IX RESTAURANT
freshness and colour. The venison was a smoky disc of deep flavour, a foil to the quenelle of chilled duck pieces in a rich truffly mousse; the gamey flavours were lifted by slivers of pickled carrot and turnip. I have to say I didn’t quite get the hit I expected from the frozen foie gras, but I loved the concept of this sophisticated dish. Our friend chose the potted salmon (£10),
a deceptively minimalist description: served in a glass goblet, shards of Orkney crab under shavings of fresh ginger and cucumber revealed pink salmon at the bottom. Doused with lemon and tasted with a snap of toasted sourdough, this was a magnificent interpretation of a classic. Partner opted for a special starter of smoked
fish (£12.50): a trio of home-cure hot and cold cured salmon and my current favourite, Gigha smoked halibut, served with warm herby potato cakes, a scattering of cubed beetroot and a dollop of racy horseradish cream: pretty as a picture, and exquisitely light and flavoursome. For the mains, my rib-eye of short-horn beef
was loose-textured and tasty. A length of seared shallot was much too hard, though, while a side of hand-cut chips (£4), cooked properly, I suspect, in beef dripping, was spoiled by being served in a deep metal cup which dampened any hint of crispness. Partner’s ‘soft as butter’ (his words) smoked
loin of roe deer (£26) was a virtual journey through the forest, complete with a range of visual and oral diversions. Layered over a generous smear of dark red jus and a butternut squash purée, three juicy tranches of rare meat were accompanied by poached pear pieces, while shredded potato formed into a vertical cannelloni-shape was filled with haggis. There was a lot going on here, though a garland of smoked juniper berries lifted the entire dish with a hit of intensity and freshness. One friend’s seared fillet of Scrabster cod
field FACTS
PRICE Dinner for two, without drinks: £99.50 RATING
IX Restaurant, Chester Hotel, 59 Queens Road, Aberdeen Tel: 01224 327777
www.chester-hotel. com
wCate Devine is food riter at The Herald
(£22) with braised oxtail and a monkfish cheek fritter was also declared a triumph. The other’s corn-fed chicken jambonette (£17.50), in its crackly skin, was bathed in a smoked chicken consommé, dotted with three delicious chicken tortellini of the lightest pasta. They shared a couple of side dishes: sautéed wild mushrooms and sprouting broccoli (£4 each). Unnecessary to my mind, but good nevertheless. I was the only one to have pudding, a sublime
treatment called textures of lemon (£10), which consisted of two dinky triangles of sweet-acidic cake, a creamy tart and a quenelle of sorbet. The others consoled themselves over coffee with homemade petits-fours of raspberry marsh- mallow and honeycomb salted caramel truffles. And all to the strains of Barber’s Adagio
for Strings. We did feel we’d died and gone to heaven. Were we really in Aberdeen?
chef’sCHOICE Adam Newth, head chef at Castlehill Restaurant in Dundee, picks his six favourite restaurants
GORDON’S RESTAURANT, INVERKEILOR, ANGUS The head chef here was one of my mentors and he really got me into cooking. The menu is primarily modern British cooking and makes use of Scotland’s seasonal larder.
01241 830364;
www.gordonsrestaurant.co.uk
PIG’HALLE, PERTH This is my little treat on a Sunday when I’m off. It’s a French-style bistro brasserie, which is always busy, serving great food without any fuss. The atmosphere is
authentic and the steak tartare is fantastic. 01738 248784;
www.pighalle.co.uk
THE CELLAR, ANSTRUTHER This place had a complete makeover when it was taken over recently by a chef I used to work with, Billy Boyter. He forages his own ingredients and there is just
the best produce in that area, particularly the fish. 01333 310378;
www.thecellaranstruther.co.uk
CRAIG MILLAR @ 16 WEST END, ST MONANS
I’m a big seafood lover, and this is the best because it’s fresh and the restaurant is so close to the sea. The fish and shellfish are sourced locally from East Neuk fishing
villages such as Pittenweem. 01333 730327;
www.16westend.com
MONACHYLE MHOR, LOCHEARNHEAD This is a beautiful hotel, very majestic, and the scenery is just stunning. The food is amazing. Again, I love it because it’s great for fish. Owner Tom Lewis has
other businesses nearby in Callander like the Mhor bakery and a great wee seafood place which is basically a chip shop alongside a fishmonger. 01877 384622;
www.mhor.net
CRABSHAKK, GLASGOW The Crabshakk is just great. It has no airs and graces and is not pretentious at all. You can go in and order proper plated food or you can go in and just get a fish
finger sandwich. 0141 334 6127;
www.crabshakk.com
YOURSAY
what do you think of adam’s choices? let us know at
WWW.SCOTTISHFIELD.CO.UK
WWW.SCOTTISHFIELD.CO.UK 169
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