Star man

RESTAURANT Review

I'VE been lucky enough to eat at several Michelin two-star restaurants, but I've rarely enjoyed the experience as much as I think I should. That's largely because of the rigmarole that restaurants have to go through to acquire a second star. It has become overblown and onerous, and generally goes far beyond the 'worth a detour' qualification that was laid down when the guides first appeared in France, in 1926.

There is a perception that the main qualification for a second star is food that is self-consciously complicated, even if that 17th extra ingredient adds little or nothing to the overall taste of the dish. Not only that, but the service aspect has also become overplayed, with diners all too often ending up eating in the presence of so many waiting staff that the overall effect can be anything from daunting to oppressive.

Given that jaundiced perspective, I approached my trip to Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles – the only two-star chef operating in Scotland – in a state of mild trepidation. Yet I needn't have worried. Despite the line of super-cars outside and the well-heeled cashmere-clad customers inside, Gleneagles – with its wood-lined corridors and golfing bonhomie – still manages to exude a sense of cosiness that is somehow inclusive rather than exclusive. It's an ambience that also suffuses its flagship restaurant. Our welcome was certainly brisk and efficient, but more than that, it was also cheery and personalised.

We were quickly shown to our table and I was pleasantly surprised to find just one waitress attending to us at any one time, rather than a small tribe. And our main server (sorry, don't you hate that Americanism?) was not remotely formal; she was more than happy to give us her opinion on which dishes she would choose and to explain why, which is always a good sign.

However, she didn't manage to recommend the dish I wanted, so after we'd dispatched an amuse bouche of a gloriously layered fennel cappuccino, I ignored her advice and had the confit foie gras and Tamworth pork belly with toasted brioche. Bea conformed to type and went for the priciest option, splashing a tenner supplement on the home-smoked lobster with a warm lime and herb butter.

Neither starter was what I had imagined. They weren't over-complicated; they weren't remotely elaborate, prissy, intricate or any of those other adjectives that set alarm bells ringing. Instead, they were surprisingly simple and classic, and perfectly produced. There were no gimmicks, no flourishes; just two faultless dishes.

The main courses were equally conventional, and the results were as stunning. Bea's veal loin, shin and sweet-breads was particularly noteworthy: the delicate flavours of the loin meshing with the richer, darker tones of the juicy shin, and rounded off with the tender, velvety sweetbreads to produce an exquisitely balanced dish.

My roasted and confit squab (month-old pigeon that is fully grown but yet to fly) didn't grab me in the same manner, but that's not a complaint; more a question of taste. The combination of squab was so delicately flavoured that it didn't have the same impact upon my palate as the deeper flavours of the veal.

Bea rounded off with a caramelised pine nut mousse with iced orange parfait, while I went for the chocolate fondant, mousse, soufflé and sauce. It would be difficult to better either pudding, but the unfeasible lightness of the soufflé – arguably as good as I've tasted – deserves special mention.

If the informality of Andrew Fairlie's and the unfussiness of his menu came as a pleasant surprise, the bill for two wasn't a shock. Excellence – and make no mistake, this was a truly excellent meal; one Bea described as the best she'd had – doesn't come cheap, so if you're on any kind of budget, go elsewhere or be prepared to hand over your credit card without looking at the bill.vital statistics

Andrew Fairlie
Gleneagles, Auchterarder, Perthshire (01764 694267, www.andrewfairlie.com)

Out of pocket

Three-course a la carte menu £75 (plus £10 for cheese course and £5 for coffee); six-course menu du marché (must be chosen by entire table) £85; six-course menu degustation (must be chosen by entire table) £95

Rating 9/10

The apartment

IN LAST week's edition of Spectrum, we used a photo of the Apartment restaurant prior to its refurbishment last year. This was done in error and we apologise for this mistake. The above photo shows the new interior of the restaurant at 7 Barclay Place, Edinburgh (0131 228 6456).