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hand picked restaurants

The Malmaison group of hotels has established throughout Britain a collection of centres of excellence where nothing but the best will do. As a concept alone this is exciting, but the reality is brilliant, so that at last there is a hotel group where uniformity of standards is of the same high calibre.

Malmaison Aberdeen is a note-worthy addition to the Malmaison family formerly known as Queen's Hotel, where guests receive the treatment befitting royalty. The 80 bedrooms are all that one would expect from a hotel that has genuine regard for its guests and is concerned with every aspect of their wellbeing, blending in period features with modern designs in everything from the art-nouveau style cast iron entrance to the large bedrooms and suites. The Slains Suite might allure the sporting enthusiast, with a private terrace overlooking the local rugby pitches, a football table and a massive eight-footer sleigh bed.

The brasserie is a haven of fine foods selected from local produce such as Aberdeen Angus sirloin, a knickerbocker glory or line caught sea bass The brasserie seats 100 and is complemented by two luxurious private dining rooms, The Chef's Table and The Hauf, with elegant décor in cerise, pinks and blacks. Their Josper oven is unique to Aberdeen and powered only by coal to give all the meats the smokey full flavours they merit.

An inspired choice amongst the main courses is the confit belly of Packington pork with apple aaroncini, cèpe cream and crackling while the duo of beef with roast autumn root vegetables and sauce bordelaise is just perfect for those seeking by this time a slightly more carnivoristic approach. Which leads us neatly to the, wait for it, Mal burger, a 250 gram burger made from ground beef tucked into a floured bap to join bacon and gruyere, served with homemade relish and some fries.

But at Malmaison Aberdeen the signature steak is not for the faint hearted and The Butcher's Favourite is a 700 gram 'bone in rib steak', only one example of the quality meats supplied by local butcher Donald Russell. Vegetarians are well looked after - the courgette and gruyere soufflé with bitter leaves, wet Italian polenta with wild mushroom and poached egg and the sweet corn risotto with basil pesto sound appealing.

Heading the puddings is the House crème brûlée, a triumph of timing and co-ordination, supported by other choices amongst which expect to find the warm Dundee cakes with whisky ice cream and a steamed blueberry sponge with custard. Their homemade ice creams and sorbets are dreamy while their renowned cheese trolley has a selection of British and French farmhouse cheeses served with an assortment of breads, biscuits and a choice of fig, apricot or date loaf.

Their wine list is a symphony of its kind, clearly compiled by an enthusiast who knows his wines well enough not to disappear into a world of hyperbole when describing them. Thank you, Johnny!

Their Website is a wealth of information that will, I predict, only serve to increase your resolve to make Malmaison your next stop in Aberdeen. It is worth noting that you can also make reservations online on their Website.

The Forth Floor Restaurant, Brasserie and Bar offer guests a stylish, striking venue for lunch, dinner or drinks; floor to ceiling windows run the length of the restaurant and brasserie giving spectacular views over the Edinburgh skyline from the Castle to The Firth of Forth, making it an ideal venue for entertaining. A thirty two metre Terrace poised high over St Andrew Square provides the opportunity to dine in the fresh air and sunshine for which the capital is renowned.

Whether dining in the more formal Restaurant, meeting friends for a casual supper in the Brasserie or starting the night with a cocktail or glass of champagne in the Bar the Forth Floor provides the very best in contemporary entertaining.

The Restaurant opens for lunch every day and dinner from Tuesday to Saturday. The Brasserie serves breakfast every day; lunch and an afternoon menu from Monday to Saturday - as well as brunch on a Sunday and dinner from Tuesday to Saturday. In the evening, diners enter the restaurants via a dedicated express lift situated at the side of the store off Multrees Walk.

Stuart Muir, Scottish born and bred Executive Chef, has been at the Forth Floor since day one and is passionate about the excellent Scottish produce he has available to him and the ever-growing restaurant scene. Whether using hand dived scallops from Tarbert or Loch Etive oysters, Stuart is proud to feature Scottish produce on the menu. The restaurant serves modern British cooking with a twist, while the Brasserie serves classic British and European food for more casual dining.

