This is our philosophy here, at Loch Melfort Hotel, and we take great pride and care in ensuring everyone dining at Asknish Bay Restaurant gets the special treatment. It’s about great service, a relaxing time, gorgeous food enjoyed in comfortable surroundings and with one of the best views on the West Coast. So how do we do it?
Food is carefully made to order so on arrival, our front of house team, including Samantha and James, invite you to take a seat in one of the comfy chairs and sofas in the lounge and to consult our pre-dinner drinks menu. Wine and spirits are a key part of the dining experience here and we are passionate about great wine and good advice to our guests on how best to enjoy their drinks, pre- and during dinner.
The front of house and bar staff then prepare your drink. James, seen below getting a G&T ready with the very special Isle of Harris gin, is a bit of a spirits connoisseur himself and happily shares this enthusiasm and knowledge with our guests.
Canapés are served with your drinks, showcasing perfect bites of fresh local produce. Whilst you enjoy your drinks and canapés, you can browse through the menu, choosing between A La Carte and Table d’hôte menus. There is quite a bit of flexibility in mixing and matching items between the two to suit your preference and our front of house staff can talk you through the various choices as well as advise on picking the best dishes for your taste. We also chat about wine at this point and help you to choose one or more wines to accompany your food perfectly. Loch Melfort work with Inverarity Vaults, Scotland’s leading independent Wine Merchant, to develop and maintain a wine list that works hand and hand with fresh produce and flavours.
There is plenty of time to relax before you get called into the dining room. If you fancy a little additional starter, don’t hesitate to ask. A couple of fresh oysters might just be what you need to get your tastebuds ready for the lovely dishes to come.
Asknish Bay Restaurant is thus named because of its unique situation, with open views to the shore, the sea and the bay. It is a breathtaking place to eat, because it isn’t just about the interior decor, it is also very much about what happens outside. When the days start getting longer and until late October, there is always something to see out of the bay windows and sunsets there can be quite spectacular. You won’t be disappointed.
So back to the food. One of your restaurant staff will bring your chosen wine or drinks as well as your starter. You also get to sample what could be referred to as heaven in a cup, otherwise known as the soup you are served between courses. It is scrumptious and one you won’t forget in a hurry.
Dinner is served at your pace so you won’t be rushed to finish a course and move on to the next. Feel free to take your time, admire the view, chat to our team who will be more than happy to talk about, not only the food, but also the area, the hotel, etc. We work with a great bunch of people, many of whom have been with us for many years. This experience and loyalty are evident in how they look after our guests so wonderfully.
Asknish Bay Restaurant is very much about local, fresh, foraged (when in season) Argyll and Scottish produce, with a focus on game and seafood. Try the scallops, the hake or the lobster, beautiful!
You do need to take your time and leave room for dessert as sweet things here are really quite wonderful. All tastes are catered for, from the chocolate devotee to those with a taste for more citrusy tarts and mousses. The blackberry steam pudding pictured below is quite a treat, light and more-ish at the same time.
At the end of your meal, you can regroup in front of the fire in the lounge for a night cap (port, whisky, take your pick) and/or a cup of tea, coffee or herbal infusion. The perfect way to end a very relaxing and foodie-friendly evening. We hope you enjoy the experience as much as we do delivering it.
