Nairn's The Sun Dancer stands apart with stellar dishes and views

Nairn holds a special place in my heart.

Some of my earliest memories are of playing hide in seek at the dunes by Nairn Lochloy Holiday Park.

Does anyone remember the red car that used to poke out the side of the building at Bridgemill Direct? I’d love to see it make a return. It was a landmark for me.

However, despite visiting the town regularly as a youngster, the food and drink scene was never something my family and I delved into. Oh, how times have changed.

I am constantly using social media as a means of learning more about the community. Did you know that Nairn now boasts its own zero-waste shop? If not, don’t be hard on yourself, it opened a mere three weeks ago.

The Sun Dancer boasts panoramic views over the Moray Firth. Image: Jason Hedges/DC Thomson.

But there are other gems for foodies in the area, too, including The Sun Dancer.

Impressive interior

The Sun Dancer is an award-winning family-run restaurant located in the former site of the fondly remembered Sandancer Arcade.

I was joined by colleague Julia Bryce as the reservation was made during our recent trip to Inverness. Yes, a slight detour was made to visit, but nothing obscene.

Parking close by the restaurant and the car engine switched off, we found ourselves by Nairn’s ill-lit harbour side. Many berths were empty and not a sound was heard – that is when we promptly became accustomed to the wind.

It was as pretty as a picture, despite the dim lighting.

An exterior shot of the venue. Image: Jason Hedges/DC Thomson

The Sun Dancer itself was quite the sight, too. It stood proudly and I almost felt intimidated by its grant stature.

Inside, there is The SD Cafe and The Restaurant. The latter – where the pair of us were dining – is set on the first floor.

We made our way up a spiraled staircase that revealed several pieces of charming wall art, all boasting a recurring theme – sea life. I thought this was perfectly fitting when you consider our location.

There were subtle blue, taupe and white tones everywhere, as well. Overall, making for a tranquil setting.

Expecting the restaurant to be vacant – purely due to the fact it was a late Wednesday evening – plenty of tables were occupied. It was lovely to see.

Duo of salmon, one of the chosen starters. Image: Jason Hedges/DC Thomson.

Whilst being shown to our table, I noticed a contemporary bar area and a separate seating area. The colour palette of both sections contrasted with those already stated. Autumnal shades of orange and maroon were complimented by quirky and Oriental-style lighting fixtures.

The seating area was like a showroom.

The food

One thing to note about the a la carte menu at The Sun Dancer, which was available on our visit, was the array of dishes.

There were tapas-style options that we couldn’t ignore. And thus, king prawn and calamari pil pil and the duo of salmon were ordered.

Both were of sufficient size and looked the part.

Julia’s salmon slices, comprising oat-smoked and hot-smoked, had been delicately placed on top of one another, whilst there were three evenly distributed dollops of creamy lemon aioli in the bowl, as well.

@karlasinclair

Sun Dancer, located on Harbour Street in Nairn 📍 The restaurant, which overlooks the Moray Firth, opened its doors in 2017 and specialises in seafood and steak. #fyp #scotlandtiktok #foodtiktok #food #nairn #sundancer #morayfirth #scotlandfood

♬ What Once Was – Her’s

I watched as she squeezed her lemon slice across the dish, which also featured crispy capers, before tucking in.

I followed suit and proceeded to add the sharp juice to my assortment of seafood. The four king prawns were a delight, not too salty nor too bland. The texture of the calamari was a bit of a struggle for me at times, proving chewier than I’d have liked.

However, the addition of chilli and garlic oil was incredible. It paired superbly with the seafood and wasn’t too overpowering.

I can’t speak on behalf of Julia, but the mains were what I was most looking forward to.

We sipped away on our soft drinks and waited patiently. The pitch-black evening meant we couldn’t admire the view, alas.

The breast of Gressingham duck was served with a garlic and thyme fondant potato, stick fig reduction, seasonal vegetables, roast heritage carrot, and orange jus. Image: Jason Hedges/DC Thomson.

I have, however, been sent multiple pictures from friends and family who have since visited The Sun Dancer during daylight hours – who knows when that is at this point in the year?

It looks incredible. All the more reason to return in the future I suppose.

Before we knew it, our mains were travelling from the kitchen to our table.

My breast of Gressingham duck was a sight to behold. Equally as aesthetically pleasing as it was tasty, there wasn’t just one star of the show, but five – the substantial slices of perfectly-cooked duck.

Pork belly and scallops. Image: Jason Hedges/DC Thomson.

The more I dug into the plate, the more I found. A garlic and thyme fondant potato, seasonal vegetables, and roast heritage carrot had been doused in the sweet sticky fig reduction and orange jus. The two balanced the intense flavour of the duck superbly.

Julia’s pork belly and scallops had the same wow factor at first glance. Again, the meat did most of the talking. The scallops flaunted an enticing, crisp outer layer, as did the pork.

The accompaniments – mustard mash and seasonal vegetables among them – added some vibrancy to the plate. Black pudding was in the mix, too.

The sweet menu was far too tempting to not acknowledge. Before we knew it, there was a key lime cheesecake on the way.

The interior predominantly boasted subtle blue, taupe and white tones with hints of orange. Image: Jason Hedges/DC Thomson.

The cheesecake itself consisted of a soft biscuit base topped with a tangy, silky-smooth mixture that was light and refreshing. If that weren’t enough, it had been topped with a scoop of mango sorbet.

A fruit coulis had been drizzled across the plate, as well.

The dish was simple, yet effective. Each component worked perfectly together. It proved a lovely way to round off the evening.