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The Seaforth Inn is situated on the harbour in Ullapool, still a reasonably major fishing port in North Scotland, naturally they specialise in serving fresh local seafood in their 80 seat bar and 70 seat restaurant upstairs; the Av Cost figure of £25 applies to the upstairs restaurant while the bar prices are rather more reasonable.

Choices could include devilled whitebait, oysters or seafood soup to start, followed by West Coast queen scallops, fresh lobster - whole or half - sea bream, oven baked with a spring onion and chilli dressing, traditional fish n' chips or a platter of mixed seafood.

Haché describes itself as a restaurant that happens to sell burgers and it's no bad description. The trouble with burgers, of course, is that a potentially delicious way of serving meat has been cheapened mainly by financial greed to the point where it is difficult to find anyone with a good word to say about them. Whereas faggots, the basis for a satisfying and wholesome meal, are regarded quite rightly as permissible verging on gourmet, burgers are not.

So let's hear it for the real burgers, the ones that are made from decent ingredients and properly cooked, which is precisely what Haché is all about. All their burgers are served on a toasted ciabatta bun with rocket, beef tomato and sliced sweet red onion, along with the special Haché mayo. If however you prefer your burger low calorie style they will substitute the bun with a salad garnish.

All their beef comes from prime Scottish beef steak, starting with Au Naturel, finest aged 100% chopped steak, seasoned and charbroiled, with seven variations on the main ingredient, all cooked medium unless otherwise requested. Chicken Haché burgers offer four choices, au naturel, forest, Spanish, club plus the newly introduced honey-moutarde.

Of them all the big treat has to be the steak le grand double (that's 14oz) steak burger with your own choice of topping, but do not lightly ignore Le Mexican. All tastes are taken into account, with vegetable burgers, tuna and the 'all-day'. Toppings include roast red pepper, sweet cure bacon, mature cheddar, Portobello mushrooms, goat's cheese and Stilton.

To complete the enjoyment leave room for the Haché Belgian chocolate fudge brownie followed by an excellent range of coffees. And yes, they do have a licence.

Any award for thirteen running years is an achievement, but the 13 coveted AA Rosettes awarded to Neptune's Restaurant are testament to their longstanding commitment to excellence. Part of the Moorings Hotel, located in Banavie village, about four miles from Fort William, guests are rewarded with spectacular views of Ben Nevis and the Caledonian Canal.

The split level, wooden panelled bar, surrounded by stained glass, has a relaxed, informal touch and the garden patio offers the right amount of seclusion, whilst watching the boats pass by provide a soothing experience during summer evenings.

The menu keeps pace with the seasons and there are a pleasing range of locally sourced options such as the trio of Highland salmon that includes hot smoked salmon, smoked salmon mousse and salmon tartare. Roast rump of Perthshire lamb and tournedo of beef fillet with venison duxelle on toasted crouton with a red wine and shallot sauce are some of the other dishes that could satisfy a hungry diner after a hectic day of ski-ing, snowboarding or sledging. Alongside an extensive wine list, you will also find a range of malt whiskies and real ales including the award-winning local brew, Deuchars.

The Loch Leven Hotel benefits from a pretty magical loch-side setting with breathtaking views of the nearby mountains, a virtual carpet of flowers at springtime and for those city dwellers who are accustomed to the sound of traffic, take a break to hear the woodpigeons cooing in the branches or see the rare red squirrel working tirelessly.

If you're looking for a hearty Scottish breakfast to kick-start your day then head to the lovely Victorian breakfast room. At lunchtime you could eat in style at the restaurant with fantastic vistas of the hills beyond that may even distract your attention from the menu. But that is only till the starters arrive, perhaps the Cajun chicken breast fillet drizzled with satay sauce, and traditional haggis, neeps and tatties. After that the Loch Leven's Celtic casserole of slowly cooked lamb with root vegetables in rich gravy is certainly not to be missed.

The well stocked bar at Loch Leven offers a wide selection of draught and bottled beers, and over 75 malt whiskies.

One of the newest entrants to the Scottish dining scene, The Ash restaurant within the Royal Highland Hotel, is a contemporary cocktail and lounge bar, which is a true reflection of the country's cultural history and heritage. Elegantly styled and incorporating Gregorian influences, the restaurant boasts of a menu that is freshly prepared featuring dishes inspired by traditional Scottish cuisine.

In this tastefully done ambience, guests can savour dishes of scotch beef curry; haddock goujons, battered strips of haddock served with chunky chips and peas and the chef's specialties', that include medallions of beef fillet and, glenmorangie chicken, served with creamy malt whisky and onion sauce with rice. Included in this fare, are the variety of salads, sandwiches and the special Highland cuisines.

The wine list is extensive and varied, and contains a good selection of both old and new world boutique and mainstream wines including chablis le manoir and rioja tempranillo.