Monadh Dining — Restaurant in Scotland

Response to restaurant owner: absolutely none of the information you are stating is true. It’s even more appalling that you think it’s ok to call your patrons liars. Anyone who reads your recent reviews can see that the service in this place is well below the standard demanded by the prices charged and your waiter did none of the proactive behaviours you suggest, otherwise we wouldn’t have had an issue. To state that all curries contain nuts is an absolute joke and does nothing but exemplify the ignorance of the apparent management of this establishment.

When we arrived, we were summarily ignored by two different staff members, until I told one of them I had a reservation, at which point he ungraciously sat us at a table closest to the exit, didn't offer any welcome, and handed us menus (I had to ask for the children's menu despite it being obvious my daughter is a child).

At no point during the process of making the reservation (over the phone earlier that evening) or when we were offered menus were we asked if either of us had any allergies. My daughter has a life-threatening allergy to peanuts and some tree nuts and carries an epipen. I am frankly astonished that this was not asked, and neither could I find any allergens listed on either the main or children's menu. When it came to ordering, again, no questions about allergies. My daughter wanted the children's chicken katsu curry, and in the light of a lack of allergen information, I asked if it contained nuts. After a moment of confusion, our waiter asked if she was allergic to nuts, to which I responded that she was allergic to peanuts and some treenuts. He asked which ones, and I said she was allergic to most, and gave peanuts and cashews as an example. Without missing a beat, he immediately stated that 'he wouldn't recommend' the curry because it might have nuts. Never having come across a chicken katsu curry with nuts as an ingredient, I questioned this, and asked him to check with the chef. He disappeared momentarily to arrive back and almost gleefully declared that it did indeed contain nuts, but when I questioned which ones, he wasn't able to answer, so again he went to ask the 'chef'.

Imagine my surprise when the answer came back as peanuts and cashews, the very nuts I had provided as an example. I asked why there were no allergens listed on the menu and why we hadn't been asked about allergies, and how (if there were nuts present in the kitchen) we could be sure of no cross-contamination with any other dishes. He stated that there were no nuts in the kitchen which was confusing, and I asked how could there be no nuts in the kitchen if the curry contained nuts, was it not freshly prepared? He said it was freshly prepared (and if this is indeed the case, it begs the question as to why it couldn't simply be prepared without the nuts) but that there were 'protections' in place, without specifying what those might be. Given that nobody proactively asked about allergies, that no allergens were listed on the menu, and the information we had thus far about allergens as ingredients, I decided not to risk the life of my daughter by dining in this restaurant.

It is inconceivable in this age of increasingly common life-threatening food allergies that this establishment does not have a clear protocol for protecting consumers against encountering a possible allergen, and that staff are not better trained to deal with these situations, when someone's life could be at stake. I am frankly astonished and hugely disappointed at the way we were treated throughout our short time in the restaurant, and hope that with this feedback you can make meaningful changes for both health and hospitality improvements which are in dire need. If you are pitching your restaurant as a fine dining experience, with prices to match, it begs the question as to why these considerations are not already in place.

I sent an email to the reservations email address for the hotel and got no response, indicative of the complete lack of regard for negative...

Will try to be fair here, we booked an overnight for my family and my parents as an Xmas gift. We like to take my parents somewhere new for a nice meal etc. Drove 3 hours to arrive at the hotel at 12.30 pm, but were unable to check in until 4 pm ! NO high tea or lunch available! However, we were directed to a local cafe (very nice). After driving around the area to kill time, we got checked into our rooms , and the minor issue was quickly resolved by staff. Rooms nice , but furniture shows signs of damage. However the main reason for the visit was the restaurant which to our disappointment was only serving the Christmas menu . (Attached picture) for menu. Starters were ok, not what we would have chosen . However, the Turkey main was very poor wife and daughter didn't enjoy. However, the only alternative was the seabass which the rest of us chose, only to be informed there wasn't any, and it would now be cod . The sweets were to none of our liking. However, we managed to get ice cream for my son. Continental breakfast comes with the room, which was ok. Cooked breakfast was an extra £19 scottish breakfast. Which compared to the cafe we were in the previous day felt overpriced!! Sorry to say, but I left this hotel at 10 am. CHECKOUT TIME, regret booking this hotel and will not be returning or...

We were very much looking forward to a wonderful evening of fine dining. The reality couldn't have been more of a let down.

The duty manager was a hot air balloon. A lot of talk, but not enough action. Taking away cutlery and napkins when still needed, 20 minute waits for a beverage or butter to accompany the bread served with the soup. And one of the waiters was so lost, that I eventually helped him to find the right table for the drink order he had on his tray.

Then the food. The bread served with my soup was a store bought part baked bread roll that had not been finished off properly. My main was halibut with skin on. The first round, my dish was completly cold and the fish was underdone. After sending it back to the kitchen, the dish was at least warm. But the skin of the fish had not been seared, so it was soft and rubbery. Instead of nice and crispy. Also, the sugar snaps had not been deveined, the samphire had woody end and the cream-chive sauce had no flavour what so ever.

We were already so disappointed by the evening up to that point that we left without any dessert. On the receipt the halibut was priced £2 higher than on the menu. And the 'right' price of £29,95 for a mediocre dish is...