A new restaurant, with the focus on fish and beef, is set to open this weekend at Meldrum House Country Hotel in Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire.
Pineapple will be launched in the current 2 Red Rosette Dining Room with views out across the hotel’s 240-acre estate. The name derives back to 1493 when Christopher Columbus discovered the fruit on one of his voyages. Historically the pineapple came to symbolise welcome, friendship and great hospitality and can be seen in many hotels, inns and restaurants as well as the turrets at Balmoral Castle.
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Executive Chef Paul Grant is focused on elevating seasonal produce using trusted local suppliers. Open to the public and hotel guests 7 days a week for dinner, Pineapple will be showcasing scallops and mackerel from Portsoy, wild halibut and monkfish from Peterhead, chicken and lamb from Inverurie, as well as the freshest plates of vegetarian dishes and sides from Premnay and Montrose.
Aberdeenshire is famed for producing some of the best meat in the world and Pineapple will champion 3 locally renowned butchers; 28-day aged steaks from Presly of Oldmeldrum will sit alongside pork and 50-day aged sirloins from John Davidson’s Butchery in Inverurie. Plus grass-fed steaks will feature on the menu from Grace Noble’s award-winning Highland Beef farm in Banchory. The signature dish will be a Donside to Deeside Board for 2 people with a selection of all 3 butchers’ meat on one plate with an accompaniment of sauces and sides.
Pineapple will naturally include a stunning Pineapple dessert using Dark Matter rum from Banchory in Royal Deeside. Keeping with the local theme, Barra strawberries from Oldmeldrum will be hidden inside homemade, crumbly shortcake and served with vanilla ice-cream. The hotel’s Head Pastry Chef, Jessica Humphreys, has also created a beautiful tasting plate of miniature desserts for those who can’t decide.
General Manager, Jordan Charles commented; “I really wanted to redefine the dining experience here at Meldrum House. We launched 1236, a casual eating experience in our Cave Bar back in February. Now it’s time to turn our attention to our Dining Room, creating a relaxed vibe but with produce that speaks for itself. We’ll be ensuring the freshest seafood as well as the best cuts of meat we can possibly get, from gate to plate.”
