Scottish Borders Restaurant Reviews

The Tweed Restaurant, with wide views of the river, serves Borders and Scottish cuisine from a frequently changing menu. Best in sunnier months when the curtains are open to reveal the view when one dines, style-wise the room is unsurprisingly traditional. Chandeliers sparkle while intricate cornicing is picked out in the dominant pink and peach tones. The next-door Abbey Room, an elegant space with views on two sides, is used too at busy times, and is perfect for smaller parties.

Dinner here is relaxing and a touch old-fashioned. The staff are delightful. Jules was at the helm when we stayed in 2006. Service with water, home-made bread rolls and wine was spot-on. Order in the bar; the 4-course evening menu offers 4 or 5 choices at starter and main courses, plus a soup intermediate and a dessert or cheese option. Starters range from light (Smoked Salmon Terrine) to substantial (Wild Boar Sausage). Our soup was a good and bracing Spiced Butternut Squash. A Carpaccio of Beef Fillet should have been done in the Continental fashion.

Mains were ample and enjoyable - fine country cooking: Roast Rump of Lamb on a Braised Puy Lentil Salad dished up generous servings of sweet Border lamb in a tasty dish. Other options for mains included red fish, risotto, guinea fowl and, at a marginally hefty mark-up of £7.95, the very prime beef brand, a Buccleuch fillet. We overheard (our antennae are always tuned-in) a neighbouring diner much praise his upgrade.

Cheeses are excellently-described in the menu, on their own page, and offer a very good selection. Desserts included a perfectly good Vanilla Panna Cotta and some chocolatey offerings for the chocoholics amongst us.

The wine list is varied and sound, and has some interesting fine old French wines, an excellent 17 half-bottles, decent sparklers and pops, and it all commences with an easy-on-the-wallet Merlot at just £14 odds.

Informal dining is available in the bar and - watch this space - from April a superb new facility opens at the hotel: we'll be first to review it.

Breakfast offers the delicious Dryburgh Special - a concoction involving muffins, Hollandaise sauce, smoked bacon and soft eggs: do give it a go! A buffet offers a range of cereals and pastries, while the freshest orange juice is quite literally squeezed in front of your eyes by a splendid contraption which will be admired by kids of all ages. We're just awaiting word of a couple of small upgrades as a BreakfastRosette™ is almost 'there' for this hotel, whose dining rooms offer a very smart place in which to start the day.