Lunch in the restaurant might include beetroot cured salmon with lemon salted cucumber and poached Loch Etive oyster with pickled ginger, or milk poached loin of rabbit with roast black fig, grapefruit jelly and homemade citrus cream cheese. Main courses of roast halibut with camembert fritter have smoked garlic, chive potato duchess and cauliflower puree on the side, and roast loin of pork with ginger bread Melba combines wonderfully with cinnamon apple puree, trompette mushrooms, honey comb and thyme jus. Pear bread and butter pudding with rum and raisin ice cream or a selection of Scottish cheeses with heather honeycomb and homemade crackers make a blissful end to a perfect meal with a skyline view.

At dinner dishes are more elaborate and could start with ceviche of North Atlantic monkfish with spiced candied pumpkin seeds, chilli, Thai fish bon bon and soya sauce, or tarragon and mushroom gnocchi with crispy shallots and caramelized hazelnut, before moving on to braised shin of Scottish beef with spiced aubergine puree, roast provençal vegetables, truffle potato crisp and confit garlic, or maybe smoked cheddar and thyme risotto with honey glazed beets, carrots and navets. Desserts tend to have a wow factor with chocolate assiette, saffron poached pears with honey cream and lemon sweet pastry.

The Sommelier at the Forth Floor is on hand and happy to help you negotiate your way around an extensive selection of wines, and champagnes, from all over world, with many bottles exclusive to Harvey Nichols in Scotland. The list is full of treats for every pocket from £18.50 to £2,500. Should wine not be your particular tipple, they also have a full range of spirits from small batch bourbons to unusual malts to fine cognacs.

The Brasserie offers stylish casual dining for lunch and dinner and the menu might include favourites such as Scottish rib-eye steak frites, pan-fried fillets and marinated lamb gigot. Desserts include a flourless chocolate mousse cake with berry sorbet and ice creams from S. Luca of Musselburgh.

The Bar features comfy leather banquettes, low leather stools and an unexpected view of Leith and the sea. Most importantly the extensive back bar accommodates numerous unusual spirits that help the bar team conjure up the freshest and most exciting cocktails.

In addition to Forth Floor Restaurant, Bar and Brasserie, the fourth floor also has a 3000 sq ft Foodmarket with Wineshop that sells fresh foods with a strong emphasis on local sourcing and grocery products from across the world - often sold exclusively to Harvey Nichols - as well as their award-winning own-label range. The Wineshop stocks a wide variety of interesting spirits and over 300 hand picked wines and Champagnes.

For more details please visit the Website.

Photographs - Copyright Chris Gascoigne.

We hear a great deal about recycling these days - du Vin recycles attractive but sometimes un-loved buildings to restore real gems in the best tradition of British understated style.

Complement that with all that is best in the French bistro ethos, bars that reach out to please, and you have a setting that provides an inspirational background for people to meet, do business, get married, provide a base for golf or fishing, somewhere you can call your own for a private celebration, a spa or - most engagingly - a wine school that breaks the mould.

In Glasgow, du Vin has taken on the notable and highly respected One Devonshire Gardens, set in a tree-lined Victorian terrace in the fashionable and exciting West End of Glasgow. The list of awards would take up the whole of this review, each one of which must give its own particular pleasure to du Vin's owners; suffice to say that an appreciative press and côrps de critiques has not been slow off the mark to demonstrate its feelings.

Spread over five joined Town houses, the luxurious collection of bedrooms offers an unparalleled level of luxury, with luxurious duvets and Egyptian cotton bedding, fluffy bathrobes, satellite TV, CD and DVD player, mini bar stocked with treats, fresh tea, coffee and milk, and generously sized and plentiful toiletries. Some rooms forsake Victorian splendour for a more contemporary feel, including monsoon showers.

