Buddha Belly Eats

Gloagburn Farm Shop and Coffee Shop

2010-10-15T08:50:00.004Z

We stumbled upon on this wee gem some years ago and it has become one of our family favorite stopping off points on our travels.

Gloagburn Farm Shop and Coffee Shop is on what the Buddha calls "the back road to Perth or to Crieff if your going the other way". To normal people that is just of the A85 as you come out of Perth, take the road signpost Tibbermore, go past The Bield at Blackruthven and drive for about a mile. You will see Gloagburn on the right.

Set in the scenic Perthshire country side, Gloagburn is a working farm with pigs, hens, dogs, horses and ducks with a pond. Importantly, there is also a farm cafe and shop. The shop sells a wide range of home grown farm produce or locally sourced produce. Some really good stuff, if not a wee bit pricey. The cafe has a good selection of quiches, cakes and deserts that would tempt many a Buddha and I have been tempted many a time.

When we arrived we were promptly seated within the conservatory area of the cafe. The Buddha likes this dining area as he can do his nosey to the comings and goings around Gloagburn. The Buddha's wife was as usual tempted by what could be bought from the liquor license, but the Buddha put his foot down as it was only 1pm. Far to late to be drinking alcohol! We ordered a pot of tea and a white coffee. We also ordered carrot and coriander soups and a couple of vegetarian quiches with a crisp salad. We scoffed the lot.

Then we decided that we may have a wee something from the wide selection of fruit crumbles and pies, sponge puds, served with custard, cream or ice cream. But, thinking of the Buddha's tum we decided on another coffee and tea and fruit scones with jam. What a treat. The food was delicious and well cooked. Homely in feeling.

I have never been disappointed by the quality of food served at Gloagburn. The staff are always very friendly and helpful. Gloagburn is a great place to unwind for a couple of hours. If you find yourself in this neck of the woods you really should stop off. You won't regret it.

Food-8/10

Drink-7/10

Service-8/10

Environment-8/10

Contact Details:

Gloagburn Farm Shop and Coffee Shop

Tibbermore

Perth

PH1 1QL

Tel: 01738 840864

Smiling Jacks, Stirling

2010-10-07T23:45:00.018Z

It's not very often that the Buddha gets invited to a corporate night out. The event was a celebration of a young start up company (nn4m.com) and it was held within Stirling's mexican restaurant Smiling Jacks.

I have to say that mexican food is not my first choice when dinning out. In fact, I would state that I would rather graze in broken bottles than go to a mexican restaurant. However, in the spirit of a celebration and good company I thought why not. I'm glad I did too.

When we first arrived at Smiling Jacks I was struck by the tiny size of the restaurant. I have to say that it is a bit cosy to say the least, but has a warm and friendly atmosphere. We were seated intimately at our table. The Buddha enquired as to how many people Smiling Jacks could seat the waiter stated confidently 50. He must have been a miracle worker as I could not see it. Double decker seating arrangements never heard of that before. But, hey how, you know the young they can work the magic.

Well, the chef at Smiling Jacks certainly can work the magic. We were presented with what can only be described as a fantastic array of mexican culinary delights. The hosts had ordered a buffet selection of mexican dishes including nachos, bucket of bones, fajitas, burritos, enchiladas and tacos. The vegetarian and meat (chicken and beef) dishes were seasoned to perfection with a variety of beans, herbs and spices including chilli, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, chipotle, garlic, onions and peppers. I would love to get the recipes for guacamole and salsa as they were just divine. The food was well washed down with numerous cerveza's (Corona, Sol, Dos Equis), whilst the ladies were delighted with the frozen margaritas.

To say that the food was mouthwateringly delicious would be an understatement. We all ate far to much and to say our Buddha Belly's were full would be an understatement. I had a sneeky wee peek at the bill and it was not cheap, but it was worth it. If Smiling Jacks is anything to go by then the Buddha is converted to mexican food and he will not hesitate to return.

Great food, plus great drink, plus great company, equals a great night out.

Food-8/10

Drink-8/10

Service-8/10

Environment-7/10

Contact Details:

Smiling Jacks

17 Barnton St

Stirling

Stirlingshire

FK8 1HF

The Buddha Is Back

2010-10-07T22:49:00.005Z

It's been sometime (years) since the Buddha posted on Buddha Belly Eats. The Buddha has been in hibernation since early 2008 and after a long doze he is finally back to provide regular updates on his food and drink exploits.

I hope you all once again enjoy the posts and remember to tell your mates about Buddha Belly Eats.

Future Posts

2008-01-26T12:52:00.002Z

The Buddha Belly will be posting reviews on the following shortly:

The Park Bistro & Eating House, Linlithgow
Gloagburn Farm Shop and Coffee Shop, Tibbermore, Perth
Smiling Jacks, Stirling
David Bann, Edinburgh

Keep visiting Buddha Belly Eats and the Buddha Belly will help you select somewhere not so ordinary to go and eat and drink.

The Old Clubhouse, Gullane

2008-01-15T23:22:00.000Z

When family move back north of the border to civilisation and decide to settle in Aberlady it offers up opportunities to visit untried eateries on the coast of East Lothian. I was keen to take up this opportunity and when the Buddha’s sister in law offered to take us to The Old Clubhouse at Gullane we gladly accepted.

The drive from Aberlady to Gullane is a very pleasant one as the road meanders between the numerous golf courses. As you enter Gullane, you take the turning marked "The Old Clubhouse" at East Links Road and on your left is the half-timbered building which used to accommodate the original Gullane Golf Club.

As I entered the Clubhouse, I could feel the welcoming ambience and I was mightily impressed by the choice of décor, the fire place and the traditional style bar. We took a seat and perused the menu which you could also read on the large blackboard.

The Buddha and his wife ordered Nachos, Haggis, Neeps & Tatties and Marinated King Prawn Kebabs. We also chose a bottle of Guerrieri Rizzardi Pinot Grigio 2006 from the extensive wine list. I had the usual, although there was a range of cask conditioned ales to sample, but better the devil you know.

When the Nachos arrived I was dumbstruck. I have never seen such a well presented plate of Nachos in my life. The tortilla chips were topped with salsa, sour cream, guacamole, jalapeño peppers and melted cheese. Wow! They have to be probably the best Nachos in the world. They were amazing.

Haggis, Neeps & Tatties and Marinated King Prawn Kebabs were just about as good. It is unfortunate that Haggis gets such a bad rap as I’m sure more people would really enjoy it as when its cooked right it tastes brilliant. I am happy to report that the Old Clubhouse’s haggis was deliciously gorgeous. The 'great chieftan o' the pudding race' was nice and spicy and was served with a generous quantity of creamy mashed turnips and potatoes.

It tasted as though the King Prawn had been marinated with yoghurt, spices and lime juice to produce a heavenly combination of textures and fragrant, spicy flavours. The Buddha’s wife enjoyed the dish immensely.

Oh, and as an aside, the others chose Crayfish & Loch Fyne Smoked Salmon Salad and a Rib Eye Steak. There were nods of approval when I asked them if they were enjoying their meal.

The meal was fantastic. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to the Old Clubhouse. It was memorable and very enjoyable. I’m sure that I will be back.

Food-8/10
Drink-8/10
Service-7/10
Environment-9/10

Contact details:
The Old Clubhouse
East Links Road
Gullane
EH31 2AF
Tel: 01620 842008

VinCaffè, Edinburgh

2008-01-15T17:44:00.000Z

As the Buddha’s kids have grown into their mid teens it’s not very often that we get out as foursome to do some shopping and lunch. So with great gusto I dragged them into Edinburgh to buy a birthday present for the Buddha’s wife. When I look at her I find it hard to believe that another year has passed. She never seems to age and looks at least ten years younger than she is.

After we had visited Links of London, behind Harvey Nichols, we decided that we needed to snack so we made the few steps along Multrees Walk to VinCaffè, Valvona & Crolla. We were seated upstairs in the restaurant beside the window. The place is sleek and chic and appears very upmarket.

As we waited for our meal we were able to pass the time watching shoppers go about their business. The kids ordered two margarita pizza’s and devoured them. They commented that the pizza dough was light and crispy and really tasty. We ordered two bowls of potato and rocket soup which came with bread on the side. The soup had a very distinctive taste that grew on you as you ate it. It was incredibly filling. We also had two soft drinks, a cappuccino and a glass of pinot. The bill was just shy of £45.00. The food was good, but over priced and did not offer good value.

Food-7/10
Drink-7/10
Service-8/10
Environment-6/10 (Two of the ladies toilets were not working)

Contact details:
VinCaffè
Valvona & Crolla
Multrees Walk
Edinburgh
Tel: 0131 557 0088

Clive Ramsay’s at Brucefields Family Golf Centre, Bannockburn

2008-01-15T17:06:00.000Z

I have visited Clive Ramsay’s at Brucefields Family Golf Centre near Bannockburn on a number of occasions recently and I have had mixed experiences.

My first visit was for a breakfast meeting. Those present ordered coffee and as we were all slightly hungry we also ordered breakfast. I ordered poached eggs on toast with bacon. The coffee and the breakfast meal arrived after an eternity. However, the eggs and bacon tasted as well as they were presented. Very nice. The coffee was less well received as it was bitter and not as warm as it should be.

My second visit was an attempt to get some head space from the chaotic comings and goings in the office. I ordered a cup of coffee and mixed root vegetable crisps with salsa and houmous. When it arrived after a lengthy wait the coffee was barely passable, weak and pretty tasteless. It was also cold. The crisps and dip were good, if not a tad overpriced for what they were. The salsa is really nice though.

I drew the attention of the waiter to the cold coffee and all I got was a shrug of the shoulders as he lifted it and took it from a blast of steam. He returned it with a trace of a smile. Has verbal communication been removed from the competency of a waiter? Mmmm.

