Glasgow's original Budda won a cult following. It wasn't everyone's cup of tea, but cocktail pitchers in a medium-glam venue followed by some energetic clubbing downstairs was a religious-enough experience for plenty.
The revamped St Vincent Street venue is a different experience and hasn't quite attracted hordes of instant converts, judging by some pretty quiet weekends.
But having just opened at the beginning of August, it's early yet, and the new-style Budda has much to offer.
Going for the bar/ restaurant/club formula, you can eat from noon until 2am (unwise to attempt this) and drink from noon until 3am (when being wise is pointless).
This being the new watering hole style, by now everyone knows the routine -if you're seated before 11pm, you're not required to stump up to remain.
Arrive after 11pm and there's a door fee, which is less than a club-only venue. But having just launched itself, there's plenty of flyers for free Budda entry kicking around the town.
Full of Eastern promise, but still waiting for the more adventurous to discover it, Budda is pretty barren of customers during the day.
Personally, this is more my idea of a good lunch venue than many other city centre spots.
The decor is a mixture of Eastern-imported influences without being too strict about geographical borders.
Moroccan-style lamps are mixed with south-east Asian-style carved, wooden wall decorations and, of course, there's the Buddha -with a couple of giant golden ones forming key focal points.
The style looks less exotic to Scottish eyes now that a certain cut-price store imports many such items -half of Scotland's living rooms now look like candlelit shrines to adventurous travels in the east.
But the layout is good and seating is very comfortable, with areas specially designed for parties of pals.
In good karmic fashion, this sharing of the experience is part of the idea.
While there's a burger, fajita and sandwich menu downstairs, upstairs offers a sort of Eastern tapas menu with a list of exotic little dishes to choose from -tempura oysters, honey and soy tiger prawns, or Japanese seaweed salad.
Strew the table with these and order your vodka by the bottle -the way they do it in the East - and it might be a good job that you don't have to leave the premises until 3am.
Your food is dished up with more ritual than lunchtime city centre punters are used to and the service is excellent.
If you want to be in a fit state to appreciate it, perhaps you should just opt for a Sloe Boat To Tibet or a Lychee High cocktail instead of the bottle.
Downstairs there's a small dancefloor amid the comfortable seats, with the DJ playing pretty mainstream stuff at the weekends. It's safe to say wherever Budda finds its crowd, the music will follow.
No doubt Budda will take off as many more people become enlightened about its existence.
The fusion of bar, restaurant and club means different folk will appreciate different aspects of Budda. For me, it will be the food -a taste of the exotic on a wet Glasgow day.
Open: Noon-3am, seven days Food: Seven days, noon-2am, upstairs; noon-5pm, downstairs
Entry: After 11pm, £3/£4, Thurs & Sun; £4/£5, Fri & Sat
Drinks: Pint lager, £2.50; glass of wine, £2.75; spirit and mixer, £2.70 Rating: Three out of five
Details
0141 221 5660
The decor is a mixture of Eastern-imported influences without being too strict about geographical borders.
Moroccan-style lamps are mixed with south-east Asian-style carved, wooden wall decorations and, of course, there's the Buddha -with a couple of giant golden ones forming key focal points.
The style looks less exotic to Scottish eyes now that a certain cut-price store imports many such items -half of Scotland's living rooms now look like candlelit shrines to adventurous travels in the east.
But the layout is good and seating is very comfortable, with areas specially designed for parties of pals.
In good karmic fashion, this sharing of the experience is part of the idea.
While there's a burger, fajita and sandwich menu downstairs, upstairs offers a sort of Eastern tapas menu with a list of exotic little dishes to choose from -tempura oysters, honey and soy tiger prawns, or Japanese seaweed salad.
Strew the table with these and order your vodka by the bottle -the way they do it in the East - and it might be a good job that you don't have to leave the premises until 3am.
Your food is dished up with more ritual than lunchtime city centre punters are used to and the service is excellent.
If you want to be in a fit state to appreciate it, perhaps you should just opt for a Sloe Boat To Tibet or a Lychee High cocktail instead of the bottle.
Downstairs there's a small dancefloor amid the comfortable seats, with the DJ playing pretty mainstream stuff at the weekends. It's safe to say wherever Budda finds its crowd, the music will follow.
No doubt Budda will take off as many more people become enlightened about its existence.
The fusion of bar, restaurant and club means different folk will appreciate different aspects of Budda. For me, it will be the food -a taste of the exotic on a wet Glasgow day.
Open: Noon-3am, seven days Food: Seven days, noon-2am, upstairs; noon-5pm, downstairs 
