Restaurant of the week
Cafe One, Inverness
Location
On Castle Street, easily accessible from anywhere in the city.
First impressions
You walk into the bar area and head on through to the restaurant. Cafe One is family run and we were warmly welcomed and shown to our table right away. The restaurant area is a little dark as it’s off the street so there are no windows, but it is tastefully decorated. It was very busy as our childless selves forgot it was the school holidays when we went.
Service
The team were all smiley and took the time to have a chat with us without it seeming forced, which it often can. The busyness of the night meant service slowed a little as the evening went on though, and we had quite a wait between courses.
Menu
The cocktail menu was a great start with lots of choice. We decided on a French 75 and pear and elderflower mojito, both of which were delicious. The food menu was nice and varied, serving up local produce.
Taste
The quality of all the produce we sampled was high. We started with a charcuterie board with a variety of meats and picky bits. For mains we chose lemon and cherry tomato steamed halibut and Angus fillet steak. The accompaniments for both were lovely, from the nduja and samphire sauteed potatoes to the sweet port jus. The fish was cooked well, but unfortunately the steak was a little overdone as we had ordered it rare. Dessert standout was the rhubarb creme brulee.
Ambiance
Quite busy and loud, but understandable given the time of year.
Value
Definitely on the pricier side compared to other restaurants in the city, but a good evening out nonetheless.