First, second and third time lucky

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HOUSE. House. House. It may sound like a night at the bingo, and a successful one, to boot. Place Doll’s, Grill or Glass in front and you get the hat-trick of restaurants which form a cornerstone of the eating-out scene in St Andrews.

Regular readers will be aware that The Grill House and its child plaything sister have already appeared on these pages. It seemed only right and proper that we should complete the set during another visit to the Fife town and its world-famous golf courses.

The Glass House sits opposite the traditional university buildings which have been turning out academics for hundreds of years. If those students ever need a lesson in how to serve up quality food at a price even they can afford, it’s staring them right in the face.

From the moment you walk in it becomes clear that the owners set extremely high standards for their staff. Having already witnessed them in action at our previous house nights, their colleagues were not about to let cracks appear. With so much glass around that wouldn’t be a wise move.

The early evening menu offers outstanding value, which is why we booked for 5.30pm. The other diners who filled every table on offer within an hour clearly shared our philosophy – to the point where it teetered between cosy and cramped. A minor gripe, but one worth noting should you choose to dine here.

The mouthwatering set choices are complemented by a chalk board with specials, and you can, if you wish, opt to eat from the a la carte menu.

We did a spot of mixing and matching, with number one son deciding one of the blackboard options had been invented just for him. His younger brother didn’t want any of the starters on offer, but since he had decided the main course rump steak was just what he needed, we opted for the set menu for him anyway. As adults, we felt it was our duty to sample as much of the fare as we could reasonably manage.

The children shared garlic bread with mozzarella cheese for starters while we gave a trio the taste test.

My grilled field mushroom filled with mascarpone cheese, spring onions and garlic butter, and then sprinkled with a herb crumb, was excellent – the cheese, onion and garlic filling melted and the crunchy crumb added some texture.

We shared the lemon pepper chicken and pineapple salad, while my wife declared that the smoked trout, caper and prawn salad with tomato and chive dressing was “delightful”.

Full marks for the food so far.

On to the main event and our eldest seemed pleased with his choice of chicken with smoked pancetta and melted mozzarella served on a bed of tagliatelle with a tomato, garlic and oregano sauce. It was an adult portion, but it disappeared with the speed of a child being told the sweetie cupboard was no longer out of bounds.

From the set menu, we had a rump steak and fries, without its barbecue and smoked bacon sauce; spaghetti with pork and mushroom piri piri, and last, but by no means least, a salmon fillet served on a lemon, spinach, prawn and tattie stir-fry.

Did any disappoint? Not a bit of it. The steak was pink and melted in the mouth, the salmon was fresh and light and the piri piri pork spicy and tender.

The children assured us they had space left for some chocolate fudge cake and, despite the fact they looked as if they were trying to wear it by the time they were forced to give up, they insisted it was good. The few crumbs we shared between us confirmed their judgment.

The £10.95 for two courses menu includes a glass of wine, a beer or a soft drink, and we added an extra glass of wine which took the total bill to just over £63 – fantastic value for money for quality cooking.

This is a venue worth travelling to – the food is a cut above without a haute-cuisine price tag. The venue is relaxed, so there’s no standing on ceremony, and while it can get a little cramped when full, that does nothing to take away from the experience.

There’s an old saying that people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones – meaning those who are vulnerable shouldn’t attack others. On this evidence, The Glass House can go on the offensive any time it likes.

The Glass House Restaurant, 80 North Street, St Andrews. Phone 01334 473673. Visit www.houserestaurants.com

Service 4

Value for money 5

Quality of food 5

Surroundings 4

Location 5

Menu Choice 5

Total (out of 30) = 28