Dolls House Restaurant

Colin Samuel (13 February 2008)

I have visted the Dolls House a number of times now, without doubt it's the best the town of St. Andrews has to offer. Food at the right price and quality, helpful staff, quick turnaround and in a fantastic setting.

Steve Henderson (6 January 2008)

Good food is worth searching out. So is good and polite service. To find these are not on offer is something of a surprise, as we have dined at Dolls House Restaurant a number of times before. The menu reads well, the setting is quite in keeping with the standard of academic life associated with St Andrews University, so imagine our surprise when almost warm vegetables accompany almost inedible steak. Close by us a table of around sixteen had a guest, who constantly used his camera with a flash to take shots of children. Over fifty photos accompanied by flash - if you ran the restaurant, at what point would you say that it was not in keeping with what other diners may find acceptable?

Why should badly behaved children, who are more than happy to ignore the comments of their parents and relations, be acceptable whilst doing laps accompanied by high vocal output to a room of diners there for special reasons. A couple at the table next to us were there for their anniversary. Next to them, a table were there at the return of a student to the university. Would you have enjoyed the setting? Had the food been good you would perhaps have thought it excusable. A few years ago, we enjoyed what the Dolls House did well. Times have changed; standards are not the same either from front of house or where it really counts – in the kitchen. When brought up with the staff, I was reminded of the mother watching her son at the military passing out parade. The other 2000 soldiers were out of step, but not her son. We shall not be there again.