On my third visit, I was accompanied by the Buddha’s wife and we decided that we would create our own little buffet and picked the red chilli peppers stuffed with tuna, the classic caesar salad with little gem leaves, croutons, anchovies, fresh parmesan with house caesar dressing and the house cheese plate.

What a feast we had. It was very enjoyable. I love those kind of sharing meals. The Buddha’s wife ordered a glass or two of the refreshing and fruity Pinot Grigio which she thoroughly enjoyed and complemented the cheddar, brie and blue cheese and oatcakes. I washed the meal down with a coffee which was a significant improvement on what I had received on previous visits.

Food-7/10
Drink-5/10
Service-6/10
Environment-7/10

Contact details:
Brucefields Family Golf Centre
Pirnhall Road
Bannockburn
Stirling
FK7 8EH
Tel: 01786 818805

The Commercial Hotel, Larbert

2008-01-15T16:34:00.000Z

The Buddha has only posted two pubs on Buddha Belly Eats to date. These being the Diggers in Edinburgh and Bar 51/2 in Porto Colum, Majorca, So, I thought that it was about time I shared another gem of a drinking den with you.

The Commercial Hotel is a family-owned and family-run hotel and traditional pub that serves a range of lagers and ales, along with a good selection of wines and whiskies, including the Buddha’s favourite, Belhaven Best. The Buddha’s wife swears that the slimline tonic sold at the Commercial is the best calorie controlled diet that includes an essential and comprehensive intake of vodka.

The Hotel stands opposite the imposing Larbert Old Parish Church. The Church dates back to the first half of the 16th century and in it’s present form was designed by the celebrated architect David Hamilton and built in 1820 at a cost of £3,300.

The Commercial has been the prime local watering hole at Larbert Cross for well over a century. The Scottish-American actor Jimmy Finlayson was born a stones throw from the Commercial in 1887. Finlayson worked in silent as well as sound movies and starred opposite Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. It is a hangout of regulars, local worthies, with a smattering of old-timers and, being Larbert, the atmosphere is friendly, relaxed and genial.

This little drinking den oozes atmosphere and some quirky features that enhance the drinking experience. The main feature is a long bar that patrons congregate around to discuss the events of the day and to put the world to right. There are two screens usually tuned into music or sport, but conversation is easy, and there are plenty of tables and chairs and a lounge at the rear.

In recent years, the management of the Commercial has passed from Mother to Son and it has undergone refurbishment. I’m glad to report that Kenny and his wife Angela have done a fine job and the refurbishment has not detracted from the traditional drinking experience. May the Commercial continue to serve the community of Larbert for another 100 years.

Food-N/A (Although the Salt and Vinegar Square Crisps are the best in the area)
Drink-9/10
Service-9/10
Environment-8/10

Contact details:
Commercial Hotel
3 Stirling Road
Larbert
Stirlingshire
FK5 4AE
Tel: 01324 557197

Macdonald Cardrona Hotel, Cardrona

2008-01-04T11:54:00.000Z

Since I, the Buddha Belly, got hitched some five years ago I have always attempted to celebrate that historic day by whisking my dearly beloved wife off to a romantic venue for our wedding anniversary. This year was no exception and we made a reservation at the Macdonald Cardrona Hotel, Cardrona. Our reservation was based on our excellent experience of a recent stay at the McDonald Marine Hotel in North Berwick and as busy parents we were looking forward to spending our short break at the Macdonald Cardrona Hotel.

What follows is the sorry tale of our nighmare stay and one that unfortunately soured our anniversery celebration. Please read on.

On arrival at the Hotel, we asked to have our evening meal at 9.30pm and we arrived promptly at the restaurant to be told that there had been a mix up and that we should take a seat in the lounge area for a couple of minutes. We did as requested and after 25 minutes we were given menus to look over. A further 25 minutes passed and no staff approached us to take a drinks order and/or to take a meal order and I had to place a drinks order at the bar myself. After a further 10 minutes, we were shown to our table which appeared to have been hastily set. This was 60 minutes after we should have been seated at our table.

When we sat down I lent slightly on the table and it seemed to be unstable to the extent that my wife had to rescue the glasses from falling from the it. As we were seated directly behind the restaurant reception the staff must have been aware that the table was faulty. I drew the staffs attention to the table and they apologised, but did nothing to alleviate the situation. We placed our meal order 15 minutes after being seated and I am sure that you will agree that having just placed your meal order 1 hour 15 minutes after you are supposed to seated for what should have been a celebratory meal is just not good enough. The evening could not have got of to a worse start; unfortunately it did not get any better.

We both chose the mushroom risotto for our starters and my wife chose the duck for her mains and I chose the turbot for my mains. The mushroom risotto arrived some 25 minutes later, we are now talking 11.10pm and we are just getting our starters. The mushroom risotto was simply disgusting. I am still trying to understand why there was a pile of lettuce leaves sprinkled on the top. Maybe, it was to hide the impending disappointment of the risotto. Once we had moved these to the side we were able to see the gooey mush that had been served up to us. I took my first mouthful and it tasted rancid. Where had the overpowering taste of garlic come from as it drowned the dish? Another forkful revealed that the mushrooms were undercooked and just horrible. We never bothered trying to eat any more and we moved the plates to the side. The waitress who cleared the plates never asked us what was wrong with the starter.

We waited and waited and waited for a further 40 minutes (12 midnight an no main course yet!) until we could wait no longer and I summoned a waitress to inquire where the main course was and she looked puzzled and embarrassed and hastily set off in the direction of the kitchen. After a further 15 minutes, our main courses arrived. My wife’s duck was a bit fatty, but in her words “it is edible”. However I wish I could say the same for the turbot. It was dry and partial burnt and it was clear that it had been left under a hot lamp for a considerable period of time. I took 2 forkfuls’ and decided to give it a miss.

Once my wife had eaten what she could of the duck I asked, whom I presumed was the Head Waitress, to attend our table and I communicated our disappointment at the meal that we have been served and she agreed that it was “not very good”. She also intimated that our order had somehow been left in the kitchen and that this was why we had not been served earlier. She could not explain why it had taken us over an hour to be seated and she also apologised for the table being dangerously unstable. After discussion with a senior colleague, who appeared totally non-plussed by our experience, she returned to offer us a complimentary drink for our inconvenience. We declined the offer.

Needless to say, the dining experience had a negative effect on our stay at the Macdonald Cardrona Hotel and rather than using the spa facilities in the morning we left at our earliest convenience. What should have been a celebration of our anniversary turned out to be a nightmare. I shall not be returning to any Macdonald Hotels in a hurry.

Food-1/10
Drink-5/10
Service-3/10
Environment-7/10

Contact details:
Macdonald Cardrona Hotel
Cardrona
Peebles
EH45 6LZ
Tel: 0870 194 2114
Fax:. 01896 831166

The Horseshoe Inn, Eddleston by Peebles

2008-01-03T14:11:00.000Z

“What’s around the next bend?” I wondered. It was Sunday and we driving down the A703 towards Peebles and we had just entered the small village of Eddleston. As we drove through the village, we both glanced left at a white washed building and were drawn by the glow of candles in the window. We looked at each other knowingly and as is our want we entered our usual psychic communication and I pulled into the rear car park of The Horseshoe Inn.

“This looks nice” said the Buddha’s wife as we entered the Inn. The receptionist asked us if we were dining or looking for drink. We said we would decide once we had the opportunity to peruse the menu. We were seated in a formal, but very relaxed lounge area.

The waitress handed us menu’s and we commented on how the Inn had a lovely welcoming feel to it. She informed us that the Inn had originally been the villages Blacksmith’s Shop and that a couple of years ago the present owners had undertaken a significant refurbishment of the property. We both agreed that they had made a good job of it.

The Inn had a Sunday Lunch Menu that looked irresistible so we decided to have both a drink and to dine. The Buddha Belly ordered a pint of Best and as is her normal practice, the Buddh’a wife had a a glass of Francesca Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2005. At £7.00 a glass it was a bit steep, but according to the enthusiastic consumer it was brilliant and well worth the money.

For starters, we ordered the pheasant and foie gras terrine with shizo salad, apple and plum chutney and the chilled melon with parma ham, parmesan cheese and rocket with dressing. For mains, we ordered the pan seared sea bass on a bed of stir fry vegetables, ginger and noodles, together with the roast beef, yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes and gravy.

We were seated in the in the red and gold restaurant shortly after placing our order and the meal duly arrived. It was Sunday feast fit for kings and queens. It was great and I could see why The Horseshoe Inn has been awarded the AA's new Restaurant of the Year for Scotland. We enjoyed fine-dining in a restaurant that takes food seriously, this together with the super-attentive staff gave us an afternoon to remember.

I don’t think that we could afford to do Sunday lunch at the Inn every week, however they do have cheaper and interesting menu in the bistro. No wonder that The Horseshoe Inn’s is developing a growing reputation for the quality of the food served. It was a fantastic meal and we will return.

Food-9/10
Drink-9/10
Service-9/10
Environment-9/10

Contact details:
The Horseshoe Inn
Eddleston
Peebles
EH45 8QP
Tel: 01721 730 225

The Cotton House, Longcroft, Bonnybridge

2007-12-31T21:00:00.000Z

I had heard on the grapevine that the Cotton House out by Longcroft was serving up delicious food, so as is my want I decided to sample the menu. I took a bit of a calculated risk by inviting a few members of my family to come along with me. However, needless to say it was no risk with The Cotton House living up to all our expectations.

When we arrived outside The Cotton House I began to suffer from de-ja-vue. I was thinking that I had been there before. It was not until my wife told me that we had bought a bed from the premises some ten years previously when it had been used as a bed store that I realised I was not losing my mind.

Well, the transformation from bed store to an upmarket restaurant is remarkable. Helen and Alex Lee, the owners of The Cotton House, have created a very pleasant environment and one that lends itself to creating a first class dining experience.

