Crieff Hydro recently unveiled six newly reimagined venues as part of its largest investment – outside of acquisition – in more than 20 years.
And the opportunity to spend two days there sampling what was on offer was not something I was going to pass up.
I am ashamed to say that prior to my visit I had not been to Crieff Hydro, but it was a wrong I was glad to right.
A £5 million investment has been made on the dining refurbishment project. While a lot of this money has gone on developing the new food and drink venues, existing dining spots have also had their menus refreshed.
My wife Karen and I spent two days there, and sampled several of the new additions and what they had to offer.
It has to be said that for a foodie, having so many different dining options under the one roof was absolute paradise.
Starting with afternoon tea
After settling in and establishing our bearings with a wander around the sprawling resort which, it has to be said, is absolutely beautiful, our first port of call was Loggia for afternoon tea.
We knew we were in for a treat right from the off as the amuse bouche of gazpacho soup with a chorizo bon bon was a delight.
Savouries followed. The selection included penny loaves with smoked salmon and cream cheese, mini venison cottage pie and Cullen skink quiche.
The afternoon tea is a joy for those with a sweet tooth as it also features traditional scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam, battenberg, macarons and opera cake.
The food is served alongside a choice of tea or coffee.
Being a savoury lover, the Cullen skink quiche was my favourite, but the entire experience did not disappoint.
Asian small plates at the Hydro
After a break, we enjoyed drinks at The Ballroom before heading into the Hydro’s East restaurant – an Asian-inspired dining experience offering small plates.
Korean is a cuisine were are not hugely familiar with, so, on spying a sharing menu for two on the menu, we opted for that.
It ended up being a fantastic way for us to sample a number of dishes.
An array of dishes quickly arrived including sticky corn ribs, Korean fried chicken, smoked haddock with mango and chilli salsa and whole roasted cauliflower in
soy and ginger sauce.
Gressingham duck momo with soy and ginger sauce, snow peas with roast garlic and sesame and unlimited Jasmine rice followed.
Everything looked delicious.
The chicken was amazing, moist and packed full of flavour. The smoked haddock was a level above any fish dish I’d had before.
But my favourite – which may come as a surprise – were the snow peas.
Lovely and charred, with garlic and chilli providing a sweet and spicy edge, I could not get enough of these delights.
For dessert, I had green tea jelly with lime ginger lychee. It was a lovely palate cleanser.
Karen opted for the jian dui – crispy chocolate fudge sesame dumplings.
Visiting The Hermitage
Now, while the food offering we enjoyed was very good, for me, the most exciting thing was getting an invite to Crieff Hydro’s speakeasy bar, The Hermitage.
Solve the riddle and you can enter the bar hidden behind a secret door and enjoy the wonders that await you.
Sadly, I cannot say any more other than visiting it is an absolute must!
A very extensive brunch
The following day we were back on the hunt for the best the hotel can offer. At Loggia we skipped breakfast and opted for brunch instead.
The offering there is staggering – there is everything from bagels and pancakes to steak and eggs. The restaurant even serves croissant burgers.
I plumped for free range eggs Florentine, while Karen fancied the haggis Benedict.
The eggs Florentine was an excellent way to start the day. Hen of the woods mushrooms paired superbly with the perfectly poached eggs, while the rich Hollandaise sauce lifted the dish to a creamy brunch delight.
Peppery haggis with salty ham on the Benedict won the praises of Karen who marvelled at the creaminess of the sauce as it mingled with her runny egg yolk.
Both of these dishes were very filling indeed so we went for a long walk before heading back to complete our culinary couple of days.
Enjoying fish and chips in the Winter Garden
Having eaten so much rich food in the previous meals, I was yearning for something a little more traditional as we sat down for lunch in the Winter Garden.
And the fish and chips hit the spot. Gloriously crisp batter encased a well-cooked piece of haddock that was served with the traditional chips, mushy peas and tartare sauce.
This was simple food done brilliantly.
Karen’s tattie skins with cheese, bacon, chorizo and spring onion were packed full of flavour.
The salty chorizo mixed well with the cheese, providing a perfect ending to two days of wonderful dining.
The verdict
They have got everything right at Crieff Hydro. The choice is outstanding and they cater for all ages, diets and tastes.
If we had to pick a favourite it would be East, and Karen and I plan to return in the near future to sample more dishes.
The food offered great value, service was superb and the knowledgeable and helpful staff cannot do enough for you.
Information
Address: Crieff Hydro, Strathearn House, Ferntower Road, Crieff PH7 3LQ
Telephone: 01764 655555,
Website: https://www.crieffhydro.com/eat-drink/
Price: Afternoon tea – £29 per person; East sharing platter – £35 per person; Brunch – £23 per person; The Winter Garden lunch – fish and chips £19.50, tattie skins £10.50.
Accessible: Yes
Dog friendly: No
Scores:
Food: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Surrounding: 5/5
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