Tuesday, January 15, 2008

The Old Clubhouse, Gullane

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

No comments: