Skye Bistro
Where: Fordoun Hotel and Spa, Nottingham Road
Open: breakfast and dinner
Call: 033 266 6217
We’re in Nottingham Road for a bridge tournament and staying in the former dairy farm that is a five-star boutique hotel. It’s a beautiful place, with its lush gardens and meadows, and its old stone work. With the weekend rains and cooler temperatures, it almost felt like we were in a part of Scotland.
There was a fire in the pub at the entrance of the restaurant where we sipped whiskies as we waited for the rest of our gang. Another fire warmed the main dining room.
As more and more of the bridge crowd arrived, our table got longer and the room more festive. The Gumboots Lady, who organised the show, warmed things up with a round of Jägermeisters.
The fine-dining restaurant has a broad menu, with something to interest most. There’s also a lighter menu that includes burgers ‒ beef, chicken and vegan ‒ wraps, toasted sandwiches and salads. After all the food we’d eaten, starting with a sumptuous breakfast and a full lunch, it might have been better to go with a tempura prawn and Asian greens salad.
Most of the party decided to skip the interesting-looking starters. There’s three ways with goats cheese and beetroot, while the crisp wrapped halloumi and figs sounded appealing. A garlic and white wine mussel pot, chicken liver parfait, and crisp calamari may be a little more conventional. We’d had the soup of the day at lunch ‒ a good creamy zucchini number.
Two of our gang went for a curry, served with rice, papadum, roti and an array of sambals. My partner had the lamb curry (R210) which had a good depth of flavour and was a generous portion. He may have wanted a little more heat. The chicken and prawn (R215) curry had a good kick of chilli, more of a bite than this traditionally milder curry usually shows. It got the thumbs up.
The Birthday Boy relished the stuffed Meander trout (R165) which the menu was at pains to state came with head and tail. It was stuffed with red onions, tomatoes, lemons, capers and served on savoury couscous, with seasonal veg and a butter and white wine reduction. I was regretting not ordering this.
The Poet enjoyed the rich and unctuous pork belly (R165) which was slow cooked and came with a large piece of crispy crackling. It was served with seasonal vegetables and red cabbage, and might have benefited from a little more of the whole grain cider reduction. Her husband relished the beef fillet (R195) served on potato fondant with seasonal veg and a rich red wine jus. It was topped with bone marrow butter. The steak was cooked exactly as he requested.
The short rib caught my eye, although the polenta was something of a deal breaker. I’m sure they would have served mash. Instead, I opted for the loin rack of lamb (R205) with a lovely pea and mint risotto and red wine jus. There were four meaty chops, cooked to a perfect medium rare, but I was defeated. Two of the lovely chops would be more than enough, with a little more of the risotto and a slightly more generous hand with the jus. I enjoyed them but simply couldn’t finish them.
No one felt like dessert, which included a chocolate mousse, lime and strawberry sorbet, summer panna cotta and crème brȗlée. The Birthday Boy’s wife had arranged for a lovely chocolate mousse cake to be brought to the table. “So you’re not going to jump out of it then?” he asked to laughter all round. The Gumboots Lady fired up a chorus of song followed by another Jägermeister.
Breakfasts at Fordoun are a treat. There’s a full continental buffet featuring some of the bests Midlands charcuterie and cheeses, complete with fresh fruits and yoghurts, and an array of breads and croissants. The one morning I enjoyed a good eggs Benedict with the addition of avo. The other a perfect bacon and mushroom omelette. One would have to check if the hotel is open to outsiders for breakfast.
Food: 3½
Service: 3½
Ambience: 4
The Independent on Saturday