Perfect Day

Saturday was just a perfect day. We went on a drive that our friend Bill suggested and it was just so breathtakingly beautiful that the photographs we took will take about a week of different postings (again!!) to show! I will however start with the end of the evening - dinner which was just the perfect end to a perfect day - no jokes - just absolute pure bliss.

Having set off at 11am on Saturday to drive to Glen Lyon along a not so well known route, we passed so many beautiful spots it was unbelievable. However this post is about the end of this perfect day which took us to Monachyle Mhor a small and incredibly chic hotel and restaurant which we definitely want to go back to and stay the night. We couldn't however this evening because I had left Dexter Chat outside so we needed to get home to let him in - doh on my part - seriously!

Anyway, here is the pink heaven that we came across which sits on the banks Loch Voil another truly spectacular loch next to Loch Doine! It even has table and chairs outside to enjoy a wee something whilst taking in the fresh air and beautiful views.

We stayed only to have a main course but ended up having pudding too and just wished we could have had the whole 5 course menu and stayed over because it was idillic - but not doing this has just left us wanting to go back there as this hotel is also a dog friendly place - yey for Marvin & Carly.

Dexter didn't need the child's chair in the background, no he is now a great wee boy who we can take anywhere. Here he is deep in thought drawing pictures of me and Anders after having played a game of taking photos!

Anyway, as already mentioned, this place is stylish. It is apparently down to the sister of the chef is an artist who did the interior design of the place. The hotel is family run and although from the pink exterior may not look it (albeit it is very very pretty outside), this truly is a hidden gem of contemporary chic, it is, believe me. Anders and I have been fortunate enough to stay and eat in some really nice places and this place is definitely somewhere that we would want to go back to. As it is only a 1.5hr drive from Edinburgh, and therefore an easy place to go for a weekend break, especially as we don't have to worry about who is going to look after Marvin & Carly.

Before our main courses came, we were given a amuse bouche of black pudding balls, broth and bread straws - really, really yummy and were in-hailed!

After ordering our food we sat down to wait for dinner. During the wait, Dexter and Anders decided to have a competition to see which one of them could take the best photographs of me - their chosen subject!!! They both did well I think considering I don't think I am the greatest of subject matters (albeit I am getting more relaxed perhaps because I am taking more myself). The fact Dexter is 8 his photos are very flattering - thank you my lovely for taking photos of me and having fun doing it! Anders, well he made me look like the Virgin Mary - a very tall order I must say, but he managed it so I must be very very good - ha, ha, ha!! Here is Andrew's first to prove that I am not lying...

and the other shots Ander's shots Anders took below:

And here were Dexters below:-

Now back to the food..... we all homed in on the same main course - Guinea Fowl served with Puy Lentils and Chanterelles - it danced off our tongues and stroked our oesophagus and warmed and nestled in our tummies like your best cuddly toy from childhood!

As Anders was driving we couldn't tuck into a bottle of wine from their decent cellar, instead we had their wines by the glass (one each!). That said this one glass which we each had was really really tasty - not a cheesy one. It was rich, fruity and full bodied with lots of sediment at the end which always makes us smile as it is a sign of an unfiltered wine confirming it was less of an industrial quality wine which is always a good thing.

Desert (or pudding) we each decided to sample something different. Anders had the Chocolate Parfait, I had the vanilla rice pudding and Dexter had the coconut and passion fruit panna cotta - all three were delicious but Dexter's was the best and went surprisingly well with the sweet wine Anders and I shared (well actually I drank most of it and he got a sip - he he)!

After finishing, we were shown a couple of the rooms which didn't have guests which were really stylish and chic with very well thought out finishing touches. Definitely want to go back as their packages include dinner and breakfast and you can spend the day surrounded by nothing other than beauty now how can you say no to that!