Weekend pass: Duck's at Kilspindie

Published on Friday 24 July 2009 13:39

Main Street, Aberlady (01875 870682, www.kilspindie.co.uk)

ABERLADY is one of those East Lothian villages that you tend to drive through to get somewhere else, being located on the main coastal road out to the delights of Gullane, Dirleton and North Berwick. But it rewards a longer visit, whether for the walks out past the mudflats of the Aberlady bird reserve, the picturesque church or just to make a pitstop at Duck's, probably the area's most award-laden restaurant with rooms.

How do I get there? Head east out of Edinburgh on the A1 and take the marked coast road to North Berwick. This is the old A1 and winds through woods, fields and down to the shores of the Firth of Forth. The superb views across to Fife are worth the drive alone.

What's the food like? The canny owner of this establishment is one Malcolm Duck, a main player in the Edinburgh restaurant scene who, on taking over the former Kilspindie House Hotel on Aberlady's perfectly formed Main Street, reasoned that if the food is good enough, the customers will come.

In a meat-eating mood, I ordered the collop of quail starter with spinach, artichoke pure and lentil jus, and the chef got the delicate wee bird just right. The slow-roasted pork belly with roasted sweet potato mash, parsnip pure, roasted salsify, green beans and pancetta was the kind of meal that chilly Sunday evenings are made for. My companion, who had taken the fishy route and declared herself well-satisfied, dictated we should share a dessert. It could only be the hot, dark chocolate mousse, black cherries, vanilla ice-cream and pistachio nuts. It promised a lot, and we were not disappointed.

Bed test This is a restaurant with rooms, so what Duck's focuses on is filling your belly then providing a comfortable repose for the rest of the evening. The bedrooms have old-fashioned charm and are reached via a narrow staircase and along creaking corridors, just a stumble from a bar where you are as likely to meet an Aberlady local as a visiting golfer.

Out and about This is God's own golfing territory (sorry, St Andrews!) with an embarrassment of riches when it comes to top-class courses, whether the local gem of Kilspindie, the three Gullanes or the classy North Berwick, all within easy reach. Hitting a little white ball aside, the beaches and bracing coastal walks are outstanding, and the Bass Rock is but a boat ride away from North Berwick harbour. There's even a lowland distillery at Glenkinchie, not forgetting the nearby Museum Of Flight. The walk out across the bird reserve to the beach is a pleasure, summer or winter, for its big skies and bracing winds.

Little extras The well-connected proprietor seems knows everything there is to know about the area's golf courses and is equally at home with whisky, fine wines and fine dining.

The bottom line Rooms cost 98 in the summer and 40 per person sharing in the winter or 20 if eating in the restaurant. A three-course dinner is 28, and Duck's also serves a range of bar meals.