In the classy hallmark du Vin bistro a choice of four starters could include capuccino of lobster and pernod, truffle infused oil and organic smoked salmon cannelloni, spinach purée and plum tomato.

Main courses demonstrate a prime contribution to those Awards, with finesse and imagination from Executive Chef Paul Tamburrini and his team involved to a remarkable level. The poached and roasted breast of mallard comes with goats' cheese emulsion, toasted barley and xérès vinegar whilst the butter roasted line caught halibut is served with pommes purée, fine beans, and curried mussel jus. Round off with crème brûlée, with amaretto ice cream and financiers, or the chocolate marquis with pear sorbet, sesame tuile to complete a meal that has taken you to the stars.

Whilst one might argue that the whole point of being in a du Vin is to snuggle up to the wine list, this list is designed to march with the food and can only be described as superb. With a team of two sommeliers, headed here by Sebastiano Ingaliso, there is no room for anything but the best. Service is telepathic in the best possible sense.

Click on their Website for full information and rates. Hotel du Vin, with fourteen options throughout Britain, awaits your call.

Oloroso, which translates as aromatic, the brainchild of Tony Singh and the late James Sankey, opened its doors in 2001 and from the outset its meteoric rise to the top in this city of fine restaurants was never in doubt. Now that James is no longer with us, Tony has ensured that maintaining and improving their joint legacy continues with undimmed fervour, and Oloroso is the place to be.

Whilst the majestic views from their rooftop deck are a major feature of the restaurant, never let it be thought than anything takes precedence over the quality of the food, and the essentially Scottish contemporary cuisine that Tony has established.

He has been well-equipped to do this by means of a star-studded career that includes periods with The Royal Scotsman Train, The Balmoral Hotel, Martin's Restaurant and the Royal Yacht Britannia. In 2000 he was awarded the prestigious title of ITV Chef of the Year.

A subdued approach to the elegant décor is seasoned by the background music and the voices of the Edinburgh professional classes and intelligentsia in full cry. Three menus embrace a grill, à la carte and bar. Tony Singh categorises his food as 'global comfort food' and items such as seared Marlin, Irvine of Perthshire sirloin steak sourced with all the precision of a surgeon's scalpel combine with truffled potato mash and mushroom purée, braised beef shin and wild mushrooms to keep the customers guessing. Well marbled cuts, the sources of which are well known to the restaurant, are aged according to the size of the joint.

The grill menu also features 16oz T-bone veal steaks, and the tuna loin comes from some of the cleanest waters in the world, often at temperatures which help to produce fish that are well structured and with good flavour.

The bar food is also wildly popular, served every day with a simple easy-to-choose menu featuring culinary delights of Tony Singh's favourites. It is somehow refreshing to find the same degree of care being applied to this robust fare as to the more sophisticated cuisine in the restaurant - as it should be.

By contrast the fact that the wine list tops out at £575 for a bottle of 1964 Dom Perignon should not be allowed to worry you overmuch since there are options at under £20, though the great majority of this majestic List is above that mark.

In these days of increasing awareness by those who are particularly selective in their choice of places to go, the elegant Cocktail Bar is one of the 'must-be' locations. The views from the Rooftop Terrace of Edinburgh Castle and the Kingdom of Fife as you sip a hot cocktail devised by their resident award-winning mixologist must be some of the best in this outstandingly beautiful city, as well as being ideal for a pre theatre supper, quick lunch or somewhere to hang out with friends.

Oloroso is, in the view of many, the pick of the bunch in Edinburgh and one can only endorse that by saying what a pity it is there are not a few more like it. Check out their Website for menu changes and news of any fresh developments. Please note that they describe their dress code as 'casual elagance', which sounds perfect to me.

