Perched on the crest of a hill just outside St Andrews in the village of Strathkinness, looking north over the Eden estuary towards Dundee and beyond, the Tavern at Strathkinness couldn’t have a better view.
Or at least, it would do if the haar wasn’t blotting everything out on the evening we go.
The place has been there forever but the current chef proprietors Paul Wilkie in the kitchen with his son Graeme, Paul’s wife Barbara out front have been steadily building its name as somewhere for decent food since they took over five years or so ago.
It’s early in the week when we visit and we’re not fighting for a table; the dreich weather has most likely put a lot of people off.
Although there’s a welcoming new(ish) dining room, it’s a bit quiet so we choose to eat in the main bar which has the same menu.
There’s something immediately disarming about calling a place a tavern. No-one is expecting starched linen and flunky waiters at a tavern.
What you’ve got are tartan carpets, copper bed warmers on the wall and real ales behind the bar. And a pretty top-notch menu.
It’s hearty, with enough thought having gone into dishes to push it into gastropub territory. There are plenty of local ingredients being used and if the main menu is a bit meaty there are a decent few veggie specials on the board.
We start by choosing the hot smoked salmon salad (£5.50) from the specials board and the garlic and mushroom bake (£5) from the main menu.
The salmon, smoked on site, has a subtle flavour matched well by a fresh aioli and colourful, zesty salad. Meanwhile, the bake is great, with chunky mushrooms baked to a velvety texture, luxuriating in a cream, garlic and white wine sauce under a crumbled cheese scone with a decent amount of crunch.
On to the mains and we go for the pork belly from the regular menu (£13) and a trio of haddock (£13.50) special.
The thick slabs of pork belly are sweet and tender and come with a rich, tart apple cider sauce.
There are some nicely griddled vegetables (carrot, parsnip, cauliflower and onion) and a stack of chips.
They’ve gone to a lot of trouble to get these chips right we’re guessing that they’ve been double fried to get that really satisfying crunch.
The twist of crackling that tops the meat, however, is astonishingly tough and is left on the side.
There’s nothing left on the (very pretty) plate with the trio of haddock, though. All distinct and beautifully done, there’s a beer battered strip, one coated in coconut and fried and then a smoked one.
A mound of finely-cut sweet potato chips matches the rest of the dish well and a griddled lime and sizeable portion of tartare sauce round it off.
To finish we go with a beautifully smooth vanilla and Guinness chocolate ice cream (£4.95) and an outrageous cherry eton mess (£4.95) which overflows from an oversized brandy glass.
The Tavern at Strathkinness is a hit and the kind of place that you’d be proud to have in your neighbourhood.
It’s well worth travelling to, whatever the weather.
Rating: 39/50
Price: Starters £3.75 to £7, mains £10.50 to £20.50, desserts £5.25 to £5.75
Info: www.strathkinnesstavern.co.uk Phone: 01334 850085