Undiscovered Scotland

 

The Macdonald Pittodrie House Hotel offers a range of dining options to hotel guests, as well as to others simply calling in to enjoy the food and the ambience, and to those here for private dining, functions or weddings. You can read our hotel review for Macdonald Pittodrie House here.

Given the popularity of the hotel for weddings in particular, as well as for corporate and other functions, it seems probable that considerably more people dine at Pittodrie House in the function rooms than do in the main Mither Tap Restaurant. Those wishing to do so have five function rooms available, including the library, which can accommodate up to 16, and the beautiful billiard room, which can accommodate up to 50. The bright and airy orangery holds functions for up to 40, and the impressive ballroom for up to 150. It's not a scientific survey, but the chance to talk to some of those attending a wedding reception in the ballroom when we stayed found them highly impressed by the food.

Meanwhile those staying or simply dining at the hotel have a range of options available. The Mither Tap Restaurant is open for lunch and dinner every day, while a bar menu is available in the snug bar. When we visited the bar menu was fairly extensive, and included traditional sandwiches and side orders; light bites ranging from Greek salad to smoked salmon; and comfort dining ranging from pork sausages and onion gravy to a 21 day aged Scottish rib eye steak with hand cut chips and traditional garnish. Plus a range of puddings. To complete the round up of options on offer, afternoon tea is served every afternoon in the hotel's lovely drawing room.

During our stay at the hotel we dined in the Mither Tap Restaurant. The dining experience begins with pre-dinner drinks in the drawing room. The menu includes information about Macdonald Hotels' suppliers, and while this is not overdone, it is nice to know something about where the food you are going to be eating comes from. The dinner menu changes frequently, and there are several examples on the hotel's website. When we visited there were six starters and five mains on offer, plus a grill/salad menu with five further items, side orders, and five desserts plus cheese. Starter options on the main dinner menu included Salmon smoked three ways; grilled mackerel; smoked venison; and a deconstructed seafood cocktail. Mains included Gressingham duck breast; Titske lamb neck fillet; or a very fancy fish and chips comprising pieces of hake, haddock and monkfish. Vegetarian options were available among the starters and mains. Sweets on offer included warm apple, bramble and almond tart with vanilla pod ice cream and vanilla custard; and raspberry cranachan trifle.

Breakfast is served in the Mither Tap Restaurant for hotel guests, and in the Orangery for those staying for functions or weddings. We found breakfast to be outstanding. The buffet first course selection was extensive, beautifully presented and kept fresh and inviting throughout service. The hot main course was swiftly prepared, exactly as ordered, and made from high quality ingredients with considerable care about the presentation. The main course choice was good, and included smoked salmon, smoked haddock and kippers. Our fried breakfast was very good, and the oatmeal porridge was exceptional. Meanwhile the service was excellent. Pretty much everything you want and expect from a breakfast at a really good hotel, in fact. You can read our hotel review for Macdonald Pittodrie House here.