Seated and given menus by a very attentive waitress we perused the delights of The Cotton House. We ordered and to start we had two portions of the Mixed Hors D’Oeuvres, which I have to say were pure magic and more than enough to get our taste buds flowing. This was accompanied by a number of bottles of Tsingtao Chinese Beer, which can quench the thirst of many a Buddha.

For our mains, we shared Yau Pau king prawns which had been quick fried with mixed vegetables, Sambal chicken which is chicken marinated in chilli with basil and coconut cream, hot and spicy Singapore noodles, curried breast of chicken and, finally, marinated king prawn which was skewered on bamboo and chargrilled and served on a sizzling platter with spicy Malaysian peanut sauce. All was served with the usual egg fried rice.

The meal was fantastic; superb; magnificent; tremendous. I’m running out of adjectives to describe how good the meal was. I suppose I should just state that you will find it hard to beat The Cotton House as the quality food was outstanding, as was the exceptional level of service.

In my view, The Cotton House provides the very best Chinese and Thai cuisine in central Scotland. This is a big statement to make. But believe me it true. If you don’t believe me go and find out for yourself as I’m sure that you will agree that it’s well worth a visit.

Food-9/10
Drink-8/10
Service-9/10
Environment-8/10

Contact Details:
The Cotton House
209 Longcroft Trade Centre
Glasgow Road
Longcroft
Bonnybridge
FK4 1QQ
Tel: 01324 840840

Red Lion Chinese Restaurant, Larbert

2007-12-31T16:20:00.000Z

For those of you who regularly drive into Larbert towards the Commercial Hotel roundabout cannot have failed to notice that something is different. The Red Lion Hotel has been transformed into what can only be described as a carbuncle on the landscape of Larbert.

The once "normal" exterior of the hotel has been turned into a Las Vegas style Chinese restaurant that borders on the appeal of an eastern European brothel. The external lights that constantly change colour create an ambience that the sex industry in Prague would be only to proud of. Not that the Buddha has frequented any of these places, but he does know a friend who has. The only thing that is missing is the scantly clad young lady dancing round the lamp posts outside. Give it time.

How the owners ever got planning permission for the signage and lighting is beyond me. The Councl have badly let the people of Larbert down once again. I am beginning to sound like Prince Charles. But, for God’s sake it is awful. What are these people thinking about?

It took me a few weeks of head shaking to eventually put my prejudices behind me and ventured across the door of the “new” Red Lion. Although, I only had a carry out I can report that thankfully the food is not a tacky as the exterior. It was tasty and enjoyable.

I have heard mixed reports from others who have had the pleasure of eating in. I am not convinced that I will brave the neon frenzy to enter the restaurant as it is my view that the food is not a patch on that served at The Cotton House (review soon to be posted).

I have noticed that the owners have now opened a Champagne and Wine Bar. What ever next? Champagne! I couldn’t see any on the wine list. Although, I did see some overpriced Australian sparkling wine. I think I’ll give Trading Standards a call.

Food-7/10 (Carry Out)
Drink-N/A (Carry Out)
Service-6/10 (Carry Out)
External Environment-0/10 (Cannot comment on internal as carry out)

Contact Details:
The Red Lion Hotel
2 Stirling Road
Larbert
FK5 4AF
Tel: 01324 562886

Yang Sing, Camelon, Falkirk.

2007-08-06T13:54:00.000Z

What is it with us Scots? Why do we always think more is better? Is this the logic that we are adopting by the creeping growth in buffet nights at Chinese restaurants? What’s makes me pose these questions? Well, a while back I had the unfortunate experience to eat at the Yang Sing at Camelon, Falkirk. In short, it was one of the worst dining experiences that I have had the displeasure of experiencing in recent years.

When we walked in through the doors of the Yang Sing and I was astounded by the amount of people who were either seated or waiting to be so. To say this restaurant was full doesn't cut it. It was bursting at the seams. I've always reckoned you could tell a good restaurant by the amount of people that dine, but unfortunately this cannot be said for the Yang Sing. After a 15 minute wait we were taken to a bench style table that was designed to seat about 12 people. The waiter explained that the menu only consisted of "eat as much as you want" for £10.00. Mmmm, okay I thought.

So after placing our drinks order, up we strode along with the rest of the Falkirk population to queue in front of what all intents and purposes were feeding trough’s. We were confronted by what could only be described as an unappealing stodgy Chinese food mountain. The starters were three types of soup, pancake rolls and filling, spring rolls, and won tons. The spring rolls were veggie and were ever so slightly greasy. There were main dishes such as mushrooms in batter, chicken in its many forms, together with beef dishes, ribs, mixed vegetables and mushroom satay. There were also noodles, fried rice and the obligatory chips. The sauces include curry, sweet and sour and lemon sauce. If you were not satisfied by the this the you could gorge yourself on the sweets such as chocolate gateau, banana fritter, ice creams, fruits and cheesecake.

It sounds okay on paper, but all the dishes appeared to be mixed together, droplets of curry sauce was mixed in with the sweet and sour sauce. What would pass a vegetarian dish was partly mixed with meat dish. I will spare you further detail, but needless to say it was minging. It was like eating in an airport cafe. Terrible! It was just horrible.

We were in and out the restaurant in less than 30 minutes, never to return again. I suppose the buffet meal at the Yang Sing is ideal for people who can eat ‘til they drop! But for those of us who expect a tiny wee bit of finesse, better value and real choice I would advise you to dine elsewhere.

Food-3/10
Drink-4/10
Service-4/10
Environment-4/10

Contact Details:

Yang Sing
43 Union Road
Camelon
Falkirk
FK1 4PG
Tel: 01324 611288

Future Posts

2007-07-09T20:28:00.000Z

The Buddha Belly will be posting reviews on the following shortly:

Clive Ramsay's, Bannockburn
The Horseshoe Inn, Eddleston
The Cotton House, Bonnybridge
McDonald Cardrona Hotel, Peebles
Yang Sing, Falkirk

Keep visiting Buddha Belly Eats and the Buddha Belly will help you select somewhere not so ordinary to go and eat and drink.

The Boathouse, South Queensferry.

2007-07-06T17:51:00.000Z

I was on my way into Edinburgh for a business meeting and suddenly I thought that it would be great to take a slight detour down to South Queensferry for lunch. I had read good reports of The Boathouse and suggested to the Buddha's wife that we should pay it a visit and I was pleased that she readily agreed.

The Boathouse overlooks the Firth of Forth and has stunning views of both bridges. We were fortunate enough to get great seats in the downstairs bistro area and they afforded us fantastic views of the old railway bridge.

The Boathouse has been described as a “fish lovers' paradise”. Well, in my view this is greatly overstating the menu. On the lunch menu I could only find three fish dishes (oysters and scallops) and one was the daily special! (sea bass). The all day menu was just as disappointing as I could only identify two mains (haddock and chips or mussels) that could be loosely described as a fish dish.

To be honest I had expected more, but that is not to say that the food was not good, it is just that it was limited fish selection. If a restaurant boosts that is offers the very best in Scotland’s fish and seafood plates then I would have expected more choice and more imagination.

With that said, we did have a good dining experience. We weren’t particularly hungry when we took our seats at the window of spectacular views so we decided to limit ourselves to sharing a tapas, a mixed salad and mussels. We also ordered two glass of house white for the Buddha’s wife and a glass of tap water and a coffee.

To be perfectly honest, I was so disappointed with the lack of fish choice on the menu that it put paid to my appetite. I know that Tam Cowan has reviewed The Boathouse and that he has given it the thumbs up. But, what would expect from someone who is a Motherwell supporter and he’s just glad to be eating anything that’s not wrapped in newspaper. Only kidding Tam and keep up the good work.

The food arrived promptly and was good. The tapas offered a plentiful supply of fresh olives, meats, fish, pates, vegetables and bread. The mixed salad was extremely fresh; the salad leaves dressed balsamic dressing was refreshing. The mussels steamed in a chilli, tomato and coriander were brilliant.

The waitress attempted to charge me £1.80 for the glass of tap water. You would think that there was a shortage of rain drops in this country! I asked her to think again and that certainly put paid to any tip that I was thinking of offering. Maybe, a bit harsh, but this type of thing gets on my wick.

All in all it was very tasty lunch and at £25.00 was well worth it. I would go back just in hope that there are more fish dishes on the menu. So in summary and true Tam Cowan fashion the Buddha Belly Eats rating is:

Food-7/10
Drink-7/10
Service-8/10
Environment-10/10

Contact Details:
The Boathouse
19b High Street
South Queensferry
West Lothian
EH30 9PP
Tel: 0131 331 5429

Purple Mango, Milton Keynes

2007-07-03T17:08:00.000Z

When I first visited the Purple Mango I was extremely disappointed both by the food and the service. So it may be a bit of a surprise for you the read that I have returned. Well I am a wee bit myself, but my sister-in-law and my brother-in-law persuaded me to give it another chance.

My Brother-in- Law insists that the Purple Mango is the best Indian restaurant in Milton Keynes and surrounding area. Well he is right in that the restaurant is very stylish, modern and offers a very nice atmosphere and I'm glad to report that it has also gone up in estimation.

The last time I was there I ordered the chicken biriani which turned out to be bland and tasteless. I was really disappointed. I would not make the same mistake twice. This time I decided that I would pick from the banquet menu and I got to choose from an extensive menu which included a starter, a main course, side dish, rice or a nan bread and a coffee. It was great value.

For my starter, I ordered a Prawn Tikka Puree which was absolutely fantastic. This was followed by a plentiful supply of tasty Lamb Bhoona that was medium curry with plentiful fresh spices, onions and green peppers. I decided to order Allo Ghobie, which is potatoes and cauliflower as a side dish, together with Special Pilau Rice. I would not say that Lamb Bhoona was the best I've ever tasted, but it was good. The Allo Ghobie was mouthwatering. Mmmmmm lovely.

