It’s a dream of mine to one day own a large country house (something which makes me seem like I am living in the wrong century, which I guess I am given the current state of interest rates and home ownership in my generation), so I feel right at home when I wander into Boath House on what turns out to be the sunniest weekend of the year so far.
There’s no discernible reception, and no staff to be seen, so for a few minutes I can kid myself that I am popping in to pick something up before returning to the huge garden. Sunlight streams into the art filled, comfortable living room (to the right of the front door) and snug seating area (to the left of the front door).
The newly opened Dining Room can be glimpsed straight ahead, next to which the winding staircase leads up to the nine en suite bedrooms. This listed Georgian mansion was once home to a Michelin Star restaurant, but was bought in 2022 by Cabin Studio (the team behind London’s Sessions Arts Club).
They’ve been running the Garden Cafe, situated within the home’s 20 acres, since last year and have only just reopened the Dining Room. Situated in what was once the grand house's breakfast parlour, The Dining Room's menus utilise the home grown produce wherever possible, venturing further afield around Scotland only when necessary.
At the helm of the kitchen is head chef Philip Mcenaney and sous chef Katie Austin. Philip gained experience at Trinity in London working under Adam Byatt, Whatley Manor Hotel under Niall Keating, Hertog Jan in Bruges, Belgium, and Ode in Tokyo, while Katie refined her skills at Trinity Clapham over three years.
She recognised that the produce coming through their door in London originated from the Highlands, so they decided to relocate, placing themselves in the heart of the region to have first hand access and showcase its best offerings.
After a walk around the grounds, we’re ready for a pre-dinner drink before sitting down in the light and airy Dining Room for our meal. There’s two menus, a very reasonably priced two courses for £28 and three courses for £35 (the Artist's menu). Or you can treat yourself to The Experience Menu, an 8-course tasting menu with an optional wine pairing, £95.
We chose the latter as the duty manager (who had memorised both menus perfectly) seemed the most excited about this offering.
The experience starts with hen egg, spinach and mushroom. This was served in a hollowed out egg shell, which was sat in straw in a shallow bowl. Topped with crisp fried breadcrumbs, which added texture, inside was like a grown up version of a boiled egg,
Next was a picture perfect dish of two bright green spears of asparagus, covered by foraged herbs and dotted with pretty paradox leek flowers. This was a simple yet more-ish portion as the flavours of the asparagus were left to shine, complemented by the seasonal herbs that we’d seen be picked from the garden that afternoon.
We were then presented with the bread course which was a simple chewy and crunchy sourdough, served with flavoursome miso cultured butter.
A scallop dish was next, with the single plum disc sitting afloat in a sea of mousse-like kombu broth. A good combination of sweet from the seafood and salty from the broth.
The main dish was a thick slice of beef, served with roast Jerusalem artichoke, baby carrots and a colourful riot of garden herbs.
A palette cleanser of yoghurt with sharp rhubarb granita followed before dessert - a thin block of almost muesli-like acorn and apple topped with a wave of birch syrup spiked cream and tiny flowers. Finally the night ended with petit fours and tea and coffee.
The setting and the food combine to make this a memorable evening that feels miles away from the everyday. The kitchen team have set out to create a dining experience that combines Scottish produce with the culinary techniques refined through their years in the industry, encompassing English, French and Japanese influences, and it’s evident in the simple yet beautiful dishes - from the presentation to the combination of ingredients and flavours.
There’s a simple elegance both in the food and the overall experience that makes it hard to forget, and beat. It’s places like Boath House that show us that hospitality is an art form, and take it from being a big house in the country you’d love to own, to a must-visit destination that you can imagine returning to again and again.
