The “next door” is the Dunoon Hotel, the owners of which also own the restaurant. Now, a confession. We just don’t like the modern fashion for “small plates” restaurants, where dishes come when they are ready, rather than in the order you thought would be nice when you read the menu. So, you might ask, why were we having dinner at a place which urges you to order several small plates to share. And, in fact, why were we so determined to eat here (two previous planned visits, over the months, had to be cancelled). Well, it’s because every item on the menu can be ordered as a small or large plate. It’s stroke of genius. Means you can order, say, a small plate then a large plate – or, as we oldsters prefer to call them, a starter and a main course.
In fact, we didn’t go down the small plate route even for a starter because they also had a sharing board that really appealed. There were cheese and mustard croquettes (the mustard dominates), tender stem broccoli in tempura batter (crisp and absolutely lovely), a couple of dips straight out of the Lebanese cookbook - aubergine (moutabal) and red pepper & walnut (muhammarra). There’s also little dishes of olives, nuts, pickled radish and gherkins. And really nice, soft flatbreads.
We both went for main courses which had Asian influences. Falafel were nicely crisp, the chickpea interior flavoured with tahini and garlic, served with a red pepper puree and yoghurt. The other plate featured two tasty lamb mince kofta kebabs with a sauce that had hints of curry flavourings and a fruity sweetness. Certainly worked well. And these large plates come with your choice of two sides – we were both happy with a green salad and new potatoes.
It was very quiet , with only two other tables occupied during the time we were there. That did mean there was zilch atmosphere. Our server, who was very much on the ball, said it picks up from May with tourists. Maybe it’s not pushing the buttons for locals, which is a shame. So, a nice dinner and a welcome addition to the area both in its concept and execution. I’m sure we’ll be back at some point to enjoy dishes rooted in more local cuisine – yes, pork cheeks with celeriac puree, I’m looking at you.
