Kinloch Lodge is a small luxury hotel on the Isle of Skye. Located in an area of outstanding beauty, the hotel is lovely, the guest bedrooms turned out to a very high standard and the communal areas and sitting rooms welcoming with real log fires. Staff throughout our short stay there were all very friendly and hospitable. What's more, the location is ideal if the next day, like us, you're taking an early morning ferry to Mallaig, but the other big draw for Kinloch Lodge is that it also has a Michelin starred restaurant.
Sadly the meal was a huge disappointment. While the main thread of the ingredients are local produce, salmon, scallops, venison, none are allowed to shine. At the point of ordering the venison main, the waitress said it came medium rare, was that okay? Yes of course, perfect, but sadly when it arrived it was at best medium well rendering it chewy and flavourless. Nothing can save a venison dish when the venison is cooked this poorly but nothing else on the plate was close to approaching that role anyhow.
The venison however had got off lightly compared to the salmon. We had to stifle an near audible gasp of disbelief as the plate was set down in front of us for the salmon had been entirely smothered in a bright pink sauce. If you have a beautiful piece of salmon, why would you possibly do this to it? Where's the subtlety, where's the finesse, where's the love? This is after all a Michelin starred restaurant (and The Three Chimneys is not)? Even if the sauce had been any good (it was not), this in our opinion is no way to showcase one of Scotland's finest ingredients for under all that sauce, it's impossible to get any essence of salmon. What a waste.
Scallops fared only a little better, at least they were visible on the plate, but here a peanut sauce and Parma ham is thought necessary to make a West coast scallop shine. Again, we beg to differ.
There seemed little point in dessert. Located in an area surrounded by some of the finest ingredients in the world, all were taken to the point of ruin. We retired early, surprised and saddened.
Sadly the meal was a huge disappointment. While the main thread of the ingredients are local produce, salmon, scallops, venison, none are allowed to shine. At the point of ordering the venison main, the waitress said it came medium rare, was that okay? Yes of course, perfect, but sadly when it arrived it was at best medium well rendering it chewy and flavourless. Nothing can save a venison dish when the venison is cooked this poorly but nothing else on the plate was close to approaching that role anyhow.
The venison however had got off lightly compared to the salmon. We had to stifle an near audible gasp of disbelief as the plate was set down in front of us for the salmon had been entirely smothered in a bright pink sauce. If you have a beautiful piece of salmon, why would you possibly do this to it? Where's the subtlety, where's the finesse, where's the love? This is after all a Michelin starred restaurant (and The Three Chimneys is not)? Even if the sauce had been any good (it was not), this in our opinion is no way to showcase one of Scotland's finest ingredients for under all that sauce, it's impossible to get any essence of salmon. What a waste.
Scallops fared only a little better, at least they were visible on the plate, but here a peanut sauce and Parma ham is thought necessary to make a West coast scallop shine. Again, we beg to differ.
There seemed little point in dessert. Located in an area surrounded by some of the finest ingredients in the world, all were taken to the point of ruin. We retired early, surprised and saddened.
Soupcon: Jerusalem artichoke
Steamed, home cured, organic salmon, beetroot, sauteed leeks
West coast scallop, Parma ham, peanut
Fillet of Mallaig cod, deepfried seafood gnocchi, Drumfearn mussels, saffron cream sauce
Fillet of Fort Augustus venison, wilted leaf spinach and sauteed cabbage, parsnip and apple
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