Restaurant-Guide.com
hand picked restaurants

Part of the Whitbread family, Table Table restaurants aim to bring great value tasty pub food to an ever increasing eating-out public who like well prepared and genuine food served by friendly staff in relaxing surroundings. If that sounds too much like a dream come true be assured that at Table Table they also walk the talk, and are pleased to have the chance to prove it.

Their well located restaurants are spread across a wide range of decors and styles, and all of them share a determination to provide comfort, warmth and relaxation. Their buffet menus for special occasions are remarkable value.

In keeping with modern trends they provide dishes to nibble or share as guests consider the spread of options on a menu that could be described as British with welcome incursions. So as you share long Italian flatbread, and dough balls and dips, or a sharing platter with an imaginative range of finger food starting with garlic and breaded mushrooms, it's time to think about the relative merits of aromatic duck parcels, a prawn cocktail, breaded Camembert or sticky chicken goujons to name but a few.

Many an innocent dish from the past has been hi-jacked in the best possible sense into becoming what is now called a 'pub classic'. Wiltshire cure ham with eggs is served with chunky chips and beef, mushroom and ale pie, or chicken and chips are all familiar with British tables, be they in the dining room or the kitchen. Now they have been added to by chicken fajitas, a sweet red pepper, crème fraiche and fennel tart, a leg of duck slowly cooked and served with a Bramley apple and cider sauce, or chilli con carne with basmati rice, sour cream and guacamole and nachos. So is the humble burger with six enticing toppings.

The point is they, and others, are all here at Table Table, well prepared with quality ingredients, and presented in a way that makes you hungry even if you thought you weren't.

Getting down to the more serious side of the table keep an eye open for the seafood pie, a delightful assembly of things fishy including crayfish, red snapper, prawns and clams. Many of their steaks are 28 days matured, including a 7oz fillet. All steaks are served with watercress, roasted cherry tomatoes, a flat mushroom and chunky chips. A choice from 4 sauces adds the final touch of enjoyment.

Pastas and salads embrace some well known and loved names, but for sheer enjoyment the hot smoked salmon salad takes some beating - flakes of hot smoked salmon mixed with a house salad and soy and ginger sauce. A real winner.

Snacks aplenty cover hot baguettes with the like of grilled pork loin and Bramley apple sauce, sandwiches filled with Cheddar cheese, or prawns and Marie Rose sauce, and jacket potatoes with such temptations as chilli con carne. Add a bowl of chips for only a little extra.

A well travelled wine list offers helpful advice for the uninitiated and there's an impressive choice of draught and bottled beers and lagers. All in all it would appear that Table Table are more than achieving their aims, providing the opportunity for people to eat out enjoyably, with excellent value for money. Long may they continue to do so.

For completely up to date information on menu changes and special offers do make a regular check on their lively Website.

The thing I tend to notice amongst Scottish hotels and restaurants is that, whilst there may be less of them per square mile, the ones that are there generally carry a higher percentage of quality than, shall we say, other parts of the globe not so very far away. Cavens is no exception to this generalisation, presenting a small 4 star country house hotel of great character and charm that provides the perfect setting for short breaks, weddings and meetings. Formerly a privately owned manor house, it was bought by Jane and Angus Fordyce and now specialises in exclusive-use for private and corporate bookings.

Their reputation for cherishing their guests, no matter what their status, is well known, and locals rub shoulders comfortably with hotel residents and visitors alike. Dumfries and Galloway is an area where rushing about is considered to be in bad taste, and the pace of life is geared to the seasons, the weather and personal whim. No wonder so many English make the transition across the border when it's time to take life a touch more easily. Not for nothing did the Romans name that great fascinating tidal estuary, the Solway Firth, with its mild climate, as they did - 'The Way of the Sun'.

The restaurant has received much acclaim over the years, with a reputation for an ever changing menu devised by Angus, who doubles up as Chef and proprietor that exploits the markets and the seasons to the full. With an AA Rosette, three Visit Scotland medallions, and recognition in the Best Guide to Scotland.

A typical menu might run along the lines of a salad of locally smoked duck breast or pan fried scallops with lime and vermouth, followed by sea bass roasted with white wine and fennel or rack of Galloway lamb in a thyme and oatmeal crust. A notable finish to the meal could be pannacotta or cheeses from the Loch Arthur Estate, served with oatcakes by Corson of Castle Douglas, rounded off with coffee and chocolates made by Carswell of Kirkcudbright. Some notable single malts have found their way down from the Highlands, though sadly the locally distilled Bladnoch is now in scarce supply.

A selection of menus are available at The Copper Beech Restaurant at Hetland Hall, that highlight their growing reputation for creating fine Scottish cuisine. A la Carte and table d'hote menus are served in the tranquil Copper Beech Restaurant, using only the freshest locally sourced produce. A stimulating list of wines from around the globe is available for the more discerning, and head barman Ken will be happy to share his personal whisky recommendations to all.

The atmosphere at Del Amitri in Annan is that of cosy elegance, a dining experience that allows you to savour every minute of your time spent in the company of family and friends. The decor sets the tone for the meal with its rich plum coloured walls and furnishings and gleaming hardwood floors but the real star of the show would undoubtedly be the food, as it should rightly be. Only the finest local and seasonal produce from Southern Scotland is used to create dishes of the highest standard, a fact that is proved in the increasing popularity of this restaurant.

A look at the menu, which changes on a weekly basis, might reveal a ballontine of confit duck with caramelised apple, wrapped in Parma ham with smoked bacon and puy lentil amongst the starters. To follow, the pan roasted crown of partridge on bubble and squeak, with braised celery, Madeira and pearl barley jus is excellent, finally ending with the enticing rich dark chocolate, coffee and pistachio delice. The wine list at Del Amitri is notably global featuring numerous choices.

Blackaddie House is a small haven of beauty and relaxation set in its own gardens on the outskirts of the village of Sanquhar, on the banks of the River Nith. With nine bedrooms and three cottages, the hotel is a lovely place for a family holiday, a romantic weekend or weddings and family celebrations.

Owner and Chef Ian who has held a Michelin Star for 8 consecutive years in his previous restaurant is at the helm of affairs and it is not surprising that the dishes served at Ian@blackaddie are some of the best to be found in the area.

A daily changing menu offers delights such as rillettes of confit partridge with burnt oranges, seared foie gras and puy lentils; spinach and goats' cheese pannacotta with a salad of baby leeks goats' cheese and crisp croutons; a hearty courgette stuffed cannon of lamb on a bed of ratatouille, and seared fillet of wild salmon with salmon sausage.

Bring your Ian@blackaddie experience to an end with roast pineapples and black pepper ice cream.