Good and local

Ian Buxton visits The Creel, a destination restaurant on remote Orkney.

Orkney is quite a long way to go for dinner and, even once you're there, the little port of South Ronaldsay is hardly central. But it is worth the journey. St Margaret's Hope is delightful – small and unspoilt it hugs the end of a sheltered bay off Scapa Flow.

It's home to The Creel, an understated restaurant with rooms that has been quietly winning awards since 1985. Quite without fuss or hype, it has built up an international following of enthusiastic fans who travel literally from round the world for owner chef Alan Craigie's locally sourced menus.

You may think I exaggerate but on a recent visit I was hailed in the street by a New Zealander looking for the restaurant and seated next to us were two passionate devotees from the USA. And mercifully, because this is an establishment that has retained its local roots and community links, a party of locals enjoying a celebration.

The initial impression is of a modest sandcoloured building right on the sea front. The small reception is lined with awards and, I have to confess, my heart sank – too often this presages the complacent or the pretentious.

But we were not greeted by a self-satisfied maitre'd but by Joyce Craigie herself, running the front of house with a calm efficiency and a genuinely warm welcome for all her customers, new and old.

The restaurant itself is plainly furnished but distinctive local artwork from Orkney's vibrant artistic community lines the wall and provides great visual interest, provided you ...

To read the rest of this article you can do any of the following.

• By : Ian Buxton
• In : Best of Scotland
• Issue : 46
• Page : 21
• Words : 689