Good roadside restaurants are few and far between these days, especially ones that aren’t fast food drive-throughs.
On a recent girls trip to Glencoe I spotted the Angus Grill and Larder on the A90, just three miles south of Brechin.
Having heard about the venue I suggested to my friend that we nip in for a bite to eat on the way home. A few days later we pulled into the car park and did just that.
From the outside it has a sort of roadside diner look, which I guess should be expected.
However, inside is a different story. Dedicated to showcasing the best of local, Angus Grill and Larder not only boasts a restaurant area, but also has a space where customers can purchase a number of food and drink products made by local businesses.
Angus Grill and Larder
Everything from fresh bakes to gin, vodka, coffee, pies and cheese was available to purchase, and the big map on the wall at the entrance easily indicates where the ingredients of many of the dishes is sourced from across the local area.
It wasn’t overly busy so we took a table in the centre of the restaurant and made ourselves comfortable.
The team working welcomed us and handed us a menu each. I spied Summerhouse Drinks’ lemonades so ordered a mint one for myself and my friend chose the pink raspberry one.
The menu boasts five breakfast options served from 7am to noon, and the all day menu (served 11am to 6pm) has sandwiches, burgers, salads and hot dogs on it.
We were pretty hungry and so ordered a club sandwich (£10) and hotdog (£11) between us with a portion of cauliflower wings (£6.25) and paprika halloumi fries with mint yoghurt and harissa dip (£5) on the side.
It started filling up a bit after we’d placed our order with families and couple all hankering for something to eat.
We’d ordered everything to come at the one time and were prepared to potentially wait a while, but the food was rustled up in no time thankfully.
The food
The sheer size of the portion of halloumi fries screamed value for money as it was placed down onto our table. They were thick and salty, and the smoky paprika sprinkled on top really added to their aesthetic – as bonnie as fried halloumi can be.
While the cheese can usually be quite squeaky when you chew it, this was more spongey and the sauce was creamy and fragrant, pairing well with the spice on top.
My club sandwich looked the part. The chicken was juicy, the tomato and lettuce was fresh and the addition of avocado was a nice touch. While I always think a club sandwich should come with egg in it, the creaminess of the avocado almost emulated the texture. Bacon was also in the mix too.
The cheddar cheese melted down the side and made it look even more appealing with each layer very apparent.
It was mayonnaise-heavy which was a good thing as it had been made with three thick slices of bread which made it a big eat. Using my hands became a real task because of it and I’m not really sure it is the best choice given there’s so much filling to worry about, too.
A side salad of sliced red onion, red and yellow peppers, Rocket and lettuce leaves, tomatoes was finished with a vinegar-based dressing.
As for my friend’s hot dog, it was topped with small pieces of chopped jalapeño which added a slight kick to every mouthful. Crispy onions are always a winner in my eyes and Megan said it had all of the ingredients a good hot dog should have including bacon and cheese sauce.
The handmade sausage was wrapped with streaky bacon which was a bit fattier and chewier than most, but the sausage was delicious in the soft pretzel bun. There’s also a dog of the week on offer which changes regularly.
Both dishes were served with crisp fries which were fluffy inside.
The second side of cauliflower wings were again a hefty portion and good value for money. The veg itself was cooked well and there was barbecue or buffalo sauce to pick from. It was nice to see a vegan option that could easily be swapped for chicken wings.
Chopped spring onion and a side dip of garlic and herb soft cheese was the ‘sauce’. This didn’t really work as the battered veg struggled to absorb any of it when dunked in. Instead it almost bounced off the tougher cheese which I ended up spreading on with a knife.
We’d spied a firepit outside and noted the pot of 10 marshmallows (£3) on the dessert board.
Fetching chocolate biscuits from the car, we took the sweets outside and toasted them over the roaring fire that staff had prepared.
The marshmallows were shop bought but we didn’t mind as much tucking into our homemade s’mores we’d managed to assemble.
It was a little strange thinking we were sitting consuming marshmallows just off of the A90, but we were too busy having a laugh to notice. I don’t know anywhere on that road you can have such an experience.
The verdict
The Angus Grill and Larder takes road side dining options to the next level.
What I like about this place is that a lot of what you see and eat has a local touch to it. Whether that be the art on the walls to the bathroom, the produce you can buy, or the ingredients used in the food.
There’s also a children’s corner, which I imagine may be a parent’s God send after a long car journey, and a dog play park outside which makes it a bit of a destination.
The staff are friendly and helpful and you really don’t need to order much when visiting. A cake and coffee is also a great shout.
While the menu isn’t huge, there’s plenty on it and Angus Grill and Larder makes for a fine change to other roadside options.
Information
Address: Balnabriech, Brechin DD9 6RN
T: 01356 563013
Price: £43.25
Scores:
- Food: 4/5
- Service:4/5
- Surroundings: 4/5
Conversation