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Lunch in the Highlands


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My husband enjoys bagging Munros. After each long day on the hills the essential thing is to find a good place for tea. The day he came home exclaiming “they baked the scones to order”, I knew he must have found a very special place. The day following, good friends rang to say “we had the most amazing lunch yesterday”. Amazingly it turned out to be one and the same place.

Monachyle Mhor is not exactly a place you would come to by accident, it’s a 4-mile drive from the main road and Balquhidder along the side of Loch Voil. Last Saturday the loch was so calm, the trees were reflecting in the water.

The hotel is painted bright pink, which might make you assume a particular type of interior. Stepping inside, you’ll find a modern interior that wouldn’t look out of place in a city setting.

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We opted to go straight to our table in the Conservatory, past a bookcase of well thumbed cookery books from all over the world (which we couldn’t resist looking at later). It has a lovely relaxed atmosphere – you can just have a sandwich if that is what you fancy – walkers always welcome. The hotel’s setting is amazing with a view out to sheer hillsides opposite and the loch.

There were no dinner reservations available that day, so we had opted to come for lunch. The menu has four starters and three main courses with a selection of puddings.

Do you have the same problem as we do? Both wanting to order the same dish? We resolved to be “good” and try one each.

My husband’s pan fried grouse on a warm garden vegetable salad, bread sauce, aged sherry and radish dressing was exceptional. The meat was very tender, the sauce rich and savoury, matched with crisp vegetables. The pink radishes were a surprise – apparently marinading them ensures the skin colour colours all of the vegetable.

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I’d chosen the baked scallops as I was rather intrigued to see how they would taste. The scallops just barley cooked to perfection, served under a light breadcrumb crust on top of white crab meat served with a classic Hollandaise. A beautifully fresh concoction (why don’t you find baked scallop more often?)- my only thought was that the parma ham wasn’t really necessary.

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I do not normally choose chicken, as it can be ordinary. Not so this dish. The breast of cornfed chicken, mixed mushroom stuffing, truffle mash potatoes, balquihidder mushrooms, garlic bok choi and morel jus was juicy, with the mushroom flavours enhancing the meat, not overpowering – delicious.

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My husband had seared fillet of sea bass with baby ratatouille, mixed garden beans and a champagne butter sauce. We had wondered what baby ratatouille might be – it was made with small dices of vegetables that had probably been cooked separately as the taste were so distinct. The sea bass was beautifully cooked and swiftly eaten with the wonderfully buttery sauce.

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We finished with vanilla pannacotta with strawberries poached in pernod and cinnamon- I know, we didn’t managed to have two separate dishes for this course .. Again, delicate subtle flavours, enhancing the pannacotta.

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A great place to have lunch, it definitely merits a detour. We understand that Tom Lewis’ team of chefs were in charge that day – they did a very good job indeed – fresh local ingredients interpreted in the best way possible. Well worth the 1 ½ hour drive from Edinburgh

Price for 3 course, with a glass of wine each and coffee, £80 for two.

Monachyle Mhor Hotel

Danielle Ellis

Edinburgh Scotland

www.edinburghfoody.com

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This is the place owned by the guy who lost to Nick Nairn on that cooking for queenie program isn't it, he seemed to me to be head and shoulders above everyone else in terms of cooking skills, personality and humility, what a shame he didn't go further. I said at the time that next time I was in the area I would visit, and reading you review has reminded me to do just that.

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Thanks for a great review and fantastic photos.

I'm a big fan of Monachyle Mhor, but sadly don't get up there often enough.

Just to add that they have refurbished most of not all of the rooms recently making it a stunning place to stay. The breakfast is top notch too - creamy porridge, perfectly poached smoked haddock and the like.

Make sure to stop for a pie from the Scotch Oven in Callander on the way home though...

Edited by Janice (log)
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balquihidder mushrooms? I see girolles/chanterelles, is this some strange Scottish term for them?

Nothing so exotic Matthew that's the name of the nearest village - it was a selection of wild mushrooms

Danielle Ellis

Edinburgh Scotland

www.edinburghfoody.com

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Thanks for the write up. We're now looking forward to our stay at the hotel & meals at the restaurant even more than we were before.

We'll be staying two nights in about a fortnight's time. We know the Lewis family as Tom's parents are friends & close neighbors here in France. We've eaten Tom's cooking at his parents home, but never had the opportunity to visit the hotel & restaurant until now.

By the way, Tom is an Uncle (again) his sister had a baby girl earlier this week.

We'll definitly post something from our visit.

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  • 1 month later...

As promised here's a brief write up on our visit. For full details go to my blog below.

The location is simply stunning. The mhors & the loch are fantastic, we had the advantage of good weather & fall colours.

Our room was great! Very luxurious, a sort of demi-suite. L fell in love with the bathroom.

The food was outstanding. We had dinner both nights and were very happy diners. At home in France this would be one, probably two Michelin stars, but more reasonably priced.

The wine list although not extensive was very well chosen & priced. (we hear that a large cellar is in the works so the list can expand.)

Go if you get half a chance. We'll definitly return.

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