Bobby’s Lounge
Duck Bay Marina, Loch Lomond, near Balloch
I took the High Road this week with a visit to the Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond.
Bobby’s Lounge is part of the Duck Bay Hotel, which sits by the waters made famous across the world by the song.
To be fair you could have fed me pins and I would still have enjoyed what must be my most scenic scone spy mission yet. But thankfully, the food served in this eaterie was just as good as the views.
On entering we came face to face with a lit cake cabinet which was filled with gigantic, glistening strawberry tarts, slabs of carrot cake and teeth-melting meringues but there was not a scone in sight! I quickly ascertained from the chirpy waitress, though, that there was indeed one to be had behind the counter.
Much relieved, my dining companion and I ordered our main course, making a mental note to leave plenty room for a baked dessert.
The menu offers unfussy, homely plates of hot and cold sandwiches and a soup of the day which was carrot and coriander on the day we visited.
We both went for the soup/sandwich combo, mine with tuna and mayo and my friend had prawn marie rose.
The soup was packed with flavour and perfectly seasoned, and the sandwiches were made with fresh, bouncy brown bread.
The £10.45 price seemed a bit steep but it also came with a pot of homemade crunchy coleslaw and side salad – and of course, you get to eat it whilst looking out the window at the stunning vista, that’s worth the price tag alone.
And then it was time to sample that cake cabinet from earlier. We were feeling pretty stuffed so we decided to share a fruit scone, washed down with a hot mug of tea each.
The bake was warmed through and tasted sweet and moist, with the jam and butter. I just wish there was more of it – my half was gobbled up in two bites.
After lunch we took advantage of a break in the rain to stroll along the banks of the loch.
Ben Lomond, which gave the loch its name, looked majestic reflected in the still waters. It was very bonnie indeed.