I clung onto my phone, anxiously waiting to find out whether we’d get a table or not at Kildrummy Inn as my partner turned the car around an unexpected sharp corner.
“We can get you in at 12.20pm, but please bear with us as we’re really booked up,” said the voice on the phone.
I signed with relief, almost cursing my past self for not being organised enough to book a table for Saturday lunch.
Kildrummy Inn
Having never visited the restaurant, which lies near Alford, before now, I was seeing the venue’s recent refurbishment through fresh eyes. I had nothing to compare it to other than pictures from Google and social media, and I was excited to see what was to come.
Pulling in off of the A97 you could see the Kildrummy Inn green, gold and red sign in advance, with the new outside area starting to really take shape.
When we stepped through the door I was taken aback. This country pub was incredibly modern, stylish and elegant, and I loved how the bar and dining room areas had been broken up with different furniture like a large circular table and Chesterfield sofas.
The leather and fabric seats were a comfortable place to park ourselves and the single rose in the vase added a homely touch to the dark wooden table.
There was also a regal feel to the bar because of its carpentry and paintings with gold frames and tapestry on the walls added to this.
Exposed beams with hanging lighting and the exposed brick walls were my favourites though because it showed this building had a history.
Greeted by owner and executive chef David Littlejohn himself, it was great to see the head of the business leading his front of house team.
Chloe and Abbie were our servers throughout and were very polite and helpful, advising of the specials and recommended dishes with confidence.
The food
I’d eyed up the fish pie for main and was between it and the arancini. As tempting as it sounded (packed with coley, haddock, smoked salmon and cod) I opted for the fried Italian staple instead.
Our order read back: pigeon and terrine to start, arancini and chicken for main, and dessert? Well, that was up for debate. A mention has to go to the Scot text ‘Fit Ye Haein?’ on the menu which was a lovely touch.
Soft drinks were the beverage of choice and we sat back people watching as more and more diners made their way through the entrance.
Although busy, it wasn’t long until the pigeon breast with puy lentil ragout, parsnip crisps and jus plus my ham hock and parsley terrine with apricot puree and black pudding arrived.
The meat of the two pigeon breasts was very tender, with the skin a little tough. A parsnip crisp added some sweetness and texture to the offering while the puy lentils, in contrast, were soft and broke apart very easily.
Rich and thick, the jus had a slight berry taste to it and purple radish micro herbs topped it.
As for the terrine, a small cuboid of ham hock and parsley sat on a large white plate. It didn’t look much to eat, but I took my time with it and I’m glad it was the size it was.
A black pudding bon bon sat on top of it and a strand of pea micro green also straddled the top. The apricot puree was intense, but paired with the meaty terrine it balanced out perfectly.
The venue was really filling up with young families, couples, and a few groups of friends all looking to get their Kildrummy fix.
Our mains were just as good as the starters with the chicken breast coming served with fregola pasta, pea, pancetta and a parmesan crisp, and the wild garlic and pine nut arancini with olive tapenade, smoked almonds and tomato.
One large chicken breast cut in half with skin on was presented in the middle of my partner’s bowl. The bird itself was incredibly tender and pulled apart. I reckon it was cooked in a water bath because it was so soft and almost melted in your mouth.
It was on a bed of peas and pasta with halves of roasted tomatoes served in what he described as “a light and savoury gravy”. The two parmesan crisps which were chewy but had a little snap to them when cutting into.
My arancini was bursting with flavour inside with the cheese hidden within melted and stringy as I cut each of the three balls open.
The flavour was incredible and I enjoyed the selection of seasonal veg served alongside it. This included pak choi, tender stem broccoli and runner beans. I had the same small roasted tomatoes on my plate – red and yellow – and the olive tapenade packed a punch.
There were even some black and green olives on the plate to enjoy, too.
As if we weren’t already full we couldn’t leave without sampling the warm chocolate-nut brownie with honeycomb and malt ice cream.
It was quite crumbly but very decadent and rich. The homemade honeycomb was amazing, very crispy and sweet, with a gorgeous crunch to it. The thick dollops of concentrated salted caramel sauce exploded with flavour.
The boozy cherries – three of them – were a lovely addition to the plate and the ice cream was so smooth and not heavy at all. Everything was delicate and light and spectacularly plated as well.
While settling the bill we paid further compliments to both Chloe and Abbie who did a great job of looking after us. They were accommodating throughout and certainly helped round off a spectacular meal.
The verdict
It is clear the kitchen staff here know what they are doing which is no surprise under the management of head chef Alexandria Hay.
Not only is every dish plated beautifully, but they’ve got this perfect balance of pub favourites and different dishes, which, for a lunchtime menu, can be hard to master.
The new surroundings make Kildrummy Inn a place you want to visit again and again, not to mention encourages you to stay and enjoy a longer lunch or dinner.
The fact people travel far and wide to visit this remote country establishment is a testament to the food it serves and its warm and homely hospitality.
From the moment we walked through the door to the moment we left, we felt cared for and satisfied.
This isn’t your usual pub grub. This is so much more.
Information
Address: Kildrummy Inn, Kildrummy, Alford, Aberdeenshire AB33 8QS
T: 019755 71227
Price: £80 for two starters, two mains and a dessert
Scores:
- Food: 5/5
- Service: 4.5/5
- Surrounding: 4.5/5
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