Scotland does castles well and Glenapp, built in 1870, must surely be one if its finest examples. Located just outside of the village of Ballantrae, I drive there without a precise idea of exactly where the castle is, thinking (correctly) that Ballantrae can only be small, so how can I miss a castle? Quite easily appears to be the answer because there is no sign of it, nor any of those useful brown tourist signposts.
I wonder if I have made a classic SatNav error, especially when I ask one local who has never heard of a Glenapp Castle. A second local is more knowledgeable and points me in the right direction. There's still no castle but there is now a sign and a gate, and after buzzing the intercom, we're allowed entry. Little wonder we could see nothing, it sits at the end of a mile long driveway and is tucked behind many trees in acres of grounds.
Having navigated the driveway, the first glimpses of the castle further excite, for it is stunning and classically attractive. Inside too, the rooms are immaculately turned out. We later learn that the castle was refurbished over a six year period and by the look of it, no expense was spared.
Glenapp was not originally on our itinerary and is only 20 miles up the road from our previous night's accommodation at Knockinaam but a pre trip late night Twitter conversation reminded me that the husband and wife team Adam and Natasha Stokes together run the Michelin starred restaurant at Glenapp. I kicked myself for not connecting the dots, that they were right here, on my route, and sought to rectify the mistake, finding I could in fact shoehorn a lunch in, so I did.
I wonder if I have made a classic SatNav error, especially when I ask one local who has never heard of a Glenapp Castle. A second local is more knowledgeable and points me in the right direction. There's still no castle but there is now a sign and a gate, and after buzzing the intercom, we're allowed entry. Little wonder we could see nothing, it sits at the end of a mile long driveway and is tucked behind many trees in acres of grounds.
Having navigated the driveway, the first glimpses of the castle further excite, for it is stunning and classically attractive. Inside too, the rooms are immaculately turned out. We later learn that the castle was refurbished over a six year period and by the look of it, no expense was spared.
Glenapp was not originally on our itinerary and is only 20 miles up the road from our previous night's accommodation at Knockinaam but a pre trip late night Twitter conversation reminded me that the husband and wife team Adam and Natasha Stokes together run the Michelin starred restaurant at Glenapp. I kicked myself for not connecting the dots, that they were right here, on my route, and sought to rectify the mistake, finding I could in fact shoehorn a lunch in, so I did.
the castle
the evening dining room
table with a view
Lunches at Glenapp are generally three course affairs with two choices per course, but on the day of my visit in mid October, with the high season over and a quieter dining room, Adam kindly surprised us with something more akin to the dinner menu that offers a 'six course gourmet evening meal'.
Both canapés are excellent and include cucumber and cockles, and a fantastic beef tartare. The amuse meanwhile continues the cucumber theme given that the local gin distillery is Hendricks, and offers a Hendricks gin and tonic emulsion which is always a bit of fun and something that always goes down well.
Both canapés are excellent and include cucumber and cockles, and a fantastic beef tartare. The amuse meanwhile continues the cucumber theme given that the local gin distillery is Hendricks, and offers a Hendricks gin and tonic emulsion which is always a bit of fun and something that always goes down well.
cockles and beef tartare canape
Hendricks G&T foam
The first proper starter however is a sensation, brown shrimps with warm Bearnaise mayonnaise and salt & vinegar puffed rice. It's like it has everything in the world that's good here, the warm Bearnaise mayo is wonderful in its own right and I could happily just eat this alone, but with juicy brown shrimps, it's divine. Then add some crunch with the puffed rice and some acidity from the vinegar and we're both agreed, this is just brilliant.
The venison tartare is lovely and its worth noting that throughout our trip, venison hardly appeared as a main which surprised me, and mostly was served up as a starter as it is here. More of that later.
The venison tartare is lovely and its worth noting that throughout our trip, venison hardly appeared as a main which surprised me, and mostly was served up as a starter as it is here. More of that later.
Brown shrimps with warm bearnaise mayonnaise and salt and vinegar puffed rice
tartare of roe deer with garlic and horseradish, prunes and celeriac
For the next two courses there is a choice of two dishes and with two diners, we ensure we sample both. On the fish, the 'Fisherman's pie' sounds innocuous but it's like no fisherman's pie I've ever had, probably because it's not really a pie. There's a deep fried haddock ball on pomme purée and samphire, sea bass with the skin on, monkfish, prawn and deep fried octopus on a bed of peas, all with a champagne veloute. It makes for a lot of things on one plate to get right, or indeed wrong, but here, everything is perfect. As a starter, it's stunning and an amazing taste of so much that's great in the seas around Scotland. The scallops afford equal pleasure, and nice to see it served here with eel rather than pork.
seared scallops with white onion, smoked eel and wood sorrel
'fisherman's pie'
One main offers beef while the other is a loin of hare; I later learn that the hare is caught on the estate and it packs huge game flavours. I'm pretty delighted by the appearance of hare in this menu, and I recall that some time back the Guardian wrote 'for the committed seasonal gourmet, the brown hare is a treat not to be missed' so I jump at the opportunity, while it also highlights that Adam is not taking the safe or obvious path. I admit that I had expected venison and grouse to be ubiquitous during my Scottish meals but it proved not to be the case with most chefs showing they have much more to offer, speaking volumes for the quality of chefs now in Scotland. Both dishes were excellent.
Cairnhill Farm beef with horseradish, corned beef, nasturtium and carrot
Loin of hare with red cabbage, Brussels sprouts, spiced bread and sea pursalane
Banoffie pie soufflé with banana sorbet
Being already this full of a lunch time, we passed on cheeses (Scottish of course) taking us to desserts of milk chocolate mousse with caramel, and banoffie pie soufflé. Following the Fisherman's Pie, I little expected the mousse to be merely that and I wasn't disappointed as a cannelloni of mousse came with sentinels of coffee and yoghurt, topped with a crisp glass, all lovely.
Milk chocolate mousse with caramel, coffee and yoghurt
Natasha and Adam Stokes
Smart cookie that she is, Natasha has, as her Twitter bio hints at, a degree in astro-physics, but science's loss is hospitality's gain and she is an exceptional front face for the restaurant, while Adam's skills in the kitchen are without doubt: this was a very strong, well executed menu from start to finish today. They're a lovely couple, remarkably young and have a huge future in front them for sure. Like Jon and Helen at Lumiere in Cheltenham, they are people you want to succeed as they marry relentless hard work with talent, and that has to be a winning combination.
Sometimes you have to pick favourites, and while we enjoyed our meal at Knockinaam, the greater complexity and sophistication of Adam's menu means that of these two Scottish restaurant heavyweights in the South West, it is Glenapp that should be your destination for any visit to the area as it brings together perfectly Scottish hospitality, an amazing castle and of course, seriously great food.
Visit Glenapp Castle (dining) website
Follow Adam Stokes on Twitter @AdamStokesChef
Follow Natasha Stokes on Twitter @NatStokes_
Previously I visited Knockinaam Lodge
Next stop: Inverlochy Castle
Location map for Glenapp Castle
Sometimes you have to pick favourites, and while we enjoyed our meal at Knockinaam, the greater complexity and sophistication of Adam's menu means that of these two Scottish restaurant heavyweights in the South West, it is Glenapp that should be your destination for any visit to the area as it brings together perfectly Scottish hospitality, an amazing castle and of course, seriously great food.
Visit Glenapp Castle (dining) website
Follow Adam Stokes on Twitter @AdamStokesChef
Follow Natasha Stokes on Twitter @NatStokes_
Previously I visited Knockinaam Lodge
Next stop: Inverlochy Castle
Location map for Glenapp Castle
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