When I overheard a colleague chatting about a newly refurbished hotel restaurant with an already renowned chef and its own airfield, I knew I had to try it out.
I booked a table for my boyfriend Aidan and I a couple of Fridays ago and we drove around 25 minutes from Inverness to Newhall Mains on the northern edge of the Black Isle.
It was pitch black and blustery, exactly what you expect from an autumn evening in the Highlands.
That only made the cosy evening that awaited us even better though.
What is Newhall Mains like?
Newhall Mains is a reinvention of traditional mains buildings of a farm into a boutique hotel.
To get to the restaurant you enter into a cosy bar and seating area, offering a huge array of spirits hailing from both nearby and far afield.
We were warmly welcomed in out of the cold and taken through the communal library area to the restaurant as a member of staff told us a little about the renovations.
It was serious interior design inspiration, somehow making you feel at home and like you were in for a special evening all at once.
Alex Henderson, previously head chef at The Torridon, recently took his place at the helm of Newhall Mains’s restaurant.
His menu changes seasonally, but always takes an ingredient-led approach to dining.
Scallops ‘cooked to perfection’ on Newhall Mains review
Aidan had very kindly offered to drive for the night, so I went straight for the cocktail menu and ordered a Tom Collins (£12).
It was lovely, the perfect balance of sweet and tart with a good hit of gin. Aidan opted for a ginger beer (£4).
The menu isn’t huge but has a really lovely variety of options.
There isn’t much information about what is in each dish, but we quite liked the surprise of that.
I never manage three courses so we shared the Hebridean scallops with apple and fennel (£23) for starter. This came with three scallops, which is fewer than expected given the price.
That being said though, they were some of the best scallops we have ever had. They were cooked to perfection and the apple and fennel added the perfect crisp bite.
For mains, I chose the grilled hake with mussels, lemon and parsley (£32). The fish was gorgeous; flaky but still holding together and incredibly fresh.
The mussels were huge, the parsley sauce pulled all the elements together and little roe pearls added a lovely pop. There was a little too much lemon gel across the dish for me personally, but Aidan disagreed so it’s definitely a preference thing.
Lamb ‘melted in the mouth’
Aidan ordered the new season rack of lamb with caper jus (£32) for his main.
It’s worth noting this was just meat and jus with no extras. The lamb was the perfect shade of pink and melted in the mouth. The jus was one of the highlights of the night for me – of course I had a taste – as it was decadent and smooth.
I can’t go onto side dishes without mentioning the price. Every side dish – from the sauteed spinach to the potatoes – was £8, which we agreed was a lot.
I know side dishes are optional, but the mains didn’t come with potatoes or vegetables so you really need them if you want a proper feed.
Despite the price, we ordered woodfired heritage carrots with cumin seeds and hasselback potatoes.
The carrots were fragrant and a decent portion, with colourful purples added in. We both loved the potatoes which were crispy on the outside but buttery smooth on the inside and well seasoned.
I could have ordered one of everything from the dessert menu, they all sounded delicious.
After much deliberation, I chose a dark chocolate delice (£14). It came with ice cream which we guessed was salted caramel. I really enjoyed this dessert, it was rich and just the right level of bitter for dark chocolate with a crunchy layer beneath smooth ganache.
At risk of sounding like a broken record, we commented on the price, despite how lovely it was.
Aidan’s dessert was really lovely, a banana parfait with lime and coconut sorbet (£10). This was like a little tropical paradise with well balanced flavours. It was a really nice and refreshing follow-up to his rich main course.
The verdict
Newhall Mains is without a doubt a gorgeous setting and I can only imagine how wonderful a stay there would be.
It is elegant while still being cosy and homely, exactly what people head to the Highlands for.
The food was delicious and we were really impressed by the quality of the produce and the variety on the menu.
In all honesty though, it is the most expensive meal we’ve had in the area and our chat on the way home kept coming back to the price.
With the smaller portions and pricey side dishes, it isn’t somewhere I personally could comfortably go and enjoy whatever I fancied without worrying about the final bill.
One to save for celebrations I think.
Information
Address: Newhall Mains, Balblair, by Dingwall, Ross-Shire, IV7 8LQ
T: 01381 632032
Price: £166.50 for two drinks, one starter, two mains, two sides and two desserts. A 12.5% service charge was added to the bill.
Disabled access: Yes
Dog-friendly: Yes for assistance dogs.
Scores:
Food: 3.5/5
Service: 5/5
Surroundings: 5/5
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