As a footnote, my Wife and sister-in-law ordered the Purple Mango Special King Prawns that were deliciously flavoured with herbs and spices. The prawns were the largest I have ever seen served in any restaurant they had been beautifully cooked in a clay oven.

I’m glad that I gave the Purple Mango another opportunity to please me palate and I’m pleased to report that it offers good generous and thoughtfully presented food from a creative menu. My only negative comment is that on both visits the staff came across as being a bit gruff. Maybe, its because I’m used to the really friendly staff at my local curry house, The Gulnar. The Buddha Belly Eats rating is:

Food-8/10
Drink-7/10
Service-6/10
Environment-7/10

Contact Details:

Purple Mango
26b Walnut Tree
Local Centre
Walnut Tree
Milton Keynes
MK7 7AN
Tel: 01908 677980

The Wavendon Arms Again

2007-07-03T16:40:00.000Z

This week we're on wee tour down south and we decided to pay another visit to the The Wavendon Arms. Ardent readers of Buddha Belly Eats will recall that I visted the The Wavendon Arms earlier this year. We had booked for 8.00pm and arrived at 7.30pm and settled in the bar for quick aperitif. Well a pint of Bombardier in my case, a small glass of Leffe for the Aussie whooos and a bottle of Pinot for the ladies.

Bang on 8.00pm we were shown to our table. The place was heaving and the atmosphere was relaxed and comfortable. The menu had not changed since we last visited. The “Specials” menu is a daily feature that certainly enticed some of our group. I ordered grilled asparagus, poached egg, parmesan and rocket for my starter and ribeye steak, chilli onion rings, pesto tomato and chips on the side for my mains.

My starter was delicious and I grudgingly shared it around the table. Once I had rescued my starter from the appreciative mouths of the scavengers I summarily devoured it. It was good. No, it was very good. The poached egg yolk mixed superbly with the balsamic dressing. The asparagus was blanched to perfection and combined spectacularly with the poached egg, parmesan and rocket. Mmmmm. I might sneak back today for another plateful. I would give the starter 9/10.

The mains arrived just in time to be accompanied by another pint of Bombardie. The steak had been cooked to medium rare as requested. The chilli onion rings were a tad on the dry side. Maybe, this was result of the dish being placed under a hot plate for slightly longer than it should have been. Still, I did enjoy the steak, pesto tomato and chips. I would give the mains 7/10.

We forced ourselves to order three deserts for the table, two hot chocolate cakes with ice cream and one sticky toffee pudding with cream. We all got stuck in to the puddings and they were a magical way to end the meal. I would give the deserts 9/10.

And finally, is it just me or do the waitresses at the The Wavendon Arms look the same, about 5'5" tall, size 8-10, blonde hair pulled and tied back, black trouser and black t-shirts, tanned or fake tanned and their naval showing. I must be getting dead old because I am finding this whole revealed naval thing a bit disturbing. I can't seem to take my eyes of them. I don't know what I'm going to see, but it does slightly and momentary disturb my thirst quenching activities. I hope that I’m not starting to go through a bare naval induced mid-life crisis thing.

The Buddha Belly Eats rating is:

Food-8/10
Drink-8/10
Service-8/10
Environment-9/10

Contact Details:

The Wavendon Arms
2 Newport Road
Wavendon
Buckinghamshire
MK17 8LJ
Tel: 01908 584277

Good Golf and Good Food Are A Great Mix

2007-05-26T12:51:00.000Z

My son and I were back playing golf at St Fillans the other week. We had a fantastic time on the course. The weather was the usual, four seasons in one hour. That's a slight exaggeration, but it was close. We had our usual stake for nearest the pin at the short 8th hole and I am now down £2.00. I'll see if I can balance the books before the golfing season is out.

One of the joys of playing golf at St Fillans is looking forward to the freshly cooked food that awaits you at the 19th hole. Regular readers will recall my post "St Fillans Golf Club, St Fillans" were I praised the food. Well I’m pleased to report that the food remains superb and the prices are still set to ensure that they do not dent your pocket. Try the ham salad, with a side portion of chips. It’s pure magic. Enjoy.

The Buddha Belly Eats rating is:

Food-8/10 (Ham salad on its own is a 10/10)
Drink-8/10 (So reasonable)
Service-8/10
Environment-9/10 (Views are stunning)

Contact Details:
St Fillans Golf Club
South Loch Earn Road
St Fillans
Perthshire
PH6 2NJ
Telephone: 01764 685312

The Wavendon Arms, Wavendon

2007-05-14T17:34:00.000Z

Sometime ago we got a call from the Buddha’s Wife’s sister claiming that she had found a great place to eat and that we would love it. So on our next trip down south we went to the Wavendon Arms and we were not disappointed.

The Wavendon Arms is described as a new country pub with a difference and it certainly is and it puts my local “The Commercial” slightly in the shade. It’s rumoured that the owners spent over £1M on the refurbishment. Both the external and internal works look as though a few pounds have been invested and are very tasteful.

When we arrived we were offered a warm welcome and were seated promptly. At my back was roasting log fire (it was in January!), which soon ensured that I was ready for drink. Whilst the ladies ordered a bottle of chenin blanc, the Buddha ordered a pint of Brigadier, whereas, the Aussie whooos ordered a Bloody Mary! The Brigadier was very pleasant and I was soon ready for a second, whereas the Aussie whooos nursed his drink a night. Light weight!

For our starters, we decided that we would share both Spanish Tapas and Greek Mezze. The starters were generous in size and offered plenty in the way of variety and taste. Very enjoyable.

As you may be aware, the Buddha is rather partial to a Ribeye Steak so that’s what I ordered for my mains. When it arrived it was drizzled in what the menu describes as “Bloody Mary Butter”. The steak was also accompanied by a side order of fries and salad. As I cut my knife into the steak I could see that it was cooked to perfection. The “Bloody Mary Butter” was interesting and certainly added to the taste of the succulent beef.

For desert the adults shared, a couple of cheese boards, which were plentiful in cheese, biscuits and fruit. The kids ordered the usual deserts are were silent whilst they ate them which is always a good sign.

I thoroughly enjoyed the meal, which was well cooked and presented. The service was first class and the atmosphere at The Wavendon Arms is relaxed, friendly and informal. Just the kind of place the Buddha enjoys. In summary, the meal was good, albeit a bit pricey for an out of town eatery, but the Buddha would return.

Contact Details:

The Wavendon Arms
2 Newport Road
Wavendon
Buckinghamshire
MK17 8LJ
Tel; 01908 584277

Time Flies

2007-05-13T18:07:00.000Z

Is it that long since the Buddha posted on Buddha Belly Eats? Just shows you that time flies when you're caught up in everything Heart of Midlothian. As the football season draws to an end and the drivel that I've been posting on my other blog “Jambo Voice” begins to dry up my mind has turn to Buddha Belly Eats.

Even though my attention has been on “Jambo Voice” I still have been eating and drinking out so I have stacks to comment on. Over the next few weeks I will be posting a number of reviews so please keep visiting Buddha Belly Eats.

I look forward to hearing your comments over the summer.

Upcoming Posts in January 2007

2007-01-07T17:54:00.001Z

Keep your eye out for upcoming posts in January 2007. The Buddha Belly will be posting reviews of the following:

Hermann’s, Stirling
The Wavendon Arms, Wavendon
Purple Mango, Milton Keynes

Keep visiting Buddha Belly Eats for reviews on some of the good places or not so good places to eat and drink.

The Inn at Woburn

2007-01-04T18:53:00.000Z

By the time you read this review my sister-in-law and her husband will have celebrated their first wedding anniversary. To acknowledge this important event, the Buddha Belly thought that he would write a review of the meal that we shared to celebrate their wedding. Although, it was just over a year ago it was such a memorable meal that it is still vivid in my memory. Some of the best stories always have a beginning, middle and an end and the Buddha Belly believes that a good review is not different. So let’s commence at the beginning of what was a special day.

The wedding party was collected by limousine and were we were taken the short distance to the Registry Office in Bletchley. The ceremony was intimate, romantic and a true celebration of the love that two people have for each other. It was a privilege to be part of what was a trilogy of wedding ceremonies. Don’t ask. It would take to long to explain.

After the wedding ceremony, it was back in the limousine and on to the Inn at Woburn. Just six miles from the Registry Office at Bletchley, the Inn at Woburn is set in the heart of the picturesque Georgian village. The Inn, which was opened in 1724, is part of the extensive Woburn Estate which is famous for its deer herds.

On arrival, we made for the very pleasant and comfortable bar and ordered drinks to toast the legal status of the couple. Whilst we toasted the happy couple we also took in the surroundings. The Inn is quite, how could I put it, “sort of posh”. Although, the decoration and furnishings reflect its character it is not oppressively posh, it’s as my wife described it "comfortably posh".

We soon moved into the small elegant dining room that offered a slightly more intimate ambiance. As soon as we were seated at the large round centre table we were presented with menu’s that offered the diner a wide variety of contemporary dishes.

For starters, I had baked scallops with spring onion and vermouth sauce. The scallops were served in their shell which was interesting. This was a brilliantly simple starter that was mouth-watering marvellous.

For my mains, I ordered grilled rib eye steak with red wine sauce served with frites, flat cap mushrooms, and roast cherry tomatoes. I enjoy my steak medium rare and this steak was cooked to perfection. The red wine sauce was light that it encouraged the fusion of tastes from the steak and the sautéed mushrooms and tomatoes. Mmmmm. My taste buds are crying out as I reminisce of the taste.

It’s unusual for the Buddha Belly to have a sweet, however as it was a special occasion I decided what the hell its not every day that the wife’s sister gets married. Well, that’s not entirely true as this was her third time during the proceeding three months. As I explained earlier don’t go there it’s a long story!

