The Kirky Puffer - a nice Wetherspoons pub (J.D. Wetherspoon in general)

Member Name: FraggleFan

Product:	J.D. Wetherspoon in general
Date:	26/10/08 (226 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great food, excellent value, lovely decor.

Disadvantages: None

One of my local Wetherspoons is the Kirky Puffer in Kirkintilloch, near Glasgow. My mum goes every week for a coffee with the girls, and recently a leaflet with lots of vouchers for Wetherspoons was dropped through her door, and she very kindly passed it on to me! So, without further ado, I booked a table for me and the other half to make use of these vouchers!

The Kirky Puffer was built in what used to be the towns police station. I remember visiting it when I was younger as a tour with the girl guides, and I vaguely remember the cells downstairs. I have to say, the renovation Wetherspoons has made to the place is fantastic. Some of the character of the police station is still to be seen, with cell stype doors providing the partitions between booths, complete with the wee flip down windows, but of a decidedly better class of wood than I remember. In fact, the decor is cosy and warm, ensuring a relaxing visit. The name of the place comes from a steamboat (the puffer) and the slang for Kirkintilloch (Kirky). There are numerous lino prints hanging through the establishment, including of the Kirky Puffer boat, created by Kirky's own artist Willie Rodgers.

I'd booked a table and was shown to it when we walked in. It was beside the fireplace which wasn't on, but a staff member quickly asked if we wanted it on, so a toasty evening by firelight was soon on the cards. We were using a voucher which gave two steak or grill meals plus a bottle of wine for £17.99. Bargain! I went up to the bar to order (no table service here), and ordered two 8oz sirloins with chips and salads, plus a bottle of Feltzer Coldwater Creek white zinfandel. I also bulked it out with a pepsi for the driving contingent (not me), and a side of onion rings and chips, which in the end was really not needed. With all the extras it came to just over £20.

I went back to the table with the drinks and had just settled back down when our meals were delivered. It must have only taken about 7 minutes - really quick and no waiting. The plates were huge with the sirloin cooked exactly to order (medium rare) and a huge portion of chips and salad with a mayonnaise dressing. The onion rings came in a big soup bowl, and the extra chips we'd ordered were almost a meal in themselves.

I always start with the salad, I'm not sure why, but this was simple and delicious. Lettuce, cucumber, cherry tomatoes and red onion, with the creamy mayonnaise dressing. Yum! The steak itself was delicious, if slightly chewy, but nothing that put you off it or made it inedible. The chips were crispy and chunky, and disappeared rapidly, and the onion rings were very crispy and delicious, with no hint of the beer batter they had been cooked in (I hate beer). As I said, the portions were huge and there really was no need for the extra orders of chips and onion rings, as we both tried our hardest to chomp our way through. In the end we had to leave some, and there was definitely no space for the cheesecake I had set my sights on. Ah well, next time!

I noticed while I was in that a steak dinner would have been about £8.50, so basically we got a bottle of wine free with the meal. Without the voucher, I will definitely go back and have the steaks as they are really value for money. Or I will chose something else from the varied menu as I am more confident in the standard of the food after this visit.

Another thing I liked about this pub is that there is no music playing. It meant that the two of us could have a good conversation during dinner without having to shout to be heard. I also liked that it was a very random mix of people in. It was a Saturday night we went, but it wasn't too crowded. There was a little old lady sitting on her own on a big comfy leather couch, having dinner and a cup of coffee before nodding off on the sofa, and no-one disturbed her. There was also a group of girls on a hen night, with bunny ears and everything, but at no point did the place seem overly loud.

Oh, the toilets were lovely. I know it sounds strange, but you know how it is, the standard of cleanliness can really put you off a place, but these were clean, tidy and decorated in the same manner as the entire premises and to a very high standard. Although they were upstairs, so I had to negotiate the stairs after having drunk the best part of a bottle of wine and with my heels on! I did notice there was a disabled toilet downstairs though.

There was also a family area for meals, which was quieter than the rest of the premises, but it kept the youngsters away from the bar and the language of some of the clientele!

I will definitely be going back to the Kirky Puffer. THe atmosphere is relaxed, the staff are very friendly and a good laugh, and the food and drink is reasonably priced and well made.

If you're looking for it in Kirkintilloch, it's right on the main street, right beside the canal.

Summary: A lovely meal at a great place and a fantastic price.