The Clunie Dining Room - Aberdeenshire

Good: Service level from the staff was very high The starters and dessert were both very good The wine list was comprehensive, though the mark up was much higher that expected. Average: After dinner coffee had no petit fours option and was accompanied by very soft (almost soggy! shortbread Poor: The main was incredibly dissappointing very overcooked hake in overly vinegared broth. Value: Terrible. Very expensive and not a place we'll be revisiting.

Made reservations and came a considerable distance with visiting friends to treat them to the wood fired Sunday roast at the Fife Arms Clunie Restaurant. Bad sign that they seemed surprised to see us, then seated us in an otherwise empty dining room. Service was lovely. Wait staff were excellent. Starters (a soup, and a leek dish) were slow to arrive but tasty. Then the Sunday roast when it finally arrived an hour later was almost inedible. Beef was both tough and improperly carved, so very stringy. Managed to saw off a few bits. Gravy good, but Yorkshire puddings probably store bought and in the oven all day were dried to a crisp and tasteless. The roasted potatoes couldn 't be cut with our steak knives, as they were impossibly tough and dried out. Really shockingly bad food, honestly. Deeply disappointed to have subjected our friends to such a meal... and paid an eye watering sum for the experience. The dining room itself is extraordinary, but couldn 't rescue the catastrophe of the meal. Sorry, but just couldn 't possibly recommend.

Overall we enjoyed our evening. It was good that you fitted us in for a special occasion. We were aware that we had to vacate the table in two hours for later diners. But throughout we felt a pressure to comply with this, which was totally unnecessary and has never happened in much more modest establishments. In other words we felt rushed. The service was friendly and if anything a little too attentive. Having been ushered in very attentively by all, this was just switched off for our exit and we might have been invisible. The main course was really excellent and a highlight. The starter was a fish dish totally dominated by chilli and very ordinary. Chefs seem to be obsessed with chilli nowadays, even when it obliterates all other flavours. It worked well in venison dish. The wine was pleasant and advice from the sommelier useful. The setting was charming and the sight of the wood oven provided a unique focus and interest.

Dining We looked forward to dining in the pre booked Clunie restaurant on our first night. The hotel is crammed full of fascinating object d’art which have been creatively and tastefully embedded throughout the building. The restaurant was no exception which all supported the promise of a good meal. Sadly this did not really materialise despite the hotel’s website stating ‘The Fife Arms showcases the finest seasonal produce for which Scotland is world famous. From fresh seafood and game to local whiskies and spirits, many of the ingredients used in the kitchens and bars is sourced from local suppliers, gamekeepers and farmers.’ Despite the restaurant being almost full the presented menu only offered a choice of four options for starters and mains with only three side dishes listed. One of the mains was only available as a two person course thus further limiting the choice. I immediately felt this somewhat limited offering was not on par with the five star aspirations of the hotel. It clearly failed to reflect the website statement. I opted for the scallop dish which consisted of two small scallops (I used to return larger to the sea in my diving days) which were all but hidden by three scant chicory leaves and a small spoonful of hazelnut purée all for the princely sum of £20! The price is one thing but I have had a more appealing dish served as pub food! My wife opted for the equally uninspirational mackerel crudo fancy name not so fancy dish. These dishes were followed by cod on wilted greens for myself which although a sizeable portion of fish it included a glutinous skin (probably left behind after removing the outer skin post cooking) totally lacked any seasoning apart from an overwhelming acidic drench through the vegetable. My wife opted for 4 pieces of wood fired pumpkin, presumably the vegetarian dish for £22 really! While cod is not a bad fish it is hardly in the top ten of those landed on our shores. Why wasn’t there more fish or indeed seafood options on offer to showcase Scotland’s larder? Halibut, turbot, salmon, shell fish all spring to mind. Likewise I noticed a rather grand open fire range to the front of the kitchen including a josper type grill /bread oven etc which was not in use. Why not when alternative steak dishes could have been offered? Maybe this is only operated during special events. Like the hotel I purchase wine from Corney and Bowes (the delivery van was leaving as we arrived). The mark up on wines is staggering even for a hotel! Breakfast the following day presented similarly poor and limited options again bearing in mind the premier league the business seeks to compete in. The Ghillie’s breakfast was edible no more. It included spicy beans which clearly had been reheated numerous times , no mushrooms, no tomatoes which are normally standard fare in such dishes. Another odd trait concerned the toast which when ordered alongside coffee actually came underneath the brittle bacon not on a toast rack. No usual smoked haddock, kippers etc were available. I’ve had better cooked and varied breakfasts in ‘greasy spoon’ cafes. (References are available) Most of the same dishes were on offer the following day and included one of the strangest dishes I’ve witnessed broccoli and onion fritters really for breakfast! I twice asked for a copy of the previous evening’s menu to see if this vegetable had been on and possibly confirm kitchen recycling. I never got it or any further explanation. The odd practice of slipping toast under cooked food continued as I was met with one slice of soggy sour dough toast under my scrambled egg. In short the entire dining experience at the Fife Arms was hugely disappointing especially as it was meant to mark a special occasion. Again in comparison with other high end establishments we felt the kitchen lacked any imagination, creativity, finesse and ability to properly showcase what Scotland has to offer on food. Recent reviews suggest the business is striving for premier league recognition but will flatly remain in the third division unless menus and standard of cooking are radically overhauled. Otherwise I do not envisage the Michelin man visiting soon and returning a positive score. How is it that much smaller establishments can and do offer far more varied and innovative menus which showcase Scotland’s larder at much more realistic cost. I acknowledge that good reviews have been left by many regarding good standards but it does beg the question what benchmarks they are using. I for one shan’t be darkening your doorstep again and shall patronise those businesses who deserve their well earned accolades and corresponding patronage.

We dined here on the first night of our stay. Had a cocktail at Elsa’s Bar which was nice. This restaurant has a wonderful painting along with Stan the stag! Interesting combo. My venison tartare was delicious. Hubby decided to go for the Sunday roast. Largest Yorkshire pudding was one of the largest. It was delicious. My lamb was cooked to perfection. We did not have room for dessert but it was certainly an enjoyable dinner