Edinburgh is great, but sometimes the hustle and bustle of a major capital city is not exactly what you're seeking. Why not combine the best of both worlds by staying or dining at Kilspindie House in the picturesque village of Aberlady overlooking the Firth of Forth, with the urban benefits of Edinburgh just twenty miles down the road in case of need. It's the perfect spot for golf enthusiasts with the Kilspindie, Craigielaw and Lufless Golf Courses all within a five minute drive, while other local attractions like the Tantallon and Dirleton Castles, Aberlady Nature Reserve and the Scottish Seabird Centre are less than a 30-minute drive away. Kilspindie House is a perfect base to explore the East Lothian coast and then unwind with a drink and some delicious Scottish food.

Kilspindie House dates from 1638 and has been tastefully renovated to create a wonderfully comfortable modern hotel boasting 23 en suite bedrooms. Each room has its own individual touches and is fitted with wireless internet, freeview TV, direct dial phones, free WiFi and tea and coffee making facilities.

The hotel also boasts the award-winning Ducks Restaurant which offers stunning modern Scottish cuisine made with wonderfully fresh local produce. A meal from the restaurant's à la carte menu could start with a tian of crab and brown shrimp with dill soured cream, avocado puree and young shoots, or wood pigeon breast with braised puy lentils and red amaranth jus. Main courses include slow roasted pork belly served with rumbledethump potatoes, creamed East Lothian Savoy cabbage, courtyard pear chutney and thyme jus, whilst those in search of something rather bulkier could take a close look at the sirloin of matured Buccleuch beef with Yukon Gold fondant potato, kale, celeriac puree, foraged chanterelles, haggis fritter and peppercorn sauce.

Scotland has a close association with some of the coldest and freshest waters in the world which in turn yield superb quality seafood and shellfish, including fantastic fresh lobster or crusted Firth of Forth mackerel fillet served with Dunbar Rover potato and caper salad, gooseberry and ginger relish and radish. Finish on a high note with chocolate fondant and raspberry sorbet.

For such a relatively short menu the choice of tastes and texture is amazingly broad, nor is it very often that you find a bar menu running the à la carte such a close second. Seafood chowder, that classic dish; barbeque chicken wings with green salad, beef burger with smoked cheddar, red onion marmalade, salad, tomato and hand cut chips, the wonderful haggis parcels with sweet chilli syrup, roasted chicken breast with wild mushroom risotto, rocket and red wine jus, or haddock and salmon fishcake with tomato and dill sauce are all attractively served, popular and incredibly good value.

Donald's mixed grill encompasses sirloin steak, gammon steak, sausage and egg, grilled ciabatta sandwiches, and offer side dishes such as rocket and parmesan salad, bowl of Cerignola olives, tomato and onion salad, and mashed potato. This is food brought together to meet the needs of a carefully researched clientele, not forgetting their splendid Sunday lunch, anticipation of which must have comforted many a chilly Sabbath morn at the Kirk.

Wine at Ducks is one of the pleasures of life, and the hand - or nose - of some astute connoisseur would appear to be not far away from the cellar. There are also a number of fine whiskies available at the bar, just as well with the renowned Glenkinchie distillery virtually on the doorstep.

Ducks host several events throughout the year such as St. Andrews Night dinners, wine tasting evenings and live music, and the function room, which seats up to 100 people, provides a wonderful venue for weddings while the team do their best to make your big day memorable. There are also a number of deals on rooms over the Festive period, and with sumptuous special menus for Christmas Lunch and Dinner, as well as a glorious dinner and dance at Hogmanay, Kilspindie House could make the ideal setting for seeing in the New Year.

To gain further information, just visit their extremely comprehensive Website.

There is an air of gentility about The Dining Room at 28 Queen Street, Edinburgh that somehow summarises the graciousness of Edinburgh. A menu that has its epicentre in Britain with outposts in Europe takes full advantage of the abundance of wholesome ingredients for which Scotland is renowned.

As if this is not enough, 28 Queen Street also happens to be the nerve centre of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Whilst whisky of any kind has a part to play in matters of the table, it is less involved than wine so it is encouraging to see the Society taking its gastronomy seriously, with Chef James Freeman in the lead from the time of its opening in 2005.