Anyway, the Buddha Belly ordered the pana cotta with cranberry and raspberry sauce that was sweetened by vanilla cream served with Amaretto biscuits. When it arrived it reminded me of a recent nude of a woman. It was of sheer beauty that had a fascinating simplicity. I could have admired its beauty all day. However, that was not the pana cotta purpose so needs must and with fork in hand I delicately and respectfully took a forkful. The distinctly vanilla sweet cream was silky-smooth in texture complimented the cranberry and raspberry sauce that appeared to have a champagne fizz to it. It was lip-smackingly delicious.

The excellent meal was finished by a selection of handmade cheese with grape, celery, grape chutney, savoury biscuits and the obligatory coffee.

The Chef at the Inn is a guy Olivier Bertho. I had never heard of him, but I have to say that he offered us a superb menu of contemporary cuisine which was presented and served with flair and imagination. The food was nothing but excellent. The staff were enthusiastic and very attentive without imposing on our dining experience. I loved the food and had the most enjoyable meal. FANTASTIC!

The first wedding anniversary is symbolised by paper and I have attempted to do this through the virtual paper provided by Buddha Belly Eats. However, what really matters is that the happy couple have found that special someone to share their life in lasting love. Congratulations C and J on your first legal year of togetherness and the Buddha Belly wishes you many more.

Contact Details:

The Inn at Woburn
George Street
Woburn
MK17 9PX
Tel: 01525 290441

All The Best For 2007

2007-01-04T14:56:00.000Z

The Buddha Belly would like to wish everyone all the best for 2007 and lang may yir lum reek wi ither fowk's coal.

May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may your God hold you in the palm of their hand.

Best wishes for 2007

Buddha Belly Apologises

2006-12-10T11:53:00.000Z

I would like to apologise for not updating Buddha Belly Eats in recent weeks. I hope to be back writing a few reviews in another week or so. So please keep checking Buddha Belly Eats.

Pizzeria Corrieri, Stirling

2006-11-03T16:28:00.000Z

The Buddha Belly was introduced to the delights of the Pizzeria Corrieri, or as it’s more commonly known “Corrieri’s”, some years ago and since it’s been a firm favourite with my family.

If you are tired of pricey and pretentious Italian restaurants, similar to Bar Roma, then Corrieri's may be for you. I have always had a good meal at Corrieri's and I have never been disappointed by what has been served. Corrieri's is not one of these new fancy Italian restaurants that appear to be springing up in our cities. Corrieri's offers authentic Italian food served in a relaxed and family friendly environment. It is more café style than a restaurant which adds to its unique character.

Corrieri's sits in shadow of Wallace Monument and is about 5 minutes drive from the centre of Stirling. As you drive from the city centre you will get exceptional views of the Wallace Monument and The Ochil Hills. At the top of the road there is a small roundabout and facing you slightly to the right is Corrieri's. Depending on the time of day you may find parking a wee bit of challenge.

On my families latest visit to Corrieri's we were greeted warmly by Robert. His friendly nature is a trademark of Corrieri's and clearly sets the tone for all the staff. Seated, we were given the menu which is moderately priced and offers good variety. There is an interesting selection of starters on offer, together with a wide range of pizza’s and pasta’s. But, we all have our particular favourites and what we eat at Corrieri's has now become something of a ritual. The Buddha Belly always has Penne Boscaiola. The Buddha Belly’s Wife and Mother swear by the stuffed peppers with mixed salad, whilst the Lasagne is his Father’s favourite. The Buddha Belly's kids feast on the comfort of half a pizza and half a portion of Spaghetti Bolognese.

That was the order and the food was nothing but excellent. Nearly forgot, do not miss ordering at least one side portion of chips. They are what the Buddha Belly calls “real chips” from Corrieri's chippy next door and not your skinny American style rubbish that some place serve up. Oops! Apologies to any of our American readers, but once you've tried them you'll know what I mean.

Please sample some of Corrieri's ice-cream it is to die for. We always do. If you're not into ice cream then there is a selection of mouth-watering tasty sweets that will satisfy even the biggest Buddha Belly. I am a bit choosy of my coffee, but I have no worries at Corrieri's as they make some of the best.

Corrieri's is very popular, especially at weekends, so I would advise you to book a table. Corrieri's is one of the simplest and least pretentious restaurants that the Buddha Belly visits. The food is simple but very good. So, if you’re looking for somewhere to take the family then I am sure they would all enjoy the delicious food served at Corrieri's.

Contact Details:
Pizzeria Corrieri R.A
7 Alloa Road
Stirling
Tel: 01786 472089

Bar Roma, Edinburgh

2006-10-24T19:30:00.000Z

It’s not very often that the Buddha Belly goes to the theatre. However, this was a special occasion as I had been to see my niece perform in her dancing display at the Kings Theatre in Edinburgh. I won’t name my niece as she will be totally embarrassed and mortified. But she comes from Livingston, is nine years old, she’s a star and she knows who she is.

After the outstanding performance, we decided to stop off at a restaurant that we had been regulars at a good number of years ago. It had been at least six years since we had visited Bar Roma, which is a stones throw from Princes Street, in the West End of Edinburgh. As we walked towards Bar Roma we could not help but notice that the restaurant had some what changed in its appearance both externally and internally.

We were greeted warmly by the Manager and seated quickly. As we began to take in the noisy and lively atmosphere my wife and I began to reminiscence of our earlier visits to Bar Roma when we had been much younger. You could see the look on our daughters face “Here they go again!”. We shared with her that Bar Roma had changed. It appeared lighter and brighter with the larger windows, ultra polished wood and chrome fittings. We liked it better when it was slightly dare I say duller. It had more character.

There is very little wrong with Bar Roma’s menu as it offers a wide variety of choice for the diner. For starters, we ordered two Bruschettes with fresh ripe tomatoes, basil leaves and extra virgin oil between us. For our mains, my wife ordered Tuna and Bean Salad. My daughter ordered Spaghetti Bolognese and I ordered Rigatoni Mario’s which was spicy sausage and green peppers in a rich tomato sauce. We also ordered one Insalata Mista. To drink we ordered a large bottle of mineral water and two small glasses of Pinot Grigio. Which at £5.50 a glass was a rip off!

It took some time for the meal to arrive. The Bruschette was fine if non-descript. The Tuna and Bean Salad was bit on the dry side, but my wife added extra dressing and struggled on with it. Both the Spaghetti Bolognese and Rigatoni Mario’s were okay. The pasta was little overcooked and we have had better elsewhere. As ever, my daughter wished a desert and after an eternity we ordered her a mango sorbet.

The reason that it took so long to order the sorbet was that the four different, yes the four different waiters that served us through our meal, were flirting with the women at the table next to us. Italian men have a reputation for giving attention and show their appreciation of women openly. But this was a display of shameless and solicitous flirting. It was clear that the waiters were keen to exploit their Italian charms on the female diners, rather than provide efficient and effective service to the rest of the Bar Roma’s diners.

The Buddha Belly may sound like a moaning old Buddha, but this is not the case. It was really frustrating and at best really rude to the other diners. With telephone numbers exchanged we eventually had our order taken. Oh and by the way, my daughter thought that the mango sorbet was okay.

The reminiscence of our previous experiences of Bar Roma was certainly better than the food served. Bar Roma has lost something. It may be something to do with the Buddha Belly’s nostalgic tendencies, but there’s something that’s changed over the years. Bar Roma describes its self as “The Best Italian Restaurant in Edinburgh...”. Well if this is best that Edinburgh has to offer then the capital city in big trouble in the dining out stakes. It is the Buddha Belly’s view that Bar Roma overcharges for what it offers. The meal was just under £60.00. I know it’s in Edinburgh, but I feel as though it’s taking the piss. Each dish is about 25% more expensive than they should be. With that stated it was an average rated meal. However, the service was as much a joke, as it was entertaining. Would the Buddha Belly go back? I doubt it.

Contact Details:
Bar Roma
39A Queensferry Street
Edinburgh
EH2 4RA
Tel: 0131 226 2977

Bar 51/2, Porto Colom, Majorca

2006-10-20T22:40:00.000Z

Buddha Belly Eats was established for ordinary people who are looking to find somewhere to eat and drink well primarily in Scotland. However, there are some special moments and special places that have challenged the Buddha Belly’s original thinking and whilst holidaying on the beautiful island of Majorca the Buddha Belly had the fortunate experience to visit a small pub in the town of Porto Colom.

As regular readers of Buddha Belly Eats will be aware, the Buddha Belly is rather partial to one or two cold beers. And, as he meandered along the fantastic sea front of the bay of Porto Colom his throat had become extremely dry and parched. Even on sunny autumn days the temperature in Majorca can reach 26C and nothing quenches the thirst like a cold beer. So looking for the nearest pub, the Buddha Belly spied Bar 51/2 and found a table outside that offered a relaxed and a casual atmosphere with stunning views of Porto Colom.

The staff at Bar 51/2 were extremely friendly and attentive, although they had limited English they found it easy to communicate with the Buddha Belly. The order “Dos cerveza por favor” was met with a knowing nod and the beers duly arrived at the table. The beer served in Bar 51/2 is cool, crisp, and refreshing San Miguel, although the Buddha Belly was later to discover that they also sell Kronenberg 1664 on draught. The Buddha Belly can just visualise his brother in law booking the next flight to Majorca.

The Buddha Belly believes that you can tell a good place to eat and drink when the local inhabitants use it as their own. Bar 51/2 is such a place and the Buddha Belly was privileged to observe Majorcan life as the locals took part in the tapeo. The eating of tapas is distinctively Spanish and for some it is a way of life. The Buddha Belly ordered a number of tapas and was immediately smitten by the fantastic flavours of Majorcan tapas prepared and served by Bar 51/2. The next couple of hours were pure bliss. Sitting outside, beer in hand, eating tapas and watching the world go by. The tapas the Buddha Belly consumed included house potatoes (Patatas Caseras), fried squid (Calamares Fritos) served with slices of lemon, mixed olives (Aceitunas Mixtas) served with marinated with peppers, onion and lemon and small potato croquettes (Croquettes de Patatas) served with garlic mayonnaise.

