Fhior

Stylish but simply decorated space where local sourcing is important and the quality of the cooking does the talking.

The 2019/20 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

At Fhior, Scott and Laura Smith and team deliver a low-key and likeable modern Scottish dining experience that is cool but not clinical, serious but not solemn. The ever-changing à la carte lunch, and four or seven-course tasting menus for dinner, showcase seasonal Scottish produce which is treated with considerable care and competence. Dishes include crab with turnip and apple; guinea fowl with chard and cabbage; halibut with fennel and buttermilk; and lamb with mushroom and watercress – the brevity of the menu descriptions at odds with the playful imagination and skilled preparation that goes into producing these plates. There are foraged ingredients like pepper dulse and sea buckthorn, and unusual combinations of ingredients, such as a whipped Jerusalem artichoke dessert with chocolate that’s given added sweetness and crunch by the surprising yet successful addition of the roasted artichoke skins. The menus can be wine-matched with well-chosen wines from small artisanal producers, staff are charming and knowledgeable, and the experience is one of professionalism without pretension which leaves a lasting positive impression.