Restaurant review: Karma, Lake of Menteith

Location

On the shores of Lake of Menteith, Karma is hard to top in terms of views.

First impressions

Arriving at the front door of Karma you can see straight through to the lake, setting the scene immediately. Inside it is warm and bright, the perfect tonic to a cold and blustery winter’s evening. The restaurant lands somewhere between cosy and fine dining, so we were expecting some really nice food.

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Service

We were shown to our table as soon as we arrived and the person serving was so friendly and cheery. He made us and our two young children feel very at ease, which is a big bonus when dining with kids.

Menu

We visited on a Sunday, so sampled the Sunday menu, which was small but perfectly formed. It included starters such as scallops, pate and goats’ cheese salad, plus mains such as a Sunday roast, Lake of Menteith trout and traditional fish and chips.

Taste

We started with West Coast Scallops in a pancetta and asparagus hollandaise sauce. It was rich, creamy and delicious. We also had the carrot and parsnip soup, which was warm, sweet and moreish – it could have fed four or five people alone. For mains we had Sunday roast turkey with cranberry sauce, cauliflower cheese and black pudding. It was a winner and, if I went again, I would find it difficult to resist.

Ambience

There was some sort of wine and cheese night happening when we visited, which gave the place and sophisticated yet community feel, making me want to return again and again.

Value

Our bill came to £80 with starters and mains plus soft drinks and two children’s meals. Considering the amount of food in each course, it was an absolute bargain.

P.S. The Lake of Menteith is the only lake in Scotland – the rest being lochs – and ospreys fish in the crystal-clear waters.