The Buddha Belly enjoyed the beer and tapas to such an extent that he became a regular visitor to Bar 51/2. If you ever have to good fortune to visit Porto Colom then go in search of Bar 51/2. You will not be disappointed.

Contact Details:
Bar 51/2
C/. Trafalgar
Residencial Garau
Bajos 07670
Porto Colom

Upcoming Posts in October 2006

2006-10-20T16:18:00.001Z

Keep your eye out for upcoming posts in October 2006. The Buddha Belly will be posting reviews of the following:

- Bar 51/2, Porto Colom, Majorca
- Bar Roma, Edinburgh
- Pizzeria Corrieri, Stirling

Even though the Buddha Belly has been on holiday during October he still has a bit to share. Keep visiting Buddha Belly Eats for reviews on some of the good places or not so good places to eat and drink.

Buddha Belly On Holiday

2006-10-20T16:13:00.000Z

Just a note in case anyone was wondering why the Buddha Belly has not posted any reviews lately or has not replied to emails it’s because he has been on holiday on the beautiful island of Majorca. Normal reviews of eating and drinking business will resume shortly.

The Diggers, Edinburgh

2006-09-24T19:34:00.000Z

It’s rare for the Buddha Belly to write a review of an establishment that only serves drink. However, on this occasion he has made an exception and wishes to share with you probably the finest pint of beer available anywhere in the world. The establishment that serves this beer is The Diggers in Edinburgh, just off Gorgie Road, near the home of the famous Heart of Midlothian Football Club.

The proper name of The Diggers is The Athletic Arms. Its nickname comes from being across the road from a cemetery, whose gravediggers in days gone by would visit the pub at the end of their shift. The Diggers décor is not to modern taste. My wife often comments that it would be nicer if they got it carpeted, put a dado rail up and invested in some curtains. She’s no taste! However, the linoleum flooring, slightly threadbare upholstered benches and screwed to the floor tables provides the drinker with an interesting environment in which to wet their throat.

When the Buddha Belly visits the Diggers he is only interested in sampling the delights of The Diggers 80/. It is his view that the 80/ or “Electric Soup” is the best you will find. This beer has legendry status and a number of folklores have arisen as to why it tastes so good. Legend has it that the staff add some special liquid to each barrel to make it taste so good. It may also have something to do with the staff keeping the pipes meticulously clean. The Buddha Belly’s Dad thinks that it is something to do with the temperature of the cellar in which the barrels are stored. It could be all of the above. Who knows? It’s a secret.

The staff at The Diggers are the best in the land, in fact they may even be psychic. No need for words to be exchanged, just use your fingers to indicated how many pints of 80/ you wish and they will be poured pronto from one of the fourteen 80/ beer taps. Yes fourteen! The Diggers actually has 16, the other two are for Guinness and lager. But, be warned the Electric Soup is strong. I’ve even known some Australians to feel its effects after just a couple of pints.

So if you are ever in Edinburgh and your throat would benefit from being wet by a superb pint get yourself to The Diggers. Oh! I nearly forgot the steak pies smothered in brown sauce aren’t bad either.

Contact Details:

The Diggers (Athletic Arms)
1-3 Angle Park Terrace
Gorgie
Edinburgh
EH11 2JX
Telephone: 0131 337 3822

Buddha Belly Scorches Rumours

2006-09-22T16:26:00.000Z

It has been reported to Buddha Belly from a number of sources that there are rumours circulating that he has been eating out loads and loads lately and that it is no wonder that he has an ever increasing belly. Well, please let Buddha Belly scorch these rumours and untruths in true Fat Boy Slim style “right here, right now”.

The reviews that have been posted on Buddha Belly Eats to date have been based on visits to bars, restaurants and hotels during the last year and not in the last six weeks as some people may have thought . So please, do not worry about the possibility of the Buddha’s belly growing much bigger and maybe eventually bursting due to a binge eating and drinking frenzy.

So rumour mongers go in peace and walk the gastronomic path to enlightenment.

Ziggy’s, St Andrews

2006-09-20T21:47:00.000Z

A couple of months back the Buddha Belly was at a loss for things to do. It was a fine Saturday in the close season so there were the not the usual football demands. Whilst making the morning coffee I had this vision of a long sandy beach, waves rolling in and a strong sea breeze hitting my face. “Why not go to St Andrews for the day?” I thought. And, why not. I gathered the family together and off we went to the Kingdom of Fife and the home of golf.

The walk along the sandy beach was just like my vision. St Andrews Bay is a fantastic place to walk and enjoy the company of your family. It offers spectacular views over the Old Course, the home of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club and over the Firth of Forth. But walking can certainly give you an appetite and before long we were looking for somewhere to find lunch. A friend had recommended a restaurant called “Ziggy’s” at Murray Place, so we decided that we give it a try.

We easily found Ziggy’s and the staff offered us a warm welcome. We got seated at our table and began to take in the remarkable surroundings. Founded in 1983, Ziggy’s claims to be St Andrews original theme restaurant. Well, I don’t know about that, but it is full of amazing rock and pop memorabilia all over the walls, including Beatles gold discs, signed posters and more. We could have spent many happy hours just surveying the extensive collection of signed memorabilia and together with the good music, created a truly unique atmosphere.

After a short while of soaking up the atmosphere we were given menus which offered superb choice of starters and mains to the hungry beach walker. I have to state that the food was very reasonably priced which always pleases the tight wee Buddha. We ordered our food and drinks and resumed our exploration of the wall to wall music exhibition. There was a sense of disappointment when the food and drinks arrived. Not that the it did not look appetising, but rather, that we had stop our exploration and focus on something else.

I had ordered one of the “award winning burgers” and it arrived on a toasted sesame seed bun with coleslaw and fries on the side. It looked a lot bigger than the claimed 1/4lb. My wife had ordered Jailhouse Chilli and still to this day she claims it was the best chilli that she has ever had the pleasure of eating. My daughter ordered the Chicken Club Sandwich, which came with fries and coleslaw. The couple of glasses of Sutter Home Chardonnay and the bottle of Tiger Beer complemented the meal perfectly. My daughter always leaves a little space to enjoy the delights of a desert and this day was no exception. She ordered and enjoyed Hot Fudge Sunday. All the meals were delicious and substantial and would offer even the hungriest beach walker a significant challenge to finish.

An enjoyable day at the beach was topped off by a memorable meal. To sum Ziggy’s up. Good music, good food, a great atmosphere and at under £30.00 for our meal pocket friendly prices. I can’t wait to have another vision of a long sandy beach, waves rolling in and a strong sea breeze hitting my face. And, an excuse to visit Ziggy’s.

Contact Details:
Ziggy's
6 Murray Place
St. Andrews
Fife
KY16 9AP
Telephone: 01334 473686

Orocco Pier, South Queensferry

2006-09-16T19:39:00.000Z

It’s true what they say about us Scots in that we really do not appreciate what a beautiful place Scotland is and its right under our noses. It’s not until you take the time to lift your head that you begin to really understand that you do not have travel far to really appreciate what a beautiful country we live in.

Recently, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to saviour one of the most stunning views in Scotland from the restaurant Orocco Pier in South Queensferry. When we arrived at Orocco Pier it appeared to be in chaos. They were catering for a wedding in their Function Room and some of the guests had split over into the restaurant area. This was not a problem as it offered my wife the opportunity to partake in her favourite hobby of doing her nosey into other peoples weddings. It’s a hangover from when she was a waitress at the Crest Hotel in Erskine.

We were greeted politely by one of the waiters and shown to our table. Our first impression of Orocco Pier was “Woow!” We were blown away by the view. Orocco Pier sits on the waters edge of the River Forth, and we were able to soak up the dramatic sight of the Forth estuary and the rail bridge. I am finding it hard to not keep going on about the view. So what did we eat?

We navigated the menu which tempted us with an irresistible array of fusion gourmet offerings. We decided on the Thai crab cakes on fresh leaves with roast chilli and coriander pickle and the chowder of bacon, prawns, mussels, clams, salmon, garlic and cream for our starters. For our mains we decided on the risotto with lemon courgettes and wild mushrooms sun dried tomato dressing and parmesan shavings and the wok fried king prawns, cherry tomato, avocado and coriander salad. My wife ordered a couple of glasses of the South African Chenin Blanc. She really enjoyed the fresh honey and melon bouquet and both glass went down a treat. I, being a boring little Buddha, ordered a bottle of mineral water.

So what was the food like? Both starters offered a remarkable taste and combination of aromas. I could have had them again for the mains. They were great! The mains were obviously done with care and skills as they were extremely well presented. The risotto was perfectly seasoned, the texture soft, nice and sticky without being mushy. The prawns with the salad were fragrant and tasteful. We decided against deserts as we had been satisfied by the starters and the mains.

All in all, we found the meal to be good. The cost of the meal, at just over £40.00, was okay for what it was. However, Orocco Pier is the perfect place to relax and chill. It offers the diner an awe-inspiring restaurant sited on the edge of the Forth. Close your eyes and just imagine the waves’ lapping on the shores makes for a wonderful setting for good food. It’s well worth the trip I promise you.

Contact Details:
Orocco Pier
17 The High Street

South Queensferry

West Lothian

Edinburgh
EH30 9PP
Telephone: 0870 118 1664

Peckham's Outback, Stirling

2006-09-13T21:16:00.000Z

On recommendation, my wife and I intended to visit the Spice Garden situated on Allan Park. However, we did not book and it was incredibly busy. Which is sign of good place to eat. We would have had to wait sometime to get a table and as time was of the essence, we decided to trot around the corner to Port Street to try Peckham’s Outback.

