I was reminiscing about a recent trip to Scotland when I remembered that I had not shared with you my experience dining at Scottish Steakhouse* during my stay at the four star Macdonald Inchyra Hotel & Spa. You can read the review of my stay at the hotel here and during my visit, we booked a table for dinner at the in-house restaurant Scottish Steakhouse. The design is stylish and welcoming, with warm tones and splashes of tartan which highlight the Scottish location. After a couple of pre-dinner drinks at the bar, we settled in at a large booth where we perused the menu – diners at Scottish Steakhouse can expect plenty of good quality local produce, including steaks and seafood.
As the name suggests, the 21 day aged steaks are somewhat the star of the show here - they are selected from grass-fed Scottish beef and cooked simply on a charcoal grill to make the most of their depth of flavour. I didn’t feel like ordering a starter, so instead I asked for the artisan stone baked sourdough which did not disappoint – we shared the crusty bread which was was still warm from the oven, with whipped sea salt butter and extra virgin oil with aged balsamic. Not a crumb was left as you can imagine, freshly baked bread with butter is one of life's great pleasures after all.
Meanwhile, my dining companion selected the crackling ham hock terrine served with a tangy homemade piccalilli and topped with pork quaver crisp. There is something pleasing about the elegance of a terrine and this one showcased well balanced flavours which worked perfectly together.
There is an impressive wine list available at Scottish Steakhouse, with wines served by the bottle and by the glass. We opted for a glass of light and fruity Terre Forti Sangiovese as well as a glass of Spy Valley New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, which was zesty and refreshing.
I love to eat fish and chips once in a while and for me the best setting for enjoying this classic dish is definitely at the seaside, but having it in a restaurant makes a close second! The beer battered haddock with chunky hand cut chips and crushed garden peas was a winning combination and the huge portion almost defeated me, but I ploughed on regardless. The standard of the ingredients really stood out and the golden beer batter revealed white, flaky haddock beneath,while the lemon and piquant tartare sauce made the ideal finishing touches.
Who can resist macaroni cheese? Certainly not me, so I felt it was my duty to add it on as a side order and it proved to be a wise addition, with heaps of macaroni in a rich cheddar sauce with extra grilled cheese on top.
My dining companion was undecided between a steak and a burger, but the burger won out in the end and he ordered the prime Scottish beef steakhouse burger. All burgers are served in a toasted brioche bun, with gem lettuce, sliced beef tomato, pickled red onion, house coleslaw, house ketchup and thin cut chips. As if that wasn’t indulgent enough for all you burger fans out there, a variety of extra toppings are also available and he added Isle of Mull cheddar and grilled dry cured bacon to the towering creation. There is something so satisfying about having a quality burger in a restaurant and this one delivered on every level. I particularly loved the Scottish Steakhouse signature ketchup which had a sweet and smoky taste.
I was struck by the generous portion sizes of the food, as well as the stylish presentation - I love places like this which bridge the gap between pub style dining and fine dining, offering an elevated experience in a welcoming setting.
It was time for dessert and despite being full we decided to order one anyway in the interests of either greed or a thorough review, depending on your perspective! A silky chocolate mousse with shards of honeycomb made a delightful sweet note to conclude the meal, while traditional sticky toffee pudding was a good option too. After a quick coffee, we called it a night and wandered around the grounds before we returned to our hotel room for a restful night.
I would recommend Scottish Steakhouse, which makes the ideal place to dine whether you are staying at the Macdonald Inchyra Hotel or not. We were impressed by the hospitality and the level of attention to detail and there was a perfect mix of comforting recipes and lighter options on the menu.
Scottish Steakhouse
Macdonald Inchyra Hotel & Spa
Grange Road
Falkirk
FK2 0YB
I cannot wait to plan my next visit to Scotland. What do you all think, do you like the sound of Scottish Steakhouse and which of these dishes would you like to try? As always I cannot wait to hear your thoughts and thank you so much for reading this post.
Until next time,
Camille
xo
*I was kindly invited to sample dinner at Scottish Steakhouse, this meal was complimentary. All opinions expressed herein are my own and honest.
