61
          
        
        
          
            Inverness 2020/21
          
        
        
          SCOTTISH INTERNATIONAL
        
        
          Scottish
        
        
          
            
              CAFÉ 1
            
          
        
        
          In harnessing local produce to
        
        
          concoct inventive dishes, Cafe
        
        
          1 is defined by its flavours. After
        
        
          all, how many restaurants can
        
        
          claim to have grown the bulk of
        
        
          their produce on their own croft?
        
        
          That’s not to say the dishes
        
        
          here are uniquely Scottish
        
        
          – there’s an international
        
        
          flavour, too. The menu
        
        
          positively sizzles, with dishes
        
        
          including pan-fried gnocchi
        
        
          with roasted vegetables and
        
        
          Ullapool cheddar, as well as
        
        
          the tantalising Holly House
        
        
          Highlander beef ravioli with
        
        
          santini tomatoes. Holly House,
        
        
          incidentally, is the name of the
        
        
          restaurant’s
        
        
          aforementioned
        
        
          croft. Presentation is a strong
        
        
          point at Cafe 1, but it’s the
        
        
          sheer quality of the grub itself
        
        
          that sets the place apart. The
        
        
          prices are reasonable too, all
        
        
          told, especially when you’re
        
        
          browsing the set menu. The
        
        
          two-course lunch special is
        
        
          particularly popular during the
        
        
          week, with the option of going
        
        
          all-out and ordering dessert
        
        
          a tempting proposition. With
        
        
          sweets
        
        
          including
        
        
          Belgian
        
        
          ‘chocolate bombs’, Prosecco
        
        
          jelly and Wester Hardmuir
        
        
          strawberry tart, it’s no wonder
        
        
          this local bistro is bustling
        
        
          throughout the week. Get along
        
        
          to see what all the fuss is about.
        
        
          
            75 Castle Street, Inverness, IV2 3EA
          
        
        
        
        
          
            01463 226200