As we entered Peckham’s, we were struck by the vast array of continental meats, cheeses, pates, cakes, together with the fridges crammed with smoked salmon, fresh meat, yoghurts, desserts and salads displayed within the deli. As we walked through the deli we enjoyed the strong distinct aroma. I love that smell. We arrived at the Outback and we were met by one of the staff. As I have stated in my other reviews, the staff welcome is very important to me and unfortunately this member of did not get off to a good start. I am finding it difficult to state why. He lacked a smile and a little warmth. Subjective I know, but….

Anyway, he showed us to our table and we were given menus. The menu offered a good choice. We decided on the grilled tiger prawns and the deli delicacies. We also order a glass of house red and house white. While waiting for our meal we began to take in the environment. The Outback is very stylish, if not a tad on dark side. The Buddha Belly felt that it could do with a little more lighting.

The wine arrived quite quickly and was very pleasant for only £2.85 for a large glass. Both meals arrived after a short while. The tiger prawns were served on a bed of mixed leaves with crusty French bread. The six prawns were in garlic & lime dressing. My wife thoroughly enjoyed the meal and at £6.95 was good value. The deli delicacies was a feast in its own right. There were two plates of four types of salami, hummus, together with fresh basil pesto, taramasalata, stuffed olives, warm pitta bread and mixed leaves salad. The meal is meant for two, but I scoffed the lot. That’s why they call me the Buddha Belly! I enjoyed the tapas and once again at £6.95 was good value.

As I read over this review three phrases jump out at me and they were that the Outback offers good choice, good food and good value. The meal was made even more enjoyable by the good company of my wife.

Contact Details:
Peckham's Outback
52 Port Street
Stirling
FK8 2LJ
01786 463 222

The Gulnar Tandoori, Larbert

2006-09-13T06:50:00.000Z

Life is full of dilemmas. For example, if you come across £10.00 note lying on the path what do you do? You find yourself facing a moral dilemmas. Do you bend down and pick it up? If you do pick it up, what do you then do? Do you ut the £10.00 note in your pocket and keep it or hand it in to the police. It’s a difficult decision.

Well a couple of years ago I found myself facing a similar dilemma. I came across an Indian restaurant that was so good that I did not want to tell anyone as I wanted to keep the the Gulnar Tandoori my little secret. However, if I did not share the joy of the Gulnar with others then my Mum would call me selfish and I could not have her doing that. Could I? Well, I have been a good little Buddha and I have shared the delights of the Gulnar with a few select people.

The Gulnar Tandoori is on the Main Street of Larbert. Parking can be challenge, but if you persist you will not be disappointed. The restaurant has been renovated during the last couple for years and offers a basic, yet comfortable environment in which to eat. The staff, like most family run business, are really friendly and cannot do enough for you.

The menu is extensive and offers a wide range of Indian dishes. But, I would encourage you to try the buffet. At £11.00 it is great value and offers a feast of fantastic starters and curries that are as good as anything I have tasted within the country. For £11.00 you get papadoms and chutneys as your aperitif so to speak. Once you’ve polished them off you can progress on to range of pakora’s, chicken tikka and chicken chat. And of course your plate can be garnished with customary side salad if you so desire. If you’ve not stuffed yourself at this point you can begin to graze the curries. There are usually six to choose from and will surely satisfy the most hard to please the curry connaisseur. The chicken masala and lamb bhoona are particular favourites of the Buddha Belly. I always sample the vegetarian dish when I visit the Gulnar and the mushroom dopiaza is delicious.

Oh, I nearly forgot two important things. Firstly, you get a nan bread thrown in for the price. The Gulnar’s nan’s are legendary as they are hugely enormous and ideal for wiping the sweat from your forehead. Secondly, like all good Indian buffets, it is requirement that you wash it down by a pint or two of Cobra larger.

Well, if you are anything like the Buddha Belly, by the time you have munched you way though the papadoms, starters and the mains you might be ready for a lie down. However, the Gulnar buffet offers you a further challenge. The desert! You can have ice cream and/or apple pie or gateau. And, a coffee with a selection of Quality Street sweets. It’s time to wave the white flag in surrender. No more!

I hope you get the idea of the Gulnar's buffet. It’s brilliant and excellent value. If you are ever in the area pay the Gulnar a visit you will not be disappointed. I feel incredibly less selfish now that I have shared the Gulnar with a few more people. Mum, you can be proud of your wee Buddha Belly.

Contact Details:
Gulnar Tandoori
50-64 Main Street
Larbert
Stirlingshire
FK5 3AR
Telephone: 01324 562189

The Royal Hotel, Comrie

2006-09-07T15:41:00.000Z

As part of my sister-in-laws birthday celebration, we had the good fortune to dine at the Royal Hotel in Comrie and what an enjoyable time we had. And the food wasn’t bad either.

We arrived at the Royal and had pre-dinner drinks in the Lounge. I had my usual pint of Best, where as the others shared a bottle of Maillart Premier Champagne. The ladies really enjoyed it, which is a good recommendation as they can sometimes be a bit fussy? Still on the drink, I have heard that the Royal has over 170 Single Malt Whiskies. So, if you’re into that sort of thing the Royal could offer you a right good evening to yourself.

We sunk into the comfortable settees and spent ages contemplating the menu. Decision made, we ordered and settled for a chinwag in what is a very pleasant surrounding. After a short while, our attentive waiter informed us our table was ready and we moved through to the Brassiere. The Brassiere is a slightly less formal room that the Royals Dining Room, but a wee bit more formal that the Lounge. The Brassiere offers an impressive view of the Hotel grounds and hills beyond. It offered us a perfect setting for our meal.

I had ordered french onion soup to start and sea bass as my mains. My soup arrived and I was really impressed by its strong aroma. The soup offered a rich texture and a mouth watering taste. It was beautiful. I would state that it probably the best french onion soup that I have ever had. I polished it off in pronto style and began to eye my brother-in-laws starter. He had ordered a plate of pasta seafood and what a plateful it was. I thought he’ll never manage to eat all that but I had forgotten that he is the guy that eats till he sleeps!

The sea bass arrived. It looked and smelled great. Normally, I do not rush to order fish, however on this occasion I was pleased that I had. The sea bass was presented on a bed of marinated ratatouille, with a side of pesto spaghetti. I was pure magic and I thought that I had gone to the big dining room in the sky. It was one of those dishes that you never wanted to stop eating. To be honest, I can’t remember what the other’s had to eat. Not that their meals were not memorable, but I was so focussed on my own enjoyment I barely lifted my head to look. When I’m served great food I am sometimes not the best conversationalist!

For desert, we ordered two portions of cheese and biscuits to share between us, together with coffee. When the plates arrived we had a choice of six cheeses on each. There was more than enough for the five of us. It was a great way to finish off what had been a fantastic meal. The company wasn’t bad either. I had better say that as I'll explain in the next paragraph.

“ Buddha Belly how much did it cost?” I hear you cry. Well, I have to admit here that I really do not know as I did not pay for it. My overly generous brother-in-law picked up the tab. However, at a guess, I would say that for the french onion soup and the sea bass you would get some change out of £15.00. And, I have to say that at that price it a snip as its top notch grub and I’ll be back. Pity, as I might have pay next time!

Contact Details:
The Royal Hotel
Melville Square
Comrie
Perthshire
PH6 2DN
Telephone: 01764 679200

The Gulnar, Larbert

2006-09-07T11:46:00.000Z

The Buddha Belly has been hearing fantastic reports about the The Gulnar in Larbert. So, keep you eye out for a review of the Gulner which will on Buddha Belly Eats soon.

OSTA, Stirling

2006-09-06T21:41:00.000Z

My wife and I had the opportunity to go out a few Saturday’s back. The kids were at sleepovers so the world was our oyster as they say. On the spur of moment we decided to jump a train to Stirling and visit Osta. Osta is a relatively new restaurant in Stirling, that occupies a recently converted Georgian building just off the Craigs roundabout.

We did not book and arrived on the off chance that we could get a table. The staff were extremely friendly and asked if were happy to wait five minutes for a table. We were happy to wait and ordered a well earned drink at the bar. My wife ordered a glass of house white Drostdy Hof Steen Chenin Blanc and I took a pint of Belhaven Best. My wife commented on how nice the wine was and the pint was "Simply the Best".

We were soon seated in the lounge and began to take in the relaxed surroundings. Osta offers a very pleasant and relaxed environment. As the pianist played we began to run our eyes over the menu. The menu offered a wide range of tapas, pizza, pasta and scottish traditional dishes. My wife chose Peking Duck and I decided on the Parma Ham Rocket Pizza. We also deided on a bottle of Sancerre La Crele Domain Thomas and at £18.50 we thought this was reasonabley priced. Both meals were magic. Thoroughly enjoyable.

We decided to miss deserts as we were satisfied with the mains. We did order a glass of Lanson Black Label and another pint of Belhaven Best. We sat and listened to the pianist and chatted for another hour. The £46.00 for meal and drink was well worth it. As we walked to the train station we revelled on what had been a great evening. If you’re into a little sophistication and wish to try somewhere that has a fresh atmosphere then Osta is for you. We really enjoyed it. Bring on the next spur of the moment.

Contact Details:
Osta
78 Upper Craigs
Stirling
FK8 2DT
Telephone: 01786 430890

St Fillans Golf Club, St Fillans

2006-09-05T22:25:00.000Z

A few of weeks ago a couple of my mates and I had the pleasure of playing a round of golf at St Fillans Golf Club. For those of you who are not familiar with the area, St Fillans Golf Club is near village of St Fillans, which sits at the eastern end of Loch Earn. The nine-hole course is tucked away across the River Earn and offers you fantastic scenery, together with a pleasant golfing challenge.

