We visited the Boat Brae in Newport for a review this month, with no idea that it would be closing in a matter of weeks.
The popular eatery is a short drive across the river from Dundee in Newport-on-Tay.
A family-owned business, the restaurant is known for its beautiful view out across the water.
Though we had heard some mixed reviews, we were delighted by the warm welcome we received in the restaurant’s bar area.
Swiftly guided upstairs through the stylish interior, we were seated at a comfortable booth.
We noted that it was pretty quiet for a Thursday evening, but everyone around us seemed to be enjoying themselves.
From the minute we sat down, to the minute we left, the staff were attentive – topping up our waters, checking on us and suggesting dishes from the menu.
Boat Brae in Newport offers cracking starters
I am a savoury girl through and through and I’d always rather order a starter than a dessert.
There were a range of options on offer at Boat Brae, but sadly one or two of them were missing.
My colleague Morven and I went for the salmon fishcake (£9) and duck liver parfait (£9).
Morven described her fishcakes has “amazing”. Even myself, not a fishcake fan in the slightest, thought these looked and tasted spectacular.
With a perfectly crispy coating, these weren’t at all the mushy fishcakes of my childhood.
The filling was moist without being soggy, and the citrus flavour came through well.
I went for duck liver parfait, which came with a sweet chutney and plenty of crostini.
This was rich and tasted divine. The crostini was lovely – crisped well but not burnt – the perfect vessel for the creamy parfait.
The dish was also well-presented.
This was a big portion and had I been with a fellow meat eater, I’d have been grateful for someone to help me finish it off.
‘Oh so tender ox cheek was melt in the mouth’
If we thought the starters were good at Boat Brae, we were in for a surprise with our mains.
These were, frankly, outstanding.
My date went for the sea bass (£18.90). This came on a bed of celeriac mash, with green beans, shallots, baby spinach, with a smear of a creamy white wine sauce.
This was another hit for pescetarian Morven. A generous portion, the sea bass was delicious.
She was grateful that the buttery sauce wasn’t sickly, as she has experienced that before when ordering fish elsewhere.
The veg was well-cooked, neither soggy nor underdone.
My main was the braised ox cheek (£19.90) served with creamy mash, baby carrot and a moreish black garlic and parmesan sauce.
The waiter recommended this to me and I am very glad I took his advice.
I am often laughed out the kitchen when I reveal that I really don’t like mashed potatoes.
Perhaps that is another hangover from childhood experiences. But it is safe to say, I will rarely eat more than a few forkfuls of mash willingly.
At Boat Brae, however, I couldn’t get enough.
It was unbelievably smooth and creamy, the perfect pairing to the oh so tender ox cheek which was melt in the mouth.
I hate to use that perhaps overused phrase, but it truly was.
The ox cheek fell apart with the gentlest nudge of my fork and there was nothing tough about it.
There was a lovely sweetness to the crispy, caramelised edge of the carrots, and the accompanying sauce was very flavourful.
Did dessert wow us on our review of Boat Brae in Newport?
Coerced into a pudding by my date, we ordered the seasonal fruit crumble (£7) and chocolate torte (£7.30).
The torte was very rich, paired with a delicious sauce and ice cream.
We were grateful for the slighter portion, as a giant slab of chocolate dessert can often be off-putting.
Though we shared both desserts, my favourite was by far the crumble. Crimble crumble, anyone?
The sharpness of the fruit (apple and blackberry for us, though they change this seasonally) was an adventure for the senses.
This dish perfectly combined sweet and sour flavours, topped off with a sweet crumble crust that wasn’t overcooked.
Verdict
Absolutely nothing was amiss on our visit to Boat Brae.
The staff were attentive – not to mention patient and accommodating when Morven realised she had ordered the wrong wine – and the food, marvellous.
We both felt that the dishes were excellent value for money. We would have paid higher prices for the quality they served us.
I’m still daydreaming about that ox cheek to this day.
Boat Brae, we’re sad to see you go.
Information:
Address: 2-14 Boat Brae, Newport-on-Tay DD6 8EX
Tel: 01382 540540
Website: https://www.boatbrae.com/
Price: £84 for one soft drink, one glass of wine, two starters, two mains and two desserts
Scores:
Food: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Surroundings: 5/5
Check out our other restaurant reviews here.
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