The Cross at Kingussie has been a haven for foodies for a long time now.
Despite changing hands a few years ago, it continues to provide a level of service and quality of menu that makes serious lovers of fine dining sit up and take notice.
Describing itself as a restaurant with rooms rather than a hotel, I was not quite sure what to expect. But any concerns that the standard of accommodation would not match its reputation for food were soon dispelled when we were shown to our room.
It was large, well-furnished and tastefully decorated with all the amenities you would expect in a topnotch hotel. Fine toiletries, bath robes, a selection of books, good TV, Wi-Fi and a large and superbly comfortable bed make this a place where you can really relax and de-stress. A nice touch was the promise of fresh milk if required rather than those depressing little tubs of sterilised white stuff.
But best of all, when I looked out of the window, there were red squirrels feeding in the trees just a few feet away. I could have watched them for hours. But they did not distract me from the prospect of a superb afternoon tea – such a civilised way to while away some time.
We decided we’d better take some exercise to work up an appetite for dinner. Kingussie is a charming town with some very elegant Victorian buildings. It has some well-marked and interesting local walks through the beautiful countryside. And, for the more adventurous, you are only a few miles from the start of more arduous walks into the Cairngorm mountains. Nearby, Rothiemurchus, the Cairngorm mountain railway and the Highland Wildlife Park are all worth a visit.
The Highland Folk Museum has always been a particular favourite, with historic buildings brought together and rebuilt on the site to tell the story of the people of the Highlands.
Back at The Cross, I was intrigued to find it was in fact a converted tweed mill. Established by a local landowner to try to bring much-needed industry and employment to the area, it had never been a huge a success. However, since converting to a restaurant, it has won many accolades, including the much-coveted AA two-rosette status.
It’s a delightful location with a beautiful terrace overlooking the river.
Having decided to try the tasting menu rather than the equally tempting a la carte, we were served a fine selection of canapés in the lounge. They were displayed beautifully on specially designed wooden blocks, which were then re-used for petit fours later – a lovely touch. A wonderful pastry cone filled with salmon tartare was my favourite.
Moving through to the dining room, we were given a delicious amuse bouche of roasted tomato and balsamic soup with red mullet. The flavours were so intense and rich it certainly made me excited about the rest of the meal. And I was not disappointed.
The terrine of ham hock, chicken and foie gras looked beautiful on the plate. Served with some homemade pickles, their sharpness provided a great contrast to the smooth and creamy terrine.
Next was a fantastic serving of seared John Dory and langoustine with a shellfish sauce. The sauce was divine, with layers of complex flavours that brought out all the subtlety of the fish. There was also buttered cucumber – not something I have ever tried before, but I was most impressed and it offered a different texture to the rest of the dish.
My favourite course was next: The beautifully pink and tender loin of lamb, courtesy of George Gow, the Kingussie butcher, simply melted in the mouth. Served with a cannelloni stuffed with shoulder of lamb which must have been slow cooked for hours, it was packed with flavour. The violet artichokes and baby onions had been prepared perfectly and completed the dish with real style.
A creamy hazelnut and chocolate confection was served as a pre-dessert before we got to the baked passion fruit cheesecake with coconut sorbet. There were also tiny drops of citrus gel which really got the taste buds tingling.
I must mention the wine: We chose to have the wines recommended for the meal and were glad we did. I would never have picked the particular Chardonnay we had with the fish course or the New Zealand Pinot Noir with the lamb, but they proved to be perfect accompaniments.
And to round it all off we had a stunning selection of petit fours with coffee. Wonderful.
After such a fantastic meal, I was surprised I could even think about breakfast the next morning. But I did, and it was as high quality and professionally prepared as everything else we had enjoyed.
Good, fresh local produce served by people who are clearly passionate about all they do.
The Cross is a Highland gem that deserves all the plaudits it receives.
TRAVEL FACTS
The Cross at Kingussie, Tweed Mill Brae, Ardbroillach Road, Kingussie. Phone 01540 661166. Room rate £110 to £180 per night B&B. Dinner, B&B costs £200 to £270.