While visiting the small conservation town of Luss by Loch Lomond (situated literally on the bonnie bonnie banks), you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d stepped back in time.
The immaculate cottages, quaint General Store, well-kept gardens and small jetty on the loch have all been perfectly preserved in this charming village, which is only a 40-minute drive from Glasgow.
At the heart of Luss is the Loch Lomond Arms Hotel. Formerly an 18th-century coaching inn, the hotel was given a makeover to become a cosy country gastropub with 15 rooms on-site (five self-catering cottages are also available) in 2015.
The interior of the hotel is a mix of modern and traditional. Downstairs the bar, restaurant and library are decorated in a muted palette of Farrow & Ball hues in greens on the part tongue-and- groove walls.
The dark wooden floors, tartan curtains, open log-burning fires, mismatched, aged wooden chairs and benches, and an eclectic collection of vintage country-scene artworks make this an ideal spot for a cosy lunch or dinner after a winter walk.
The menu takes full advantage of the fresh, local bounty available from the surrounding natural larder.
Fresh vegetables and fruit come from nearby Camstradden garden (the current Laird’s home) while venison is also from the estate and seafood is from, among other places, Loch Fyne.
After a wander about Luss with Archie the dog, we sat down to enjoy a warming lunch. For starters we chose a small portion of mussels (£10) which came in a cream and white wine sauce with sourdough bread while my boyfriend chose the game terrine (£8).
The steaming, plump mussels were enlivened with creamy, onion laded broth, which was eagerly mopped up with fresh and crisp slices of buttered bread.
Across the table a generous slice of pheasant and black pudding terrine was served with what looked like homemade chutney and sourdough croutons.
Rich and gamey, this was a moreish slab of meat if a tad on the dry side. The chutney and crispy croutons were a complementary addition to the dish.
For mains, I went for the vegan roast sweet potato and mushroom pithivier, £17 (we, and other diners were pleasantly surprised by the range of vegan dishes available).
While my boyfriend continued his meat feast with the steak pie, £19. My pithivier - a mound of lightly golden pastry - was sat on top of al dente, bright green sprouts broccoli and leaves all coasted in a wonderfully rich buttery sauce.
Inside was a mix of mashed sweet potato and thinly sliced mushrooms to give an earthy kick to what could be too soft and rich a dish. A lovely veggie option for a cold day.
The steak pie, served with roasted carrots, potatoes, broccoli and sprouts, was another generous portion, served in an old school white, rectangular pie tin.
This was filled to the brim with a large chunk of beef steak, and just enough gravy to not be overpowering. You could taste the quality of the meat which was soft, not dry. The vegetables were well cooked, and not in any way soggy.
For dessert there was a good selection of options including seasonal fruit crumble with creme anglaise, a selection of Arran ice cream and sorbets, and a selection of Scottish cheeses.
We shared a classic pub sweet treat, sticky toffee pudding, £8. The softly steamed sponge was studded with raisins and dates, and served with a caramel sauce that had just the right amount of sweetness.
I was intrigued by the vegan pavlova as there aren’t often choices of vegan desserts that aren’t just fruit. By being nosey at another table, I could see a white base of bubbly looking ‘meringue’ topped with a vibrant, purple cream.
It’s the season for this kind of pit stop; the fire, local drams and beers behind the bar as well as a good wine selection and comforting, cosseted type of food, is just the anecdote to freezing winter’s day, which also lend themselves to bracing walks (especially if you have no choice, if you, like me, have a dog - luckily the Loch Lomond Arms is also dog-friendly).
With a menu that showcases local produce, cooked well, and a good selection of dietary requirement dishes, are the reasons that Loch Lomond Arms remains a firm favourite for anyone visiting this quaint village no matter the weather.
