(Guest Blog-Scotland) Fancy writing a guest blog on your three favourite local restaurants for Sugarvine? Just email your guest blog to admin@sugarvine.com along with your name. The best guest blog will win a meal for two at one of the venues on their list.
The Adamson Restaurant, St Andrews
It’s hard to tell from the outside of the old post office building in the centre of St Andrews that behind the stone facade lies a little gem of a trendy bar and restaurant. Jill and I stumbled across it by pure chance after a very early round of golf on the Old Course, and we were starving so a ‘long’ lunch seemed the answer. As you walk in you feel as if you are in a hot spot in London or some other major city. Chrome and glass all around and stone brick exposed walls. Right I thought, cocktails as we had the rest of the day to spend together. I chose a Meringue Martini and Jill went for the Lady Dalton (a twist on the name of the family who own the restaurant and a recipe which Graham Dalton brought back from New York). Then it was over to our table, up a few steps to a seat by the window looking out onto South Street. There are two menus available -- the Main and the Lunch, which we decided upon. Jill chose the grilled mackerel salad of picked cucumber, fennel, radish & orange while I went for the farmhouse terrine pickle, wholegrain mustard & toasted sourdough, wow they were good. Mains now, so it was oven-roasted cod, mussel & pancetta chowder (there was a £2 supplement, but definitely worth it). And for my lunch partner she chose the crisp pork belly buttered savoy cabbage, peas, celery, and hazelnut & apple salad, no nut allergies with us. After a short pause it was desserts or as I call them ‘puddings’ so it was sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream for me and the most wonderful crème brulee cooked to perfection for her. All washed down with a few glasses of the Taittinger NV, which both complemented the meal and was very reasonable at £10 per glass. Three course lunch £13.95 per head (one course £7.95, two course £10.95). Was it worth it – Yes. Value for money – Yes. Will I go back – Yes, and soon!
More information on The Adamson Restaurant, St AndrewsThe Horseshoe Restaurant with Rooms, Eddleston
My wife and I had decided on a tour of the Scottish borders in my old TR6. It was day two and as we passed through Peebles at about 5.30pm we saw a sign for The Horseshoe Restaurant with Rooms, right said Lulu that’s where I want to go, I read about it in a magazine somewhere. We turned left up the Edinburgh road and in about five minutes or so we were there. A beautiful one storey black and white former coaching inn, set beside the road. I parked up in the private car park and we checked in. We were in luck it was busy, and although only Wednesday they only had a couple of rooms left, out of the 8 en-suites. A good sign we thought, and we were not to be disappointed. As one enters the restaurant is to the right, there are only ten tables and the lounge and bar area to the left, with luxurious sofas, chesterfields and a wood burning stove. The bar has an excellent range of Single Malt Whiskies, a few Scottish Gins, quality imported Vodkas, Cognac and Armagnac and local micro-breweries’ real ale by the bottle. We were shown to our room, which is in the former old village school house just behind, very nicely decorated and the bed looked inviting and comfortable, even the bags had been brought to our room. Back in the bar for a relaxing drink before dinner we slumped into one of the chesterfields, I ordered a bloody mary and Lulu had a gin fizz. At 8pm, on the dot, a very polite waiter showed us to our table. In the evenings the whole building is candlelit, very romantic I thought, Lulu was not showing any interest at this point! There is an A la Carte and a Tasting Menu and we chose the former. Lulu chose the Beetroot and barley orzotto, Ettrick Valley smoked salmon, horseradish, red vein sorrel, and I had the Asparagus with air dried ham and quails eggs. For the main course it was Roast rump of lamb, braised shoulder & breast, aubergine caviar with Anna potato for me and for my partner Sea trout, braised baby gem, mussels, asparagus with Borlotti beans. These courses so far had been beautifully cooked and presented. Although there was a splendid selection on the Desserts menu we chose to share a selection of farmhouse cheeses with chutney and oat biscuits. We chose to differ on the wine, so decided on a few glasses of wine by the glass. I chose the Cabernet Franc 2011 Cuvée P. Domaine de Provenquire Pays d’Oc to go with my lamb while Lulu chose the Sancerre Domaine Du Nozay 2010 from Loire, both an excellent choice and selected by the manager Mark Slaney who has a personal approach to the selection of wines listed. The night was spent in a very comfortable bed and we awoke refreshed and ready for the road, so after a ‘Full Scottish’ breakfast we said our goodbyes and hit the road, heading south east deeper into the Borders. Where next…
More information on The Horseshoe Restaurant with Rooms, EddlestonThe Magnum Bar & Restaurant, Edinburgh
If you are old enough to remember Edinburgh’s famous ‘Tilted Wig’ and the proprietors Paddy & Jean Crossan (both now sadly gone), you will begin to get the picture of the next generation version, and yes here it is at The Magnum Bar and Restaurant in the heart of Edinburgh’s New Town. There are two parts to The Magnum, enter and to the left are tables for lunch and drinks on a more casual note, but turn right and up a couple of steps is a very nice dining area, with large windows looking out to Dublin and Albany Streets. This gem of a watering hole is but a five- minute walk -- tucked away just down the hill -- from the north east corner of St Andrews Square (and Harvey Nichols!) There are, as one would expect, a fine range of draught ales on tap and the usual spirits and ‘stickies’ for after coffee. Chris Graham the proprietor is there to greet you as an old friend and the other staff are equally pleasant. Upon taking a table, there is never a rush, but the wait is not too long before a member of staff is ready to take your order. The great food ranges from the unusual to the plain good wholesome dishes, and a cheeky selection of wines are on the list too – for the longer lunch. . .
More information on The Magnum Bar & Restaurant, EdinburghGuest Blog by Andy McCoshMore restaurants in Scotland
