A taste of the Italian lakes by Loch Lomond
The views and food are a delight
Nestled on the edge of Loch Lomond, a new restaurant has opened at the fivestar Cameron House Resort. Contrary to what you might expect from the world-renowned bonnie, bonnie banks, you won’t find mince and tatties or fish and chips on its menu.
La Vista is an Italian restaurant that promises to take guests on a culinary journey through the lakes and coastal towns of Italy with its all-day dining, deli and food shop. With everything from antipasto small plates and freshly made pasta to pizza and signature mains, it really is la dolce vita. Mark Pawsley, head chef at La Vista said: “People can expect a relaxed feel to the restaurant with stunning views of Loch Lomond. The menu consists of small plates which are great for trying before your main meal, there is something on the menu to please everyone.”
He explained where the inspiration for the restaurant came from: “La Vista in Italian means ‘the view’ and we have one of the best in Scotland – Loch Lomond and Ben Lomond. On a sunny day it’s hard to beat it.
“The inspiration for La Vista stems from the previous owner of Cameron House, Tobias Smollet, who lived and died in Livorno. Livorno’s reputation for authentic cuisine mirrors the dining experience at La Vista, so it’s a fitting tribute to him and his family.”
Even La Vista’s drinks menu looks like a trip to Italy, with a dedicated negroni menu offering eight variations of the classic tipple featuring the likes of coffee, ginger and banana. The wine list features an Italian selection with gems from Puglia, Sardinia and Sicily.
Standing at the helm of the restaurant is exciting for Mark, especially as Cameron House is where he started his culinary journey.
“I started at Cameron House when I was 16 as a kitchen porter before I took a great interest in becoming a chef,” he said. “I enjoyed watching the fastworking environment of the kitchen and progressed through the ranks with the company to junior sous chef. I left in 2017 to educate myself further in different kitchens. That took me to Aberdeenshire where I worked at Malmaison as sous chef, followed by Meldrum House and Banchory Lodge where I became head chef. “Cameron House is very appealing to any chef as it is one of the leading hotels in the country. I was approached by a former colleague at the hotel who thought I would be a great fit as the head chef of the then Boat House and it was an opportunity I simply couldn’t turn down. It was also important to move back to Loch Lomond to be closer to family who stay close to the hotel.”
Mark’s training put him in good stead for his role at La Vista. He said: “I did some work experience in a small local Italian restaurant for a short period. Learning the basic skills, like
making pasta and pizza dough gave me a good understanding of the art of Italian cooking which has now paid off here at La Vista.”
Authenticity is ensured by Italian chef Pasquale Calvanese and pizzaiolo Ivano Erme. Standout plates include nduja steamed mussels in a Calabrian sauce with homemade focaccia, carpaccio of beef with mushrooms, aged parmesan and crisp shallots and burrata with smoked aubergine, fried olives and manuka honey. Pizzas are cooked to order in a wood fired Valoriani oven, with toppings such as pancetta, porcini mushrooms, mozzarella, taleggio and Tuscan fennel sausage.
Alongside the restaurant, the Mercato deli offers sandwiches and platters, perfect for a picnic on the banks of the loch. If you still have room for more, there are cured meats, cheeses, sundaes, gelato and more to go. Though the menu is traditionally Italian, all of the produce and suppliers used by Mark and his team are from Scotland, like the seafood from Peterhead and Shetland. With all this and more to choose from, Mark revealed: “My favourite dish on the menu would have to be our ox cheek, short rib beef ragu pasta with beef dripping pan gratto. The flavours of the sauce with the tender beef is mouth-watering – I highly recommend it. And we have the best pizzas in the area, made buy our own Italian chef Ivano.”