5 Star Restaurant and Inn!

The multi award winning Horseshoe Inn is a pretty little Inn situated in Eddleston by Peebles right in the heart of the Scottish Borders. After a slow drive out of Edinburgh last Tuesday Celia and I came across this lovely looking boutique style Inn, and on seeing the smart exterior we were eager to get inside.

Once we got to the reception in the main building we were greeted by the wonderful and personable Sumith Alahakoon. Sumith is the general manager of the Horseshoe Inn, and his extensive experience in luxury hotels really shows. We were shown to our lovely little room, complete with complimentary homemade gingerbread, teas, coffees and Molton Brown toiletries, where we dropped off our bags and then headed back to the reception.

Once back in the main building (housing both the super smart à la carte restaurant and the cosy bistro) we waited in the plush lounge to be taken in to dinner. At this point we really got to know Sumith better. We learned he not only runs the whole hotel but he is also a registered sommelier, and he banished all hopes of us sticking to any kind of a diet by insisting we opt for the full tasting menu, with wine to match.

The Horse Shoe Inn is a very old building and has played host to monarchs in the past. The walls are thick, so even though it is right on the road it is quiet and very relaxing. The warm terracotta hues and plush furnishing gives the hotel decadence and quaintness in equal measure. Right from the off it seemed like a lovely friendly place to stay and the more we found out about it, the more we realised we had found an absolute diamond.

We started off with the most tasty homemade bread flavoured with lime and thyme, and swiftly moved onto our beautifully presented amuse bouche of calamari, goats cheese and beetroot and Celia’s (non shellfish option) of crispy ox tongue and white onion soup with a nettle pesto. Both were gorgeous and offered the promise of what was to come.

For starters we were presented with huge juicy scallops and chorizo, a very tasty combination. The sweetcorn puree which accompanied it really added sweetness to the dish. Next on the list was a small meat dish full of local and seasonal produce including leek and carrot terrine, chicken rissole and a confit of chicken and ham. This was a perfectly sized portion and didn’t fill us up too much before our next four courses!

The fish course included wild Bass, Devon crab with crushed Roseval potatoes and a tasty Fennel and Nettle pesto. The Bass was beautifully cooked with a crunchy skin and juicy tender flesh.  The meat course was a roasted lamb loin, and didn’t this just melt in our mouths! It came with a fresh pea Casserole, crispy lamb breast and sautéed kidneys. (I can’t say the kidneys were eaten, but the rest was devoured, we just aren’t kidney people!)

Our final two courses were a cheese course with a variety of local cheeses, and an exceptional pudding of feather-light blackberry Souffle and a Date and Walnut Parfait with refreshing carrot sorbet.

Towards the end of the meal, Riad Peerbux, the head Chef at the Horseshoe Inn left his busy kitchen to have a chat with us. He, like Summith, had worked all over the world, producing innovative and exquisite dishes. Riad clearly values quality produce, and gets most of his ingredients from local suppliers and he also favours seasonal produce. His original creations such as a carrot sorbet are amazing.  Riad and Summith married the food and wine together perfectly throughout the menu.

The wines were all spot on. We enjoyed a real variety including a New Zealand Gewurztraminer called Little Beauty which was wonderfully sweet and set off the Scallops and sweet corn puree beautifully, Chateaux De Lamarque, Haut-Medoc, 2007 which complemented the melt in the mouth lamb and the yummy pudding wine; Cabidos, Petit Manseng, 2007.

Summith was the perfect host and you could see he not only looked after the guests, but his staff as well. His experience in the international hotel industry really showed, this Inn is more a boutique hotel than a country Inn. It is the perfect place to go for an unbelievable meal and a night away from the city, or for exploring the glorious Borders countryside. Riad assured us his Sunday lunches are top notch and we are looking forward to taking friends back to enjoy a lazy afternoon of vino and a perfectly cooked roast.

Back in our room, Celia and I reflected on the evening and I realised that although we had had 7 courses plus canapés, bread, amuse Bouche and petit fours, we weren’t actually full to bursting. We certainly didn’t have that uncomfortable feel after a big bowl of pasta. This I realised was the sign of an exceptional tasting menu. Enough to fill you up and get your senses going but not enough to make you feel  uncomfortable and lethargic. (And of course make you forget your diets that I thought you were on… Ed.)

After a cosy night’s sleep in a super comfortable bed (the mattress protectors were the thickest I had ever seen!) we went to the restaurant for what was sure to be a delicious breakfast. And a delicious breakfast it was!

Celia had a full Scottish with all the trimmings and fresh orange juice. I ate a lot of fresh croissants, pain au chocolat and home made breads with jam as well as a tasty fruit salad with raspberry sorbet. A great start to the day.

The whole experience at the Horseshoe Inn was exceptional. From the staff to the food to the beds, the Horseshoe Inn was luxury at every turn and it is definitely worth the trip out of town for such great food and service!

The Horseshoe Inn, Eddleston, Peebles  01721730 225

The Reporter Food reviewer, Holly Jones, is a partner in The Lifestyle Company Scotland you can follow the company and their lifestyle tips on Twitter

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