WebNovDec18

www.westendermagazine.com | 43
starred Pied à Terre, Crawford was ready to
move back to his home city of Glasgow and a
new challenge. After a successful year down
in Partick the opportunity arose to expand to
Hyndland and the rest as they say…
Before setting up either venue Crawford
spent four months travelling right around the
coast of Scotland speaking directly to the
fishermen whose produce he liked the most
and setting up accounts with only the best.
Now we can enjoy Loch Fyne oysters and
kippers, Shetland salmon, and haddock, cod
and lemon sole directly off the boats as they
come in at Peterhead – provenance is all.
From the 1st of November Liz at the
Hyndland shop can take orders for their new
home delivery service – invaluable for older
residents in tenement flats. Simply order
before midday and supplies will be delivered
by 5pm that day. Also launching the same
day will be Crawford’s cook-at-home packs
for home chefs. With all the ingredients from
fish, shellfish, or meat, to vegetables, spices
and sauces: everything will be contained with
the recipe method for a great tasting home
cooked meal from a Michelin trained chef.
Now that is pretty special.
Also very upbeat is Paulo next door in the
local chippy. Having been on Clarence Drive
for twelve years it’s only Paulo’s and pizza
bar Casa Blanca that have survived the test
of time. Over the past year Paulo has seen
a definite rise in footfall on the street and
can only see that improving with the new
businesses coming in and no empty units.
With top quality whiting and angel
haddock on offer, Paulo’s does a roaring
trade at lunch time with the local high school
kids. Praising the school and the great kids
there Paulo even began opening before break
to supply hungry learners with top breakfast
stalwarts – a roll and square for me please.
Always testing the demand Paulo began
opening on a Sunday four years ago to test
the uptake and now is open seven days a
week to keep locals in their fish and sausage
suppers. He puts his success down to always
buying the best stock and having really nice
regulars.
Newest kid on the block is
a local branch of Subway –
causing much excitement
amongst Hyndland
Secondary school kids.
I haven’t seen it but
apparently the queue at lunch-time is the
stuff of legend. Now, not everyone loves a
chain but Harpreet and his team are serving
up salads, wraps and baguettes and snackloving
locals are buying it up.
Longest serving member of the Clarence
Drive business community accolade goes to
Farhad at Casa Blanca. With 15 years on the
drive selling his freshly made pizzas, pastas
and barbequed meats, Farhad’s love of the
area and its community really comes across.
When his first child was born regulars came
in with cards and gifts and Farhad was really
touched by the network of clients, and now
friends, he’d won with his food and friendly
personality.
Casa Blanca was born out of a desire to
produce restaurant quality Italian food as
a great quality takeaway option. The idea
that takeaway food is merely ‘junk food’ was
wrong to Farhad and all of his pizza bases
are made freshly in-store every day, as are all
his pasta sauces. With pizza topping choices
of parma ham, artichoke and sun dried
tomatoes Casa Blanca’s restaurant standard
fare has kept Westenders coming back for a
decade-and-a-half and long may it continue.
Generally lovely guy to be around,
Gurdeep at the Hyndland Post Office
and Premier Store, is an advocate for the
Hyndland community and his great staff –
a sentiment generally shared.
Gurdeep’s children went to
Hyndland Secondary School so
when the opportunity to buy the
Hyndland Post Office arose he
was quick to see its potential in
such a lovely area. Prior to
Gurdeep coming onboard
six years ago the branch
was actually up for
closure and upset locals
had to set up a petition
to keep it open. Now a