Going out Restaurant of the week; The Fife Arms, The Square, Turriff, Aberdeenshire.

Location This 10-room hotel could not be better located, smack bang in the main square. Aptly this restaurant is on the Aberdeen Angus trail.

First Impressions Smart/casual, warm, friendly and comfortable. Guests wait for their orders to be taken in a lounge with open fire and leather sofas.

Service Swift, professional and with a smile. The owner checked tables in person and spent several minutes discussing the menu with us.

Menu Varied and imaginative. The restaurant offers quality produce from local suppliers such as meats from Donald Russell and McWilliams, fish from Sutherlands and game from Balmaud King Edward. There is also a good vegetarian selection.

Taste We opened with North Sea salt and pepper calamari, and crispy coated langoustines with lemon mayo and chilli sauce. Both were delicious and the langoustines prepped in a way we had never encountered. (Chef Eddy McKay's special coating was shared with us but we are sworn to secrecy!) We followed with Asian-style beef fillet and a vegetable stir fry, crispy noodles and jasmine rice. The beef was tender and piquant, and the rice fragrant. A generous portion of battered haddock fillet came with hand-cut chips and salad. It was crisp, with lush, white flakes of fish. We finished with a shared Lemon tart with lemon mousse and raspberry sorbet. Superb.

Ambience Contemporary and stylish with a laid-back vibe.

price Given the quality, our bill with drinks came in at just under PS80 which we were more than happy to pay.

Something Special Relaxing at the end of a delicious meal before a roaring, open fire, Armagnac in hand. Heaven!

Toilets Spacious and absolutely pristine.

The Fife can trace its history back to the early 18th Century when it was a staging inn. Be sure to check out the chic, al fresco dining area accessed through vast glass doors.

CAPTION(S):

? Crispy coated langoustines with lemon mayo and chilli sauce