I tried the new menu at luxury St Andrews restaurant
Executive chef Graham Paulley has created a menu that celebrates Scotland's beef, game and seafood with produce sourced locally and directly from suppliers, and the offering is set to evolve through the seasons.
On arrival at this exceptional venue which overlooks the 18th fairway and down onto the famous Valley of Sin, we were able to grab a taste of some cocktails including a zingy daiquiri and the bar team's own take on an espresso martini. Both went extremely well with watching brave groups of golfers make their way down the last amid a beautiful sunset.
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We had some tough choices to make from the menu we were presented with. We started with some snacks of marinated olives and sourdough, the latter of which came with the most moreish butter I've ever tasted from The Edinburgh Butter Company. We had worried about filling ourselves up too much before the main event, but that butter made it so worth it.
(Image: NQ) Moving onto starters, the offerings included an aged beef tartare and a lobster and salmon raviolo, but it was the baked St Andrews cheddar souffle (above) I had my eye on and it absolutely delivered. It had a melt-in-mouth texture and a punchy mature cheddar flavour that really sung through. The mustard in the sauce gave it extra depth. It was a moment of food heaven.
I can also highly recommend the grilled scallops which were beautifully cooked and presented, served chilli butter and topped with samphire – a salty herb that cranks every seafood dish up a notch.
(Image: NQ) For the main course I was lucky to be able to sample the grilled John Dory. I will say this comes with a bit of an eye-watering price tag of £70, but to the chef's credit it was absolutely divine. The fish was cooked to perfection, it fell off the bone and was wonderfully buttery – once again served with samphire and seaweed emulsion. Despite it's slightly intimidating size, it was surprisingly light. That said, I'd recommend ordering modest courses either side of it as it is a bit of an undertaking.
The top side of the night was definitely the crispy anna potatoes served with a mind-blowing black garlic aioli.
For dessert, the sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce is just a classic. The clotted cream it is served with adds extra decadence and it is a comforting way to finish your meal.
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For those who don't have a sweet tooth and haven't gorged on the John Dory, the Scottish Cheese board would be a good option offering a tasty combination of Arran Blue, Anster cheddar and Blackmount goats cheese.
This luxury restaurant is a real treat, with the prices of dishes reflecting the high-quality ingredients and iconic location they are served in, but I can assure you, you will not regret pushing the boat out. Our experience was unforgettable from start to finish.
Aside from the usual a la carte menu, from Wednesday to Saturday, 12-3pm, 18 also offers afternoon tea overlooking the Old Course.
On Sundays, guests can enjoy 18's take on a traditional Sunday roast, with a choice of aged rump of Scottish beef, roast organic Scottish chicken, or marmite and truffle butter roasted celeriac, accompanied by all the trimmings.
From 6pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays, 18 also offers a grilled bavette steak with fries, salad and peppercorn sauce with a glass of red wine for just £32.
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