I tried new executive chef’s menu in ‘most beautiful’ Scottish dining room - it was a seafood feast
A new head chef has joined a Scottish Michelin recommended restaurant. Rosalind Erskine visited to try the new menu.
It has got to that point in February when it feels like the cold and dark will never end, not helped by groundhog day confirming there will be six more weeks of winter (if you take your weather predictions from a small furry animal). It’s a few days after this that I head to Edinburgh for dinner in The Spence at Gleneagles Townhouse.
Much like its bigger sister in Perthshire, Gleneagles Townhouse has the style and ambience of a warm hug - ideal on a freezing and rainy night in early February.
I’d booked a pre-birthday meal for my cousin, and to try the new menu from new executive chef Elliot Hill. Mr Hill has arrived from The Chester Grosvenor Hotel, where he oversaw multiple dining outlets, elevated Restaurant Arkle to three AA Rosettes within six months, and earned Michelin Guide recognition, as well as numerous regional awards such as Chester Chef of the Year.
Having had a sneak peek at the menu beforehand, I was looking forward to trying some of the Scottish seafood. There’s also Scottish game such as venison, heritage vegetables, Scottish cheeses and apparently some tableside theatre in store for some desserts.
The Gleneagles Townhouse was a bank for over 200 years - originally the British Linen Bank and latterly Bank of Scotland - before being expertly turned into a hotel and private member’s club that opened in 2022 and has since gained Michelin recognition for The Spence and was awarded a Michelin Key for the hotel. The huge spaces, including the reception area and beautiful marble clad, domed dining room, are busy and bustling on a wet Wednesday night.
It’s the same upstairs in Lamplighters, the hotel’s rooftop bar, where many parties have gathered for pre-dinner drinks. We kicked off our night with glasses of champagne and delicious and creative cocktails, which change seasonally.
After a chance to catch up and relax we headed down for dinner, which was to be an entirely seafood affair with starters of west coast scallops served with chicken crumble, fennel, hazelnut and chicken butter sauce - all which added subtle umami to the meaty scallops; and the lobster and crayfish scone - a decadent tower of pale pink fish in a bloody mary rose sauce sat on top of a crisp yet soft scone half.
Mains were the intriguing halibut ‘Cullen skink’ and the Loch Melfort trout served with meaty and massive butterbeans, wonderfully crispy kale and a delicious anchovy relish. The Cullen skink was a variation on the classic warming winter soup, featuring a softly cooked fillet of halibut, served with a smoked haddock, potato and seaweed creamy sauce with seaweed covered puffed corn topping.
As it was a celebration we shared desserts of light hazelnut and pear parfait and a surprisingly chocolatey pecan slice before heading out into the cold and rain once again.
With such a large and varied menu, brilliant service and a beautiful dining space, The Spence offers something special to the hotel dining arena, which can often be unadventurous and forgettable. It’s lovely to see Scottish produce being celebrated and left to shine on this new menu, and it’ll be interesting to see what the new season - when it finally arrives - brings.
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