Everything on The Dining Room's menu is homemade from the amuse bouche to the puddings. Primarily, and apart from private functions, The Dining Room exists to offer an à la carte menu, backed up by a menu du jour, to both members and a wider public. It is an ideal location for a light lunch or something a touch more formal such as a romantic get-together, business lunch or social celebration.

Whether or not you are addicted to the blessed dram, chances are that you will not be unaware of the joys of the grape and The Society can meet you more than half way on such matters. As well as an excellent selection by the glass there is a range of fine wines to please the connoisseur and the recreational drinker alike.

The Dining Room menu has that happy knack of offering two menus that are just long enough to give cause for hesitation and can hardly fail to suit anyone for whom the joys of the table are a serious matter. There is a good balance between the different styles; let's say breast of pheasant and roast scallops followed by chestnut and chocolate millefeuille with a truffle honey sabayon.

Grilled black figs, goat's cheese mousse and a basil salad provide the sort of starter that is designed to stir the palate with a pleasing range of flavours. There are huge numbers of deer in Scotland, so double joy to see venison haunch with winter roots and mustard fruits, spätzle and a black pepper sauce receiving appreciate attention from robust diners. A wonderful yet still largely unappreciated choice of meat.

Imagination is on display with such detail as a sheep's cheese dressing that subtly conveys its presence to a beetroot remoulade accompanying rare venison loin. Amongst the desserts expect to find at the right time of the year the Society Christmas pudding with brandy butter ice cream, or orange gelée with whisky raisin ice cream. Side orders are inspiring and include potatoes roasted in duck fat, chipolatas with bacon and buttered sprouts with chestnuts.

It would of course be churlish not to mention The Scotch Malt Whisky Society's other activities, of which arranging single cask whisky tastings on or off the premises, in fact anywhere in the world, is a major preoccupation. Private parties are also very welcome and you do not have to be a member to book.

The Society's Website is a partly whimsical, but at heart quite a serious statement of what they do, and you might even feel tempted to join. Slàinte mhath!

Situated opposite to Crathes Castle at the gateway to Royal Deeside and the start of the Castle and Whisky Trails, The Milton Restaurant and Conservatory certainly occupies an envious location. Their private marquee by the riverside only adds to the appeal and with customized European and Scottish menus, live jazz and themed nights, the whole experience will be one to remember.

Being recognized as one of the most accomplished restaurants in the North East of Scotland is no mean feat and the kitchen team certainly deserve credit. The cooking places equal emphasis on flavours, textures and presentation, and endeavour to bring the market to the table by making the best use of the seasonal bounty that Grampian's markets and ports have on offer. Winners of numerous awards including Chef of the Year in 2007 and 2008, Restaurant of the Year in 2007 and Young Scottish Seafood Chef of the Year 2009 and Seafood Chef of the Year 2010, the Milton are also the proud recipients of an AA rosette.

The all day menu might include starters of smoked haddock fishcake, tempura prawns, or breaded Devenick brie. Supreme of chicken with haggis mousse and sirloin of Aberdeen Angus beef are just some of the many delights that are offered. Desserts featured include Milton crème brûlée and iced whisky and oatmeal parfait served with fruit compote.

However, The Milton is an admirable setting for something rather more sophisticated in the evening, and the á la carte will come to your aid in the event. Venison loin is served with fondant Swede, red onion marmalade and bramble jus to make a tasty starter from a list of five, or there's twice baked red pepper and goats? cheese soufflé.

Moving to main courses the eye may well stray to the lobster dish or even the mushroom casket - puff pastry filled with woodland chanterelles and tarragon served with poached duck egg, wilted spinach and sauce béarnaise.

One sometimes feels slightly despairing about Scottish desserts - cranachan or Athol
Brose and that's about it, but The Milton comes to the rescue with their own crème brûlée, served with a lime and passion fruit cupcake or a tasty gooseberry and orange crumble.

