Despite driving under torrential rain recently, I discovered the joys of Fife. The picturesque rural scenery, once across the bridges, helps you realign your chakras and, even more so if your final destination is Fairmont.
Just 10 minutes from St Andrews, and between two championship golf courses, this estate encapsulates quintessential Scottish luxury. It is the perfect place for a retreat where you’ll never get bored. There are five dining options, bars, spa, wellness facilities, and 212 elegantly furnished guestrooms and suites.
I witnessed all of this when invited to the launch of the new summer menu at the St Andrews Bay Clubhouse & Grill Clubhouse. To get there the hotel reception provides a shuttle service since the restaurant has a clifftop location with stunning panoramic views over the immensity of the North Sea with the St. Andrews’ skyline blurred in the distance.
We are welcomed to an open space, where tables are well distanced thus ensuring the privacy of the diners, who appear lost in the landscape due to a long window embracing the whole dining room. Perfect for enjoying a magnificent sunset, although let us not forget that this is Scotland.
The 'Clubhouse' welcomes everyone; hotel residents, golfers, and locals who want to come and enjoy a cuisine that is not at all pretentious. Behind the wheel is Executive Chef Ian Syme who re-joined the Fairmont St Andrews team in 2022. The menu he’s designed screams classicism, full of recipes that cannot be missing in any clubhouse, but with a clear focus on promoting local and seasonal products, contributing to a more sustainable relationship with local farmers and suppliers.
Our dinner kicked off with a chicken liver parfait that was smartly served with red onion marmalade, golden raisins and, Melba toast; and the earthiest heritage beetroot and goat cheese salad.
The pièce de résistance is their seafood platter presented as a ‘tower’ in the purest style of the ‘90s. Blessed nostalgia, sometimes I miss that eccentricity of the past when the produce is this good. The selection includes gin-cured salmon, Cumbrae oysters (and an assiette of classic accompaniments), East Coast crab meat dressed in dill and crème fraîche, West Coast langoustines, and St Andrews Bay Lobster.
The main course is a selection of cuts from different steaks (sirloin and rump). All the steaks come from Tweed Valley Farms that work with two breeds of cows: Murray Grey and Angus which roam freely, grazing on the lush pastures, having a very stress-free and hormone-free lifestyle. Steaks are dry-aged for a minimum of 30 days and beautifully cooked med-rare in their Josper grill. Ours are served with hasselback potatoes, Parmigiano, asparagus, and two sauces on the side: peppercorn and béarnaise.
The finale is a richly delicious milk chocolate layered cake, served in Paris-Brest style and a comforting sticky toffee pudding.
I never expect much of wine lists when visiting large hotel groups but, I am impressed this time by the balance of iconic wineries and small projects; the place to pop by to enjoy great wines in St. Andrews.
What else? Well, make sure you stop at the bar next to reception to end your night with their Pablo Poblano cocktail. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.
Andrews Bay Clubhouse & Grill - St Andrews KY16 8PN
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