With a new interior design, Andy and Kim Murray's Cromlix restaurant has been taken in a new direction, with foraging brought to the fore
At the start of this year, in a remarkably short 10-week window, Cromlix hotel in Dunblane went through a stylish renovation, moving away from the tartan and neutral tones it had long been known for and replacing them with bold and vibrant patterns designed to make the most of the property's breathtaking landscape.
The refurbishment, which was led by interior designer Suzanne Garuda and artist Kim Murray, who proudly owns the 15-bedroom (and one lodge), five-red-AA-starred hotel with her tennis ace husband Sir Andy Murray, meant extensive changes for food and beverage. It also marked an amicable end to a 10-year partnership with Inverlochy Castle Management International and Chez Roux, the arm that oversaw all things culinary, and in March Cromlix reopened its doors.
The Glasshouse at Cromlix is, by definition, blessed with light. Faux foliage around the base of the ceiling's huge lantern window and botanical-themed soft furnishings give the 50-seat dining room an altogether different feel to its previous rather more formal incarnation. A pre-existing open-plan kitchen, made a little more private in the refurb, still creates a talking point for the room, but the new space, filled with brightly upholstered tub and rattan chairs, creates a more relaxing atmosphere and invites diners to enjoy the spectacular garden view.
Executive head chef Darin Campbell, the opening head chef of Restaurant Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles some 20 years ago, who has been at Cromlix for nine years (alongside Chez Roux for eight) is delighted to have the opportunity to take the menu in a new direction.
"Previously, we were quite focused on classic French cuisine, which was very successful, but the refurbishment of the restaurant has freed us up to bring in a lot more spices and flavours from around the world," explains Campbell. "It's been good for us as chefs to experiment with Middle Eastern and Asian flavours and bring dishes onto the menu that wouldn't have fitted in before. It's now a bigger, broader menu, with a grill section and specials, and it gives us an opportunity to express ourselves."
While more exotic ingredients are clearly at play, with references here and there to harissa almonds, baba ghanoush and tahini dressing, Campbell says the brigade of a dozen chefs are also using a lot more produce from the hotel's kitchen garden and they've upped the ante with their foraging from the estate's 34 acres of woodland.
"We've got great red kale, cavelo nero, plums, apples and pears, and a world of different herbs – three or four types of mint, which we use in cocktails and in pastry, and five types of thyme. We're using butter and lemon thyme in fish dishes – the flavour and fragrance is fantastic."
While the Murrays are invested in the property and its food offering, Campbell has free rein on the menus. "They enjoy coming into the restaurant and seeing what's new; in fact, Kim was here yesterday and we were out foraging for fantastic hedgehog mushrooms, which we used in a special," explains Campbell.
A great example of the new, blended menu is a ramen featuring Newtonmore venison loin – a fragrant, spiced stock with braised haunch, wheat noodles, spiced cashews and quail's egg (£37). "We came up with it as an idea, tried it as a special and it went down phenomenally well – in fact, one guest had it two nights on the trot. We're trying to evolve these great dishes but put a Scottish and a local twist on them as well. It worked so well that we decided to put it on the main à la carte." Another dish highlighting prime local produce is St Bride's Farm duck breast with confit leg, sweet potato, pickled plum (from the garden), cocoa nib and peanut crumb (£34). "The duck comes from a farmer, Robert Morris, a few miles down the road. It's a Pekin duck, hand-reared and absolutely delicious."
Desserts are overseen by pastry head chef Emily Black, who has recently returned to the property having spent her formative years at the hotel. Continuing with the vegetal theme is a warm sesame sponge pudding featuring Douglas Fir ice-cream, chestnut caramel and a sesame tuile (£12). "We had a lot of fun getting the ice-cream right," laughs Campbell, "but it's a lovely dish and the fir tree is literally just outside the back door."
From the menu
Jerusalem artichoke soup, Spink's smoked haddock and Virginia cured bacon £10.50
Homemade pork and pistachio pâté, orange brioche, golden raisins, roasted spiced cauliflower £13.50
Oban smoked rainbow trout, Peterhead crab and seaweed scone, romesco, caviar £15.50
Seared fillet of Kinlochbervie monkfish, skewered with salchichon, cioppino clam stew, cocoa beans £35.50
Roasted spiced cauliflower, curried raisin purée, Puy lentils, harissa almonds £26.50
Green apple and chai mille-feuille, apple crumble ice-cream, apple tuile £12.50
Salted caramel custard tart, clementine sorbet £11
Cromlix tiramisu, coffee cake, Marsala, mascarpone ice-cream, raisins, chocolate mousse £11.50
Cromlix, Kinbuck, By Dunblane, Stirlingshire FK15 9JT
