Russian Tavern at The Port Royal Hotel

Michael Greenbaum (12 September 2007)

The location of this village inn is simply stunning on a tiny yacht bay looking over the water to the Argyll Mountains. So sitting down for lunch on our tour of west Scotland, really, the view was great. We expected the usual micro waved factory food with a bit of cut up tomato, but did we have a surprise! In walked the fisherman, Ivan. That is quite a good name for Russian Tavern. With him were buckets of live crayfish (most of which he sells to the truck from Spain,) and a great pile of flapping fresh fish: flounders, codling, plaice, herring, Pollack, can't remember when a restaurant had that, quite a long time ago I think. It was just great, the fine wine was well under-priced for its quality and the ambience was like one of those Mediterranean Taverns where the quality of wine and food are taken for granted, and people have come to meet and chat without any pretensions, not a table-cloth to be seen. This is quite out-of-the-ordinary for West Scotland, and if you like me need a good feed and company after a day in the great outdoors then stop off there. They had very economical rooms too, but we'd booked on the ferry and sadly left Port Bannatyne, laid down with good wishes, bottles of Russian beer and a Russian doll for my daughter. The experience simply not only made our day but the whole of our vacation.