It’s a landmark building in Inverness.
Straddling Church Street but with grounds stretching all the way down to Bank Street which hugs the River Ness, it holds a special place in many a Highlander’s heart, including my own.
Today, the building is home to the Mercure Inverness Hotel, which earlier this year underwent an extensive refurbishment and now has a classy new look which reflects its Highland heritage via a modern, cool and rather hip style thanks to some smart interior design.
Each time I step through the doors of this building, memories come flooding back. In a previous life, this hotel was The Caledonian Hotel, better known locally as The Caley.
As a youngster, I came here to compete in music competitions. Neither my singing nor tenor horn playing saw me snapped up for superstardom. Later, the grand ballroom on the lower floor was something of a magnet as that was where everyone went hoping to attract a mate. Then who could forget The Caley’s glamorous – for the time – Tenneriffe Lounge, which, for some strange reason, was always mis-spelt.
It had a bamboo-clad bar and served exotic cocktails such as Blue Lagoons, making it THE place to go for a drink in the 1970s. With regular live music and a mixture of tourists and locals flocking there, it was a case of get there early or miss out on the fun.
Fast forward several decades and my partner and I (yes, those music/tenor horn/dancing lessons finally paid off enough to land me a man) thought it would be nice to check out the new-look hotel and have dinner there.
We were both impressed by the relaxed style and decor of the reception area, which has lots of tartan and tweed fabrics, heritage prints and quirky artwork, such as framed kilts and sporrans and vintage laced dancing shoes.
We’d pre-booked a table and assumed we’d be eating in the dining room overlooking the river, but that was reserved for larger groups. Instead, we were ushered into what used to be the Tenneriffe Lounge all those years ago, and now called 33 Church Street Bar & Brasserie, where the restaurant menu is also available.
And a rather stylish brasserie it is too, with interesting artwork, a gleaming bar and a good mixture of tables, chairs and booths which can accommodate easily everything from guests dining alone to larger parties.
Our waiter, Liam, delivered a masterclass in good service. Friendly, efficient, polite and with good knowledge of each dish on the menu.
To begin, my partner had a prawn and crayfish cocktail with charred cucumber, baby gem lettuce, crispy shallots and toasted ciabatta, which was beautifully presented with plenty of plump seafood in a tasty sauce. The charred cucumber was a first, and added another interesting layer of flavour.
I plumped for a holiday favourite of mine, tempura calamari with a chilli and red pepper salsa. The squid rings were as big as bracelets, and perfectly cooked with a lovely, light batter, but I felt the sauce, served separately, slightly overpowered the squid’s delicate flavour.
Trying to be healthy, I ordered the superfood salad for my main course. For an extra £3, you could have the salad with sea bream or chicken breast, and I requested the latter.
The salad had a delicious mixture of healthy foods including crisp leaves, quinoa, avocado, kale, roasted butternut squash, beetroot, walnuts and pumpkin seeds, slathered in a yummy mustardy and circus dressing. While it was first class, the butterfly-cut chicken breast was on the small side and a bit dry, which prompted a request for some mayo.
My other half was delighted with his Thai red prawn curry with crunchy bean shoots, water chestnuts, slivers of baby corn and delicately flavoured Jasmine rice and salty rice prawn crackers as it had just the level of heat he likes.
Instead of dessert, we strolled down memory lane over a glass of Merlot while enjoying the views outside and indulged in a spot of people watching.
While the price was comparable to other local establishments, the portions were a tad smaller than expected, but overall we came away feeling that the brasserie is a very welcome and stylish addition to the Inverness dining scene and one we’d be happy to re-visit.