They say, 'Selecting wines for The Milton continues to be an interesting task' an observation with which most of us would hardly disagree. Suppliers Wine Importers, Inverarity Wine Vaults and Oddbins play their part in the process, the results of which must make this one of the most interesting lists in Scotland.

More information is available on their Website or contact Neil Rae or Jan Leatham on +44 (0)1330 844474.

Prezzo has been delighting diners for over eight years, and this Italian restaurant chain has since been able to expand throughout large parts of England and Scotland with some 141 outlets.

Interestingly, the company seeks to restore either impressive buildings or ones of local interest. The conversion of the Newbury library and other listed buildings, such as those in Salisbury, Romsey and Mayfair, are all welcome examples of 'new use'. Their trendy and sophisticated décor usually consists of tiled or wooden floors with delicate lights and colourful paintings, along with wooden furniture and sparkling cutlery, creating a setting that is suitable for a relaxed lunch, a family meal or an evening out with friends.

The restaurants are of particular appeal to those who like genuine Italian cuisine, and they use only the best seasonal products, many of which are imported directly from Italy. The menu includes pizza, pasta, risotto, grilled meats, fresh salads and frequently changing specials.

The freshly baked breads, like the garlic bread with mozzarella cheese, are perfect for sharing and give you adequate breathing space to order starters to follow. Crab cakes served with garlic mayonnaise or grilled goat's cheese with plum tomatoes and caramelised onions on foccacia bread with a balsamic glaze set the tone for a hearty meal. Best fun is to order an antipasto platter to share made up from seven well loved Italian nibbles.

Find pastas such as the unusual penne con salmone, with oak-roasted salmon, broccoli and fresh chillies in a red pesto and cream sauce, or firm favourites like spaghetti with meatballs, spaghetti Bolognese, and fusilli al pesto, asparagus spears with field mushrooms and roasted peppers in a basil pesto sauce.

Amongst the special pastas, the pollo mariano, seasoned chicken, pepperoni sausage, roasted peppers and fusilli in tomato sauce, is interesting and different. Italian menus would be incomplete without risotto, like tiger prawns with petits pois in a creamy saffron sauce.

Classic pizzas embrace, among a wide selection, the popular napoletana, topped with yellowfin tuna, tomato, white anchovies, capers, red onion, mozzarella and marinated olives, and the much loved quattro stagioni - pepperoni sausage, prosciutto ham, artichoke, field mushrooms, capers, marinated olives, mozzarella and tomato.

Specials could include the pollo Siciliana, char-grilled chicken breast, prosciutto ham and plum tomato slices, baked with their blend of cheese, only one example from the many tempting offerings that come out from the Prezzo kitchens.

You can accompany the food with a variety of tipples, though for many, Italian food requires Italian wines to be enjoyed to the full, ranging from house wine through Morellino di Scansano and Prosecco to liqueurs and beer, and there is espresso or fresh ground coffee to wind up an enjoyable meal, in company with a glass of grappa or sambuca.

This is Italian food at its attractive best, convincing and bringing together the traditional with the modern twist or two against a background of excellent value.

Prezzo is a lively group and opportunities to improve and update are never left on the table for long. Keep up to date with a quick click on their Website.

This delightful and informal bistro is located at the corner of Broughton Street and Broughton Place. With its large windows and relaxed atmosphere it is the ideal place to sit and watch Edinburgh go by.

Olive Branch Company owners, husband and wife team, Stuart and Kerry, have set up the Olive Branch Bistro to present a new element to eating out in Edinburgh, bringing into play Stuart's experience gained at some of Edinburgh's top restaurants, such as Witchery, Tower and Zinc.

You could catch up with friends after work over their Mediterranean influenced menus, possibly set up a romantic tête-à-tête with that special someone helped by a bottle from the cellar, perhaps linger over the Sunday papers for brunch or drop in to top up your batteries when out for a spot of retail therapy. Whatever the occasion the atmosphere is warm and welcoming, the food composed from local produce that guarantees freshness and quality.

