An inn place for giving good value

Feb 18 2011 By Ladies Who Lunch

Inn on the Loch Restaurant and Cafe Rock Bar, Lanark.

SOME dictionaries define an inn as a 'pub or small hotel providing food and accommodation', but don't visit The Inn on the Loch looking for a room unless it's one you want to eat in, not sleep in.

However, it's unlikely you'd be shown the door if you nodded off alongside one of the two blazing open fires that were a welcome sight when we visited recently.

Outside the swans were sliding across the frozen loch and although the sun shone it was cold enough to deter anyone from eating alfresco so it didn't matter that the large open terrace appeared closed.

From outside, the Inn, with spectacular views over the loch, was attractive and inside it was tastefully modern. A clever layout divided the large room into intimate dining areas - some with great views but others with a fireside seat as compensation.

The welcome we - The Ladies Who Lunch - received was as warm as anyone could wish for and the service that followed was attentive without being obtrusive (although a hand in the trouser pocket as the waiter showed us to the table might be considered a little casual to some?).

The menu was pretty extensive with more than 40 different main courses ranging from traditional Scottish dishes to grills, burgers and oriental dishes. Even so the waiters were happy to oblige with any special requests. For the 'waist watchers' among us some dishes threatened to be diet-breakers but fortunately a request for no pitta bread with the chicken kebabs produced extra salad instead.

A bottle of house red (cabernet sauvignon) was declared very acceptable and served at room temperature, as we like it. A nice touch would have been to open the bottle for us but, no matter, we managed the screw-top ourselves without any real effort. On the plus side we did appreciate the large jug of iced water which was speedily refilled without our needing to ask.

The Inn on the Loc's weekday lunchtime offer let us choose between a free starter or dessert with any main course. After finishing our (free) starters and mains no one had room for a dessert - although they all sounded delicious - so our meals cost under £9 each excluding wine and coffees.

What did we have?

Starters - caesar salad (crisp lettuce lightly drizzled with delicious dressing and topped by oodles of parmesan shavings but no croutons), prawn cocktail (without dressing, as requested) and beautifully garnished breaded jalapeno peppers, (oohs! and aahs! from all when this appeared).

Main courses - chicken kebabs (large pieces of succulent chicken and the very generous mixed salad), beef casserole with root vegetables and gravy (tasty and tender meat but less gravy and chunkier vegetables would have been preferred) and a spicy chicken and pepper stir fry (the Lady who chose it described the sauce as sweet and gingery).

Our table enjoyed a good view of the loch where some of us walked off a few calories later before heading home.

As The Ladies Who Lunch we like trying different restaurants but we're likely to return here for a chatty lunch with friends, a family celebration or even a relaxed dinner for two.

There is a car park adjacent to the loch, a bus stop nearby and Lanark railway station is less than a mile away.

This is how we scored The Inn:

Location 9/10. Ambiance 9/10. Menu and Food 8/10. Service 8/10. Value for Money 9/10.

Total: 43 out of 50.

It seems to us that The Inn on the Loch has much to offer locals and visitors to Lanark (even if there aren't any beds!) so we have awarded it a LWL Star for All-round Appeal.

Today's Tip: For good service, we're always happy to put our hands in our pockets.