Ardennan House Hotel review: Inverurie favourite's tasty new menu

Driving from Aberdeen to Inverness and back to pay a visit at Raigmore is nobody’s dream Saturday afternoon.

Doing that stop-start crawl through Elgin and Nairn not once but twice that grey day was more than enough to make me feel I deserved a treat at the end of it.

So it was that I decided to cap the journey off by meeting up with a friend in Inverurie for dinner on the way back.

Mark and I are always on the lookout for new places to try, and we had a quick scan online for a destination we hadn’t been to before.

The extension at the venue. Image: Ardennan House Hotel

My eye was drawn to the Ardennan House Hotel, at first mostly due to the convenience – just a quick turn off the Port Elphinstone roundabout.

One look at the online menu and my eyes lit up.

“I vote for that one,” I Whatsapped. “Works for me,” Mark replied, requiring little convincing.

What were my first impressions of Ardennan House Hotel?

Just from the traditional exterior, I can already guess I’m going to like this place.

Even though it’s only just on the outskirts of the Aberdeenshire town, and overlooks a busy trunk road, it has the feel of a cosy countryside inn.

A glimpse inside the venue. Image: Heather Fowlie/DC Thomson

The Ardennan, I later learn, actually dates back to the 18th century – when I imagine it was surrounded by countryside – and is an independent, family-owned enterprise.

It is ageing gracefully. The interior is cosy and welcoming, though it still has a modern feel.

And they’re in the midst of some improvements, with about £100,000 going towards a new extension offering more dining space.

It looks to be almost finished when I arrive there at 6.15pm that Saturday, to find Mark already sat in our booth. It opened officially on May 2.

So what did we have to eat?

While catching up, we peruse the starters menu. I’m tempted by the garlic butter chicken (£9.50) but settle for the creamy mushroom bruschetta (£8.95).

Mark orders burrata (£10.50).

The Italian starter piqued my curiosity… Image: Ben Hendry/DC Thomson

What arrives a few minutes later looks like a particularly large arancini ball.

But when he slices though the crispy coating, a melting mound of cheese bursts but across his plate. This looks amazing.

Mark tells me this is a creamier version of the more famous Italian staple, mozzarella. I tuck this knowledge away ready for the next time I see it on a menu.

The gooey cheese inside. Image: Ben Hendry/DC Thomson

This dairy delight comes served with a creamy tomato sauce and wee slices of toast to scoop up the gooey cheese. He tells me he could easily have signed up for a second one.

As for me, my mushroom bruschetta is perhaps less spectacular but nevertheless satisfying.

The delicious mushroom bruschetta. Image: Ardennan House Hotel

The mushrooms are served in a cream cheese sauce, and drizzled with a treacle-textured balsamic glaze.

What are the main courses like?

The main courses vary from the favourites-for-a-reason that you might expect like fish and chips (£17.95), spaghetti carbonara (£16.95) and a deluxe steak burger (£17.50) to slightly more exotic offerings.

I opt for the crispy honey chili beef for £20.50, something of a Chinese takeaway regular you may not expect to see on the menu of a traditional Aberdeenshire restaurant.

Mark orders the chicken schnitzel, an Austrian staple, which costs £18.50.

The chicken dish impressed my friend. Image: Ardennan House Hotel

We are both impressed by the generous helpings that our waitress, who must be deceptively strong, brings over.

His chunky chicken breast is coated in breadcrumbs and served with a good dollop of sundried tomato sauce, some pesto and a neat mound of spaghetti on the side.

Both sauces pack a flavoursome punch, but work perfectly together. And although the meal might look hefty, he tells me it’s surprisingly light.

The crispy beef comes piled high on my plate, and tastes fantastic.

This was the perfect meal if you fancy a bit of a change on your night out. Image: Ardennan House Hotel

The sweet and spicy sauce is neither too sickly or too hot. It’s just right. And there’s also just the right amount of rice on the side as an accompaniment.

I feel pleased I’ve gone with the unusual option on the menu, and am certainly content I got my money’s worth from the big portion!

What are Ardennan House Hotel desserts like?

Now, we were both a bit stuffed by this point but the desserts menu looked so tempting we thought it would be rude not to have one.

I like to try a sticky toffee pudding wherever I go. I struggle to resist them.

This was a bit different though, as it was a Biscoff version (£8.90). Much like the main course menu hinted at, the Ardennan likes to put its own twist on the classics.

The ice cream matched perfectly with the dessert. Image: Ben Hendry/DC Thomson

Where do you think does the best sticky toffee pudding in Aberdeenshire? Let me know in our comments section so I can try it!

Again, the food was faultless, as my pudding arrived with a blob of vanilla ice cream melting down the sides and packed with juicy dates bursting with flavour.

Mark went for the banoffee crème brûlée (£8.90), which comes with some homemade shortbread.

After tapping the glassy surface until it breaks apart with a small but satisfying crack, he digs in.

The banoffee creme brulee. Image: Ben Hendry/DC Thomson

“It’s like banana custard,” he enthuses.

So what was our verdict on the Ardennan House Hotel?

My guess when I pulled up outside was right. This was just my type of place.

Mark, who lives just a few miles away in Blackburn, can’t believe he’s never thought to come here before – and vows to be back sooner rather than later.