We heard that this was a good, popular restaurant and decided to try it out on one of our regular trips to Aviemore.
We booked our table at least a week in advance and gave details of us both being vegetarian and one of us...having severe allergies, which we listed. We were reassured that this would not be a problem.
We arrived for our meal on a Friday night. The floor staff were polite and friendly. There was a nice atmosphere and we were shown to our table and given a newly updated menu with lots of choices for meat eaters. Unfortunately, the only choice available for us was pasta with a tomato sauce. This was vastly overpriced for such basic food that costs little to make. Furthermore, it was unclear as to whether or not it was free from the allergens highlighted to them.
When we asked for an alternative, the waiter said that it would be difficult because they had “limited” ingredients. This was surprising as they had a variety of foods on the menu that would have been suitable, such as goats cheese.
After some liaising, we were offered a Spanish omelette with vegetables mixed through it or a mixed salad with boiled eggs chopped and mixed through it! This is not a two bit cafe but gives the impression of a classy restaurant. Nevertheless, this restaurant is clearly geared up for meat eaters, who, from the reviews, enjoy the food served here. Despite this, and we have come across other restaurants that favour meat eaters just as much, this is the only restaurant in its class that has not attempted to serve us a more imaginative meal than a choice from the 1970’s “quick suppers for vegetarians” guide book.
What is really sad about this experience is that it is completely out of tune with today’s issues of climate change and global warming. There is constant press, media and magazine coverage of the need for us all to change our eating habits, to cut down on our meat consumption and to embrace a more vegetarian or, even a vegan style of diet. This does not mean completely ruling meat out of our diet but to limit it with meat free and dairy free days.
Clearly, this restaurant has not even begun to consider this concept or the fact that there is a growing number of vegetarians and vegans in Scotland.
There are a considerable number of visitors to the area who enjoy sport, outdoor activities and nature. There tends to be a higher number of vegetarians and vegans within this group, yet this restaurant appears not to have awakened to this fact.
In summary,
Traditional meat eaters will probably be happy with the choices on the menu here but if you are vegetarian or vegan, don’t waste your time, go somewhere else. There are nice restaurants that cater well for Vegetarians & vegans, close by.More
