Nick Piercy, owner of The Covenanter Hotel and restaurant in Falkland, is in little doubt that much of British food is under-rated and that we have a culinary heritage that deserves to be explored and cherished.

“We have a superb range of natural ingredients in this country and when we took over the hotel the intention was to provide comfortable rooms and provide good quality food based around local produce,” he says.

This is certainly an ideal that has worked well at The Covenanter, with its modern-style British cooking based around traditional recipes making the restaurant an increasingly popular eating venue.
Nick took over the hotel two years ago, after he decided it was time to move on from his job as the director of food and beverage at the Hostmark Oriental Resort in Sharm El Sheik in Egypt. When he first saw the hotel, he was immediately attracted by its potential, given its location in the historic village of Falkland. A small 17th Century Coaching Inn, the hotel is steeped in history and even boasts its own ghost.

A bistro adjacent to the cocktail bar provides a range of quality pub food, but this is no ordinary pub grub, with the menu including items such as Pheasant Hot Pot, or Lincolnshire Sausage made to a traditional recipe.

Seafood is a predominant feature in the main restaurant, particularly lobster. Other seafood specialities include locally sourced surf clams from Pittenweem, velvet crab and hot smoked mackerel from St Monans.

“We buy all our lobster from West Wemyss,” states Nick. “It is obviously expensive but we try to price it as reasonably as possible.”

This is true of the whole restaurant menu, expertly prepared by head chef Julian Jenkins, with most main courses (apart from lobster and steak) being priced in the £8 to £10 bracket. A typical menu may contain Loin of Borders Lamb and Chicken Terrine or West Coast Mussels with Thai Tom Yam Broth for starters, followed by Whole Sea Bass Stuffed with Ginger, Spring Onion and Garlic or Roast Rack of Scottish Lamb with Herb Skirlie and Garlic Jus for the main course.

Steaks are extremely popular among customers and are served with a range of sauces, including Brandy and Green Peppercorn, Mushroom and Port, Garlic Butter or traditional Diane. Only Aberdeen Angus steaks are used which are hung on the bone for a minimum of three weeks to produce a meat exhibiting maximum flavour and tenderness. The steaks are cooked on a chargrill and a secret marinade is used to lend an extra special flavour.

Desserts are equally imaginative and may feature dishes such as Chocolate and Orange Liqueur Crème Brulee and Soft Summer Fruits or Earl Grey and Lemon Tea Parfait.

The day I visited, I had Fresh Fife Lobster with Mango and Mint Salad to start – a superb dish with the mint salad providing a surprising compliment to the sweet succulence of the lobster. The main course was Roast Saddle of Wild Rabbit with Arran Chedder Cheesecake and Apple Chutney. Again, the contrasts in tastes and textures between the mild flavours of the rabbit and the stronger elements from the cheesecake and chutney worked extremely well.

Dessert was Poached Pears in Gin with Lavender Ice Cream. This was a new one on me, with the ice cream coming from local manufacturer, Caira. The flavour was excellent and refreshing – a perfect finish to the meal, with the Lavender emphasising the traditional British element to the cooking.
“We are constantly looking for new recipes and ideas and this includes researching old cookery books, resulting in the recreation of dishes such as Sussex Lime Pond Pudding with Clotted Cream,” states Nick.

The menu reflects seasonal availability, with game a regular in autumn and winter. Pheasant is often featured and is one of the most sought after items on the menu, with up to 80 brace being purchased several times during the season to meet demand.

A regular all-day Sunday carvery is also popular and vegetarians are well catered for with a varied selection of options on the menu.

Nick says: “Our aim has always been to gain a reputation as a place where people can come for reasonably priced quality meals based around good locally sourced produce.”

This target has certainly been achieved. The Covenanter Hotel is well worth a visit, and it is hard to think of a more perfect day out than a wander around the delightful village of Falkland followed by a meal at The Covenanter.