After our round we retired to the clubhouse for a spot to eat. The clubhouse offers a warm and relaxing environment in which to reflect on your round. The views from the lounge are majestic unlike my drive off the first tee. The staff are extremely hospitable, friendly and encourage you to take a table. The menu offers a range of snacks and homemade meals that are very reasonably priced. We decided to try the steak pie, fish cakes and ham salad.

The steak pie arrived. What a pastry! It was like a Desperate Dan cow pat. The steak was tender in rich gravy. The seasonal vegetables and chips were perfectly cooked. The two large homemade fish cakes were lightly fried and filled with a rich filling of haddock, mackerel and potato. Served with chips and side salad they looked extremely tempting and I began to question my choice of the ham salad. I should not have worried. The ham salad arrived at the table. It was like a work of art. The mixture of lettuce, tomatoes, onions, peppers, cucumber, cheese, potato salad and coleslaw provided a stark contrast of colours. The couple of home cooked thick slices of ham were topped with fresh pineapple and kiwi fruit and filled a plate that looked like an artistic masterpiece. It also provided a considerable eating challenge even to the Buddha Belly. Thank God we did not order starters!

The sign of a good meal can be that it facilitated good conversation. This meal certainly did that. “What’s the steak pie like?” “Great and you’re not getting any!” “You should try the fishcakes there magic.” “Can I get a wee taste?” “No!” “The ham looks great.” “Aye it is ….” Silence as we munched our way through a feast fit for golfing kings.

The home baking was to tempting to resist and we all had something that was mouth-watering which we then washed down with a couple of pots of tea. We sat there feeling as though we had eagled every hole on the course. Pure satisfaction and all for about £7.00 a head.

Do not get me wrong, St Fillans Golf Club will not win many AA Rosettes. However, it offers the tired golfer, together with passer-by’s, a very reasonable meal for a very reasonable price. Remember, if you do go to St Fillans Golf Club try the ham salad. It’s fantastic. Enjoy.

Contact Details:
St Fillans Golf Club
South Loch Earn Road
St Fillans
Perthshire
PH6 2NJ
Telephone: 01764 685312

The Drummond Hotel, St Fillans

2006-09-05T07:36:00.000Z

In life there are events that are best forgotten and a recent meal I had at the Drummond Hotel at St Filllans is one such event. Unfortunately, I have committed to sharing my experience on Buddha Belly Eats and as such I am going to have to relive the nightmare of this catastrophic gastronomic experience.

My family and I have visited the Drummond Hotel on countless occasions during the last 5 years or so and in the past have been pleasantly surprised by the good quality of food served there. However, and I start to shake and quiver as I begin to reminisce, on my most recent visit it was a disaster. Six of my family and I visited the Drummond Hotel a couple of weeks ago and unfortunately I have report that it was crap. Apologies for the use of agricultural language but it’s hard to find another word that describes the disappoint felt by those that sampled the inept and disastrous culinary exploits of the Drummond Hotel.

The Drummond Hotel has recently been taken over by new management and I have to say the place has gone down hill. What was once a friendly place to eat and drink has lost its welcoming and warm atmosphere. The food and drink served have also gone down hill. In short, the meal was dire. It took to long to serve us. “Sorry sir we have a bus party in and the chef is very busy.” I felt like screaming “But we booked for this meal and you should not have taken the booking if you could not deliver a reasonable meal in a reasonable time.” The service was very poor.

The drink was also very poor. The beer was too cold (freezing!). When my pint arrived it did not have a head on it. It looked like a stagnant pond. I should have taken this as a sign of things to come. After a couple of attempts at ordering wine I was really pissed off. We ordered wine and the waiter came back to the table “Sorry I know we said we had that wine but we don’t.” This happened three times. I thought that it was a wind up. It got to the stage of us asking what wine do you have since the wine list is no longer relevant? Poor guy, he was badly let down by the management.

The soup was passable. The haggis was covered in some sauce with a skin on it that turned my stomach. But my dear father-in-law ate half of it. However, he should have surrendered to the rubbery mush much earlier. But, he is too polite and he has lived through the WW II and is thankful for anything that’s not made from powdered milk! But this was just rank rotten.

The trout tasted too much like an orange and drew my sister-in-laws cheeks together. The gammon steak was tough and fatty. The steaks was under cooked. The chips were not bad though!

My 14 year old daughter's comment about the apple crumble “I’ve made better in my Home Economics class.” summed everything up. It was dry and tasteless. And, I did not get the ice cream being in one ceramic dish and the apple crumble being in another. It takes allsorts as they say.

I have tried to find something positive to say about the Drummond Hotel but I am struggling. Aaah yes, the view from the car park is magical. Loch Earn is a wonderful romantic setting that should be enjoyed by all. Unfortunately, the food and drink at the Drummond Hotel does not do the view justice. As Tim Lovejoy of Soccer AM says “It won’t last!” It is my view, for what its worth, that there is just no way that a business that offers such rubbish to its customers can last. Maybe the new owners will be one season disasters. But one things for sure, I won’t be back.

Contact Details:
The Drummond Hotel
St Fillans on Loch Earn
Perthshire
PH6 2NF
Telephone: 01764 685212

Monachyle Mhor, Loch Voil, Balquhidder

2006-08-26T12:07:00.000Z

My wife and I have visit to Monachyle Mhor, winner of The Small Scottish Hotel of the Year 2005 award, on a number of occasions during the last few years and have had the pleasure of sampling the wonderful food prepared by Tom Lewis. When we first discovered the Monachyle Mhor it was like finding a hidden sparkling gem and since we have introduced a number of close friends and family to the superb food prepared by Tom.

In celebrating our recent wedding anniversary we reserved a table Monachyle Mhor, which is set on the lower slopes of the northern side of Balquhidder Glen, just 5 miles off the A84. As is usual, we had pre-dinner drinks in the bar sitting in front of a cosy log fire. The menu was enticing and presented us with many pleasant dilemmas of choice. We came to our decision and placed our order with a female member of staff who appeared to be in the role of Maitre De. We also ordered what we thought would be an appropriate bottle of wine to compliment our meal. At this point the Maitre De offered advice on another wine that she felt would be more appropriate to our meal. I have to state that I was really pissed off with her. It was not the fact that she was offering the advice it was more that way she did it. She came across as totally patronising. I gave her short shift and sent her politely packing. In hindsight maybe this was the wrong approach! Anyway, we settled in front of the fire for what is usually a short relaxed time until we are seated at our tabled. Time passed and time passed. Our pre drink glasses were dry. Staff were sparse if not invisible. 1 hour 7 minutes after receiving our pre-dinner drinks we were shown to our table. By this time I was once again extremely pissed off with the length of time it taken to show us our table.

I am pleased to say that the Maitre De never visited our table during the meal and the other staff were extremely efficient, attentive and friendly. I could write screeds and screeds of compliments about the meal. It was superb. The meal and drink was well worth the £120.00. And by the way the wine was extremely enjoyable and fully complimented the meal and at £20.00 a bottle was £10.00 cheaper that the bottle the suggested by the Maitre De.

I have never had an average meal at the Monachyle Mhor. It’s always been first class and this was no exception. However, the extraordinary long wait to be seated, together with the patronising manner of Maitre De reduced the overall experience and our enjoyment. This is unfortunate, as I really enjoy the food of Tom Lewis, but the food does not make the whole experience. I will have to think long and hard on whether or not I would return to the Monachyle Mhor as unfortunately for us it is lost a little bit of its sparkle.

Contact Details:
Monachyle Mhor
Balquidder
Perthshire
FK19 8PQ
Tel. +44(0)1877-384622
Fax. +44(0)1877-384305
E-mail: info@monachylemhor.com

Upcoming Postings

2006-08-26T12:01:00.000Z

Keep your eye out for upcoming postings on some of the places that I have had the pleasure or otherwise in sampling their gastronomic delights. During the last wee while I have visited the following places:

o Monachyle Mhor, Loch Voil, Balquhidder, The Trossachs, Stirlingshire
o Osta, Stirling, Stirlingshire
o The Drummond Hotel, St Fillans, The Trossachs, Stirlingshire
o St Fillans Golf Club, St Fillans, The Trossachs, Stirlingshire
o The Royal Hotel, Comrie

I've done a bit of dinning out during the last month. So I have a bit to share. Keep visiting Buddha Belly Eats for updates on some of the good places or not so good places to eat.

Buddha Belly Eats

2006-08-13T09:00:00.000Z

I don't know what Buddha Belly Eats is going to look like or what it will contain so you will need to bare with me. What I wish to do is to share with you some of the bars, restaurants and hotels that I have visited and had the pleasure or otherwise in sampling their eats, drink and service.Initially, I will focus of reviewing eateries in Scotland. Although, I might be tempted to report on some of my raids across the English border. Being a tight wee Buddha I will also share how much the eats and drink cost and whether or not I thought it was worth the money.

The reason I have a cute and cuddly buddha belly is that I love good food and drink. I enjoy cooking and sharing what I've cooked with friends and family. However, I really enjoy going out and having others cook something for me. I, like loads of other people, do not have mega amounts of money, so I do not go to the most exclusive and expensive bars, restaurants and hotels. The eateries I go to are ordinary places that might be of interest to ordinary people. Just because they are ordinary places I still expect that the food and drink are tasty, slightly different and interesting and that the service makes you feel a special ordinary person for the wee while that you are there.

Buddha Belly is not one of those celebrity food experts; he is just an ordinary person walking the gastronomy path to enlightenment and like the other Buddha Belly Blogs I do not wish to offend anyone by what I write here. But, if I do tough! I'm sure you'll get over it. Try not to judge me by what I write. It's my life, so there my views and opinions. But I am happy to hear what you think so leave your comments and emails.Last thing, do not try to stalk the Buddha Belly. I have connections with some very powerful people so be warned.