Kinloch Lodge on the Isle of Skye is mentioned in the Michelin Guide, and deservedly so. The year that our neighbour Michael Smith at Loch Bay gained his star, 2017, was the same year that Kinloch lost theirs. It must have been quite a blow for Isabella MacDonald, director of Kinloch Lodge and daughter of its founder, Lady Claire Macdonald (do have a search for Claire's cook books), and there's a new one to mark the 50th anniversary.
It had been on our wish list of places to eat on Skye for a while, but its location is an hours' drive each way from Beachcomber Cottage, and we needed the motivation for the round trip. It seems that January turned out to be the perfect motivator. Many hospitality businesses take a well-earned break to relax and ready themselves for the coming 'season' again. Kinloch Lodge took the opposite decision, they closed for Christmas and re-opened on the 28th December. People still have things to celebrate in January, there were 3 small parties with birthday lunches being enjoyed enjoyed whilst we were there, so this was a clever move - it was the only fine dining establishment open on Skye.
Situated on the Sleat Peninsular to the south of the Isle, Kinloch Lodge is at the end of a single track road, which was surprisingly still icy on our visit - our base in the North was completely clear by this morning.
Dating from the 16th century, once a hunting lodge, Kinloch Lodge is now an elegant and luxurious country house hotel, with a well stocked whisky bar (over 100 different ones) and restaurant open to non-residents. Do remember that if you are just dining, that Scottish drink driving laws are very strict with very low limits. It's best to stick to soft drinks or one of the non-alcoholic beers (all the beers are from Scottish brewers).
It has a fascinating history. Kinloch Lodge was built as a farmhouse in 1676 and later adopted as a hunting lodge by the Macdonald clan chief somewhere in the 18th century, and has a rich and varied history. Somewhere in the 16th century the Macdonalds of Sleat in the far south of the island, and Macleods of the north were involved in much bitter and vicious fighting, apparently set off the Macdonald clan chief taking exception to a Macleod sister sent over for him to marry. Apparently one-eyed and not very good looking she was sent back to the Macleods on a one-eyed horse accompanied by a one-eyed dog and one-eyed man! Much insult was taken at this and the Macleods took to the warpath which the Macdonalds glady reciprocated!
Traditionally always at odds with the Macleod clan in Dunvegan, the Macdonalds of Sleat finally began to move to a more settled peaceful life in 19th century. The current Baronetcy is actually an Irish peerage title as an inconvenient illegitimacy meant that the additional Scottish peerage of Baronet of Sleat fell aside.
With the general decline in the aristocracy in the 20th century Kinloch lodge became a little downtrodden until 1972 the then Godfrey, Lord Macdonald decided to change the Lodge’s use into a hotel. His wife Claire was a cook of great repute and it is from her that the Lodge’s reputation for food came.
This love of hospitality and good food was passed on to her daughter Isabella who currently is at the helm.
There can be few restaurants where such a continuous family history is involved, and the Lodge benefits from a very high rate of repeat customers many of whom become well known to the family.
We arrived a little early, and were warmly greeted and offered the option to have a drink in the bar first, or we could go straight into the dining room, which we did. This is a lovely room; tables dressed in crisp white linen tablecloths, with views to the loch and an abundance of Scottish paintings. I was seated next to Flora MacDonald with Lord MacDonald and his brother behind me and it suddenly dawned on me that these were relatives of the current owners, whose family seat is Armadale Castle.
The Sunday lunch menu costs £44 for 2 courses and £48 for 3 courses. The choices on the day we dined were:
To Start
Perthshire chicken rillette, melba toast, apple and walnut vinaigrette, celeriac remoulade
Drumfearn mussels, miso broth, Kinloch's kimchi, spring onion, granary bread (my choice)
Sweet potato and red pepper soup, coconut, roast chickpeas (Alex's choice)
Roasts
Aged Highland sirloin (£2.50 supplement)
Lemon and thyme roast chicken breast
Haunch of Skye red deer (my choice)
Slow-roast shoulder of Ayrshire lamb (Alex's choice)
Simone's famous porchetta
Goat's cheese. mushroom and chestnut Wellington
All served with Herb roast potatoes, greens, roast carrots, cauliflower cheese, Yorkshire pudding and gravy. Our dishes also came with the most delicious braised red cabbage I've ever tasted, I always make this at Christmas but I have to say it was a much better than mine!
To Finish
Sticky toffee pudding, butterscotch sauce, vanilla ice cream (Alex couldn't resist this)
Citrus panna cotta, Italian meringue, shortbread
Morangie brie, Tain cheddar, home made chutney and oatcakes
The skills shown by Head Chef Jordan Webb and his team were exemplary, Alex declared his lamb 'the best roast I've ever eaten'. He had to modify that to 'in a restaurant', after a dig in the ribs from me! The flavours were all perfect, with little twists such as the miso broth that my mussels were cooked in.
Throughout the service Isabella greeted regular guests, said hello to everyone, and made the birthday groups feel special - hosting done to perfection. The staff were attentive but not intrusive, and you could just tell that this is a happy workplace.
The view to Loch na Dal finished off our perfect lunch as we headed back to the car.
Our bill for 2 with 2 glasses of wine (Chablis and a Malbec) and a non alcoholic beer came to £125 before adding service.
This is a fabulous place, and we will undoubtedly be back.
Address: Sleat, Isle of Skye, Scotland, IV43 8QY
Phone: 01471 833333 Â
Email: Â reservations@kinloch-lodge.co.uk