The days start at 10am with breakfast until 11.45am, none of the big spreads that seem an inevitable part of the meal, but a series of more modest dishes leaving room for some combinations for the mega-hungry.

Lunch kicks in at 11.45am with some particularly attractive dishes, some more often seen as main courses, and served with a generosity that would suggest they are. So keep a lookout for grilled trout fillet with mixed bean salad, slow roasted tomato relish, or char-grilled spatch-cock poussin with tabouleh, chilli jam, or maybe the apple and cheese crusted pork chop with colconnan mash and cider jus.

A sturdy soup of the day to help combat a soggy Edinburgh soaker with the wind coming straight off the North Sea can be a real life saver, but for less arduous conditions take a look at the Olive Branch breakfast with smoked bacon, free range eggs, pork sausages, mushrooms, tomato and toast.

Beer battered Coley fillet with pea purée, homemade tartare sauce and chips present a never failing reminder of our country's staple dish, whilst char grilled rib-eye steak is served with hand cut chips and pepper sauce.

For more informal eating there is the OB club sandwich, chicken, bacon, tomato, lettuce and mayo, or a steak sandwich with mustard mayo and rocket. Add a mug of soup to your sandwich for a further £1 - what a bargain!

Puddings carry on the same robust pattern, and the Olive Branch chocolate cake with fruit compote and lemon tart with lime sorbet will sit comfortably with virtually anything from the previous courses. A list of tempting puddings recalls the auld alliance which is about the nearest you'll get in this friendly restaurant for all sorts and conditions of people.

Their Website should be consulted for menu changes and details of their restaurant siblings in other parts of Edinburgh.

Established in May 1996, Victoria's has gone from strength to strength under the careful and dedicated ownership of Fiona and Angus John MacLellan and their enthusiastic, young family of three; indeed, the restaurant was given the name of their youngest child. Victoria's operates as a coffee shop from 10 am till 5.30 pm.

From 5.30 pm, it offers a bistro style menu until late, offering a cosmopolitan blend of quality cuisine set in informal surroundings, with an emphasis on friendly, attentive high standards of service.

During the day the wide ranging choice varies from full breakfast menu, baked potatoes, burgers, salads through to main courses. Luxury sandwiches include Mexican chicken wrap - chicken breast slices, peppers and onions with salsa, guacamole, sour cream and chives, rolled in a flour tortilla or American club sandwich - a three tier toasted wholegrain bread sandwich, layered with tender chicken breast slices, bacon, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise, or steak sandwich - freshly baked panini with grain mustard mayonnaise, grilled steak, caramelized onions and blue cheese.

Whilst a full à la carte menu is also available, this makes it difficult to give an exact average cost per head, as it could vary from a fiver up to twenty five or thirty pounds, if you push the boat out.

In evening the mood changes from bustling coffee shop to bistro style dining. Lights are dimmed, tablecloths spread and candles appear on the tables. The menu varies from such tempting starters as tasty calamari, authentic nachos with chilli beef or 8oz sirlon steak with tiger tail prawns.

There is a wide selection of mains courses ranging from fresh landed East Coast haddock and French fries, or authentic fajitas with beef, chicken, prawns or combo, or prime Scottish salmon grilled with lime butter, and served with Hollandaise, asparagus and creamy pesto mash. Superb Scottish beef, supplied by award winning butcher Simon Howie is also much in evidence, cooked to your wishes on the charcoal grill.

And if you have room don't forget their puddings, as they are memorable. For instance their sticky toffee pudding, made to a secret family recipe served with warm toffee sauce, pecan pie or chocolate fudge cake to die for.

Be assured that whatever time of the day you choose to visit Victoria's you will receive a warm welcome and attentive, friendly service.

For their full details, which encompasses everything on the menu and details on everything to see in the locality, visit their Website.