It may be just a short wander from the main hotel, but the feel of the boathouse is more New England than smart Scotland, where an unstuffy menu matches the laid-back atmosphere. Given the location, you'd perhaps expect more seafood on display, but rather there's a short and sharp selection which includes a classic Scottish Cullen Skink, Boat House fish pie and moules mariniere for those with a penchant for fish.
Drawn in by the smell of the wood-fire oven, we plumped for a pizza and a handful of sides. The former came out hot and crispy and nicely cooked with generous amounts of toppings. We excused it its wonky form (and slightly comical mascarpone piped swirls) thanks to the sausage and mascarpone combination, which while not ground-breaking, was dutifully satisfying thanks to that lovely balance of sweet and salt vs spicy and creamy. It’s a crowd-pleaser, which it seems is what the Boat House has set out to do and does best. Pizzas manage to win favour with most diners, and sometimes familiar is just what you want for a meal with the whole clan.
Hiccups came when the promise of crostini with a vegan starter of warm white bean and celeriac failed to appear, as well as the dukkah dusting on the side of roast veg. No matter though, as the lesson was learned. Stick to the classics and you’ll be most handsomely rewarded here.
Staff are the stars of the show at the Boat House - which has pretty interiors seaside inspired interiors - and offer exemplary service and warm Scottish hospitality in abundance. Should we find ourselves returning customers, we’d learn from our first experience and head straight for the deck on a sunny day, gin & tonic in hand, to order ourselves a pizza and chips - hold any bells or whistles.