Finding somewhere to eat in the Outer Hebrides had not been easy. I’d contacted two restaurants that had come recommended only to find that they were both closed. I found myself muttering to myself about Scotland and the poor impression we give tourists.
But then I got to wondering – how many customers could a restaurant hope to attract in November in a remote part of the Outer Hebrides? These will likely be marginal businesses in any event and would never be able to afford to pay kitchen and waiting staff to stand around outnumbering the customers.
But that didn’t solve my problem of where to eat on a Thursday night in November. I finally found myself at an old favourite in Stornoway, but one that has changed recently to address the issue of a low potential customer base.
The restaurant at the Park Guest House has always had a good name and deservedly so. People talk of their deep-fried ice cream in hushed tones. I had heard people order theirs when they arrived for fear the restaurant would have run out by the time they had finished the rest of their meal.
But the restaurant has changed since I was last there. Now called “Cafe @ No 30” it opens during the day with a much more informal menu and last orders are taken at 7pm during the week. This was all fully explained when I booked by a polite woman who pointed out that there just isn’t the demand for formal dining in the winter during the week.
I was meeting a friend who was waiting for me in the welcoming lounge with its roaring fire and sumptuous furnishings. Just as warm was the greeting from the staff and our young waitress who was delightful. She apologised for not knowing the answer to a question about the food and rushed away to find out, confessing she had only just started working there. But she was far more helpful and attentive than many waiting staff I have encountered over the years. She was a natural and we left her a deservedly big tip.
The decor had also changed since my last visit and the restaurant had more of a bistro feel but was attractive nevertheless. We pored over a menu featuring an array of wonderful local produce – we were spoilt for choice.
My friend opted for a starter of Salar smoked salmon on a cheese scone with a lemon and dill crème fraiche. The smoked salmon was excellent although she was slightly disappointed by the scone which was not as fresh as it could be. My starter on the other hand was outstanding which was perhaps not surprising. After all where else should you eat the legendary black pudding other than in Stornoway. It was part of what was described as a “stack” which also included haggis, set on a potato scone with crispy bacon and a poached egg to accompany it. Possibly not the healthiest course on the menu but it tasted marvellous. Real comfort food on a stormy night.
We had ordered some wine by the glass to reflect our different main course choices – I had a South African Merlot and my friend opted for a Californian Pinot Grigio. Both were pleasant and reasonable value at £4.50 and £4.40 respectively.
My friend had been warned her main course was a large portion and they weren’t lying. They delivered what seemed like a mountain of goujons of Stornoway landed white fish in a tempura batter. Accompanied by mushy peas, hand cut fries and home made tartare sauce, my friend was afraid she might not be able to finish it. But she did. The batter was incredibly light and the fish very fresh.
My grilled Scotch ribeye steak garni was excellent. The meat was fantastic quality although it was definitely more medium than medium-rare.
We were very, very full by this time, but I was determined to sample the deep fried ice cream once more. It was truly awesome. Home-made vanilla ice cream coated in crushed bran flakes and served with butterscotch sauce – I thought it was hard to beat. But I have to say my friend’s pudding was equally impressive. An ice cream filled choux bun with hot chocolate fudge sauce, it tasted delicious and looked incredible. She declared it one of the best desserts she had ever tasted with home-made ice cream, very light pastry and creamy chocolate fudge sauce. Absolute perfection.
The wind may have been howling outside but we were quite content with our lot – well fed, warm and with a very reasonable bill given the quality. It may have changed from a restaurant to a cafe but standards had not diminished in any way.