive selections.

The success formula of All Bar One has been faith in doing simple things well, and that is what they are best known for. A place that is hard to define, for it is not just a bar, restaurant, café or pub, but a special place where people can unwind alone or in company.