REVIEWS


EAT & STAY THE STRATHEARN PERTHSHIRE, SCOTLAND • GLENEAGLES.COM


OFFERING HIGHLAND FINE DINING IN A CLASSIC SETTING, THIS IS A RESTAURANT WORTH DRESSING UP FOR


The Strathearn has been serving guests at Gleneagles, Perthshire’s best-known hotel, since it opened in 1925. Last year, though, it emerged from an extensive revamp inspired by the golden age of rail travel, with glorious interiors topped off by scalloped-edged, gold- stemmed pendant lights. Dining here is ideal for anyone who


likes their meal with a side of theatre. The culinary show starts with a bewhiskered, besuited gentleman offering bread from a gilded trolley, before producing butter from beneath a sliver cloche and sprinkling it with Isle of Skye salt. That’s the first of several at- table performances. Around the restaurant, steaks are flambéed, whole salmon sliced, sauces reduced and salads tossed, all for the amusement of the diners. The menu includes dishes such as steak


Strathearn, reminiscent of steak Diane, with a heavy sauce of whisky, blue cheese, Dijon mustard and caramelised walnuts. But the highlight is the pairing of a white burgundy with a meaty lobster ravioli, bathed in a piquant, airy bisque. I’m less sure about the merit of sea bass and beef rib sharing the same plate, but I’ve never been a fan of surf ’n’ turf.


124 As the pianist veers expertly between


Elton and Elbow, the dessert menu makes an appearance, replete with suitably Scottish options, such as clootie dumplings with plum puree, and Caledonian crepes — a modern take on crepes Suzette, but with gin and pink grapefruit. Eventually I settle on the parfait tower: a scorched meringue-encased cube supporting a lightly salty banana terrine and Tahitian vanilla sponge. With dinner done, The American Bar, the


resort’s darkly sophisticated after-hour’s joint, is the obvious spot to round off the night, especially if you have room for a whisky and chocolate pairing. Meanwhile, the resort offers more than just


golf, with the Ochil Hills providing a fitting backdrop for various bracing outdoor pursuits, from highly enjoyable introductory falconry lessons to archery, clay pigeon shooting, gundog training and off-road driving. Bedrooms are located in both the main


house and the more modern wing and come decorated with framed sketches, photos and the odd sporran. Three-course dinner with wine £125 per person. Double rooms from £390 per night, B&B. Natalie Paris


NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.CO.UK/FOOD-TRAVEL


Three to try: Scottish getaways


BALLINTAGGART FARM: A stone farmhouse in the Tay Valley, converted into a restaurant with rooms plus cooking school. The menus are fixed, the dishes exceptional. ballintaggart.com


KNOCKIMAAM LODGE: A grand country hotel on the southwestern tip of Scotland with a daily-changing menu of locally inspired dishes, such as cod with tomato emulsion and mussels. knockinaamlodge.com


BRAIDWOODS RESTAURANT: No rooms, but worth the 30-minute drive from Glasgow for simple- sounding dishes — roast loin of rabbit, grilled turbot — that are all worthy of a Michelin star. braidwoods.co.uk


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