One of a number of dining options at the hotel, the Brasserie at Crieff Hydro is billed as “bustling, family-friendly and perfectly relaxed” so it seemed an ideal location for a cross-generational birthday celebration.
Our party of six was greeted by a warm and friendly welcome and the atmosphere was certainly lively a little too lively at one point as we were seated next to the bar, where an amiable but noisy group meant we had to shout our orders.
That was a minor quibble, however the bar crowd was fuelled by high spirits rather than the kind that come from a bottle and soon moved on.
The all-day menu is extensive, with a range of traditional favourites steaks, burgers, fish and chips and the like as well as chicken and duck dishes, sea bream and Mediterranean fish stew, and we were also offered a small selection of specials. That was where I turned for my starter, a terrine of slow-cooked belly of pork, and wasn’t disappointed. Served on toasted brioche, the richness of the terrine could have been overwhelming but was nicely cut across by the tangy celeriac remoulade which accompanied it.
Others at the table declared their starters equally appealing the scallops, served with cauliflower puree, crispy pancetta and white truffle oil were perfectly cooked; the French onion soup with gruyere croutons was polished off with gusto and the pair who had ordered the Shetland smoked salmon declared themselves well satisfied with their choice.
One of the party ordered the marinated tiger prawns and squid and was surprised that the latter far outweighed the former in quantity but declared the dish so tasty that it was of little significance.
Moving on to the mains, most of my carnivorous dining companions couldn’t see past the fillet steak. This comes with a choice of potato styles and sauces though, on this occasion, all opted for the chips. Not only were the buckets (literally) which arrived generous in size, their contents were crisp and appealing. The steaks were perhaps slightly under the style of cooking requested but the quality of the meat was such that none of our party was prepared to loosen their iron grips on their plates.
I opted for that favourite comfort food dish, lamb shank, which was served with spinach and a pomme pure. Just as you’d expect, the meat slipped off the bone into an unctuous braised thyme jus and was thoroughly satisfying.
The only other non-steak-eater chose the burger and while he said he enjoyed every mouthful, would liked to have seen more cheese and bacon on it.
The portions were generous but even so we managed to find room for puddings, which provided the star dish of the day for one of our party. The Champagne sorbet was declared, perhaps not surprisingly, “full of fizz”.
Again, being an old traditionalist, I chose the crme brle which was well executed, while others enjoyed the chocolate caramel salted torte.
The Brasserie offers a cocktail menu but between us we opted for a bottle of Merlot at £22.50, a passion fruit bellini (£5.95), a glass of cava (£4.60) and considerable quantities of diet Coke, at £2.75 for a pint glass.
Food is only one element of a satisfactory restaurant experience, however. The quality of the service can make or break a meal and here, Crieff Hydro is really blessed. The Brasserie’s young, enthusiastic staff hail from across the globe but have one vital attribute in common charm a quality which simply cannot be taught
In short, then, if you are looking for a quiet location for a romantic dinner with the propect of innovative taste sensations, it’s probably not for you. If, however, you want good, solid cooking of classic dishes in a lively and friendly atmosphere, the Brasserie at Crieff Hydro will be hard to beat.
Rating: 37/50
Price: starters: £4.50-£10.95; mains: £12.95£26.95; desserts: £4.95£7.95.
Info: www.crieffhydro.com