When dining out with children, you can sometimes feel limited to the usual fast food outlets – not always appealing to the whole family!
The children’s menu at The Bothy caught my eye as it offered something a bit different to the usual chicken nugget type meal, so we decided to book an early evening slot to try it out.
Arriving at The Bothy, pretty lights twinkled round the door. There were outside seats set up, but a chilly February evening was not the time to try them out.
The Bothy St Andrews is cosy and inviting
We enjoyed a warm greeting and were shown to our table, which was a cosy booth with velvet seats and scatter cushions in bright contrasting colours.
We loved the botanical theme that ran throughout the restaurant. This included the wallpaper, the soft furnishings and dried flower posies on the tables.
The atmosphere inside was inviting. Though it wasn’t busy that early, we weren’t the only table with children in for dinner, along with some other bigger groups.
A cheery server brought over paper and crayons to entertain the kids with and, once they had decided on their choices, they settled down to scribbling.
What was the food like on our review of The Bothy, St Andrews?
The kids’ menu featured some more unusual dishes, such as haggis – with a veggie option, too – or pan-roasted chicken, but both our boys opted for haddock and chips.
Not a chicken nugget in sight! The children’s three-course meal seemed good value at £12, and they again both picked hummus with bread, carrot and cucumber for a starter.
I only had eyes for the butternut squash and feta Wellington (£16) for my main.
I decided against a starter, opting instead for a side of charred Tenderstem with toasted almonds (£5).
I’d already seen the dessert menu and knew I’d be ordering something from it!
My husband was swithering between the Bothy burger and fish and chips but, trusting that he’d probably get to taste a bit of the kids’ meals, he went for the burger (£17).
He did want a starter though. And the soup of the day (£6), butternut squash, chilli and coconut, beat the likes of chicken liver pate or the pork and black pudding Scotch egg.
Drinks-wise, my husband had Pepsi Max (£3.25) and the children chose diluting orange (£1.20).
I’d spotted an unusual soft drink, roasted pineapple soda (£3.25), and had to try it. It was very refreshing, not too sweet, with an almost smoky herbal aftertaste. Very unusual and our server recommended the pink grapefruit soda, too.
The starters arrived promptly, and the hummus was plated beautifully, with fluffy poppy-seeded bread accompanying the flavourful hummus.
A roasted chickpea garnish and a minty drizzle completed the dish. The server apologised that there were no carrots, but there were no complaints.
The soup was velvety and warm, with a slight heat from the chilli coming through the butternut and coconut.
The smoked salt butter accompanying the soft bread was an extra touch, and there was not a morsel of hummus or soup left.
Was butternut Wellington a hit at The Bothy, St Andrews?
Our mains followed and this time my butternut Wellington won the prize for the prettiest plate.
The deep red wine sauce stood out against the roasted parsnips and buttery winter greens.
The rich, honeyed butternut squash in the Wellington was the stand-out of the meal for me, married perfectly with the savoury lentil and feta mixture and surrounding flaky pastry.
It’s one of the tastiest veggie main courses I’ve enjoyed in a long time.
There was Tenderstem on my plate so, had I known this, I wouldn’t have ordered extra! However, we all tried some of the side dish, which was complemented by crunchy toasted almonds.
My husband said the burger was well-cooked and juicy, and he particularly enjoyed the caramelised onion chutney and extra-crispy fries.
He would have liked some salad on the plate, too, though there was lettuce and tomato in the burger bun.
Haddock and chips went down a treat with the kids, with the batter on the fish light and crispy, and the chip shop-style chips crispy outside and fluffy inside.
One child loved the mushy peas, while the other generously said I could have his wee pot of them after his first taste – not a pea fan!
Dessert made for the ‘perfect winter warmer’
I had to have dessert – I’d spotted the cherry Bakewell tart (£8) and nothing else would do.
I loved the crisp tart, nutty frangipane and the cherry jam hidden inside.
The spiced custard was a perfect winter warmer and, though I hadn’t expected vanilla ice cream too, it was a welcome addition.
Despite not knowing what a dark chocolate delice (£7) was, my husband took a chance.
He was rewarded with a decadent chocolate mousse-like pudding, with a crunchy dry roasted peanut crumb and silky salted caramel.
And a generous serving of sweet, creamy vanilla ice cream each rounded things off nicely for our boys.
The verdict
All in all, we had a great night out and left feeling full and happy.
I would have scored the food higher, but some elements on our main course plates could have done with being warmer, such as the kids’ mushy peas and my roasted parsnip – though this didn’t detract too much from the experience, and everything was tasty.
There was a bit of a lull before the staff cleared away our main plates and sorted out the desserts.
We weren’t in a rush to leave, but we were conscious that more adult-only tables had sat down and might not appreciate hearing kids’ Pokemon discussions.
The staff were enthusiastic, kind and helpful, and were great with our children. We felt welcomed and loved the ambience of The Bothy – and we’ll definitely be back. I need to try that pink grapefruit soda!
Information
Address: 3 Church Square, St Andrews, KY16 9NN
T: 01334 477422
Price: £106.10 for a starter, two mains, one side, two desserts, four soft drinks and two children’s three-course meals. A 10% service charge was added to the bill.
Scores:
Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Surroundings: 4.5/5
For more restaurant reviews, check out our food and drink section.
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