Restaurant-Guide.com
hand picked restaurants

This is the sort of place I like. There you are trogging along through glorious but pretty scantily inhabited country, trying not to pretend that you're on your way to call on Sir Paul McCartney, but remembering the wonderful kippers you had for breakfast and wondering whether it shall be lobster or a 21 day aged piece of some late bovine inhabitant of these parts for dinner tonight, when wham! there it is in front of you.

Described in The List Magazine as "a tiny retro caravan", and sometimes described as The Crab Shack,which is a very accurate description, the atmosphere is that of a sort of turbo charged al fresco event, with the local fowls wandering in and out, and a general air of timelessness begins to take over.

Before anyone can say "would you like a wee refreshment" you are into one of their wholemeal crab rolls, or relishing a plate of langoustines whose association with the surrounding sea can only have been very recent. After which there is really only one dessert that will pass muster and it has to be Sophie's home-made orange cake. Now all I know about Sophie is that she can certainly knock up an impressive cake, and her brother has a smokery on nearby Arran. Then I think of the yolks of fresh duck eggs and the glass of wine that have gone into the cake and in a fit of absent-mindedness order another helping.

Don't go in the winter or on Saturdays at any time - that's when they get a break and to judge by the custom they more than earn it.

Historic and romantic elements have interwoven slowly to add colour and texture to the Scottish landscape, and this is entirely evident in the Balinakill Country House, a B listed mansion that has been converted into a welcoming hotel. Cosy rooms, huge open fires, and a serene ambience make this the perfect getaway if city life has been getting on your nerves.

Their restaurant has been awarded an AA Rosette and a satisfying meal there underlines the justice of the accolade. The chef uses fresh seafood, free range, organic and local produce wherever possible with the result that the food is wholesome and naturally appealing. Pan-fried Islay scallops with bacon and lemon butter make for tantalising starters with slow cooked duck leg with braised red cabbage, creamed potatoes and orange liqueur gravy for mains proving equally enticing. Poached pear with chocolate ice cream and mint syrup adds the finishing touches to a fine meal.