Review on Ducks Inn
The country cousin of Duck's at Le Marche Noir in Edinburgh (now open only for private functions), this restaurant is housed in the extensively re-vamped Kilspindie Hotel, some 20 minutes' drive from the city centre. Informal meals including a great selection of tapas are served in their popular bar, decorated with memorabilia collected by Malcolm over the years, it is the more casual option to the restaurant, where the attention focuses on upbeat modern food offered in a cosy dining room.
Partner and Head Chef is John Paul McLachlan, who previously climbed the culinary ladder alongside acclaimed Michelin-starred chefs such as Raymond Blanc, Gordon Ramsay and Martin Wishart, as well as having his own signature restaurant with the MacDonald Hotel Group. Scottish produce is the jumping off point for a menu of vivid dishes with a strong French and Mediterranean bias. Goat's cheese crottin, black onion and sesame seeds with sauce ratatouille starts the ball rolling, before a main course of coq au vin or from the sea there's roasted wild hake fillet, lightly curried mussel and vegetable broth. To close the show there's a classic tart tatin paired with butterscotch sauce and vanilla pod ice cream or Scottish and French cheeses served with chutney, oatcakes, biscuits, grapes and Granny Smith apple lardons.
Matching the food is a mightily impressive, award-winning wine list with a fine selection by the glass. Malcolm Duck has toured the world's vineyards in search of quality, although the list has a deliberately 'inflated' French section.
Ducks Inn is also featured in: AA Guide
Rate this RestaurantCuisine
Modern Scottish / European
Chef
John Paul McLachlan
Restaurant Opening Times
Breakfast: 7.30 - 9.30am
Lunch: 12.00 through until
Dinner: 9.00pm Tue-Sun
Accepted credit cards
Visa, Master Card, American Express
