The Anchor - Aberdeenshire

We love coming to the Anchor every time we visit family nearby you can be sure that you will eat well and be looked after. For our recent visit we had our Christmas Day lunch with them … we were spoilt rotten with gorgeous food and lots of attention from staff, the tables had been beautifully laid with linen and Christmas decorations and the tables were spread out so we weren’t all squashed in. The food was absolutely divine.

My Wife and I required a place to stay for the night prior to an appointment at a local hospital. We searched locally and found The Anchor Hotel after a search online. It’s a little out of the way in a small village, nevertheless there are amenities a short drive away. What a wonderful establishment we discovered. The room we had was nicely decorated and an ample size for two adults for an overnight stay. En suite was basic but more than adequate. The room was very clean, tidy and well presented and the bed very comfortable, very cosy. Downstairs, the bar and dining area was very nice and homely. The design and layout is really very good. Ample room and an excellent place to spend the night prior to departure the next day. The Staff were excellent, friendly and very helpful. The food was very very good indeed. The owners were running a specials night Indian Theme and it couldn’t be faulted. The food was cooked beautifully, nicely presented and the portions were very generous indeed. A great meal at a great price also. My wife and I would absolutely recommend the Hotel to anyone wishing to stay in the area. A hidden gem. If we lived local we would definitely be regular visitors. Excellent.

Visited the Anchor Hotel for dinner with a bunch of friends a few nights ago. I have to say that I was disappointed to say the least. The food was not as good as it has been in the past. The prices were a lot higher than before. There was not manager to meet and greet us nor did anyone enquire as to how the meal was going, we even had to walk to the bar to ask for more drinks! Previously, the manager and owner would come to the table to say hello and ask if everything was alright. I felt as if the Anchor Hotel is taking its patrons for granted. Not good.

Stayed for two nights at the delightful Anchor Hotel. Food was fantastic in every respect. The staff were friendly, helpful and had time for a laugh and a joke. The locals at the bar treated us like we were locals too great atmosphere. I'll be finding any excuses to visit The Anchor again....and again.

Sunday, 3rd September 2023 – 19:00 Meal: Wine Starters – Main – Coffee My friend and I arrived at 19:00 to a busy but not overfull restaurant without a reservation and they accommodated us upstairs. Menus were produced and we ordered a bottle of white wine and a jug of water. 0rders placed for starters and 2 servings of the Italian style fish stew on the ‘Specials Board’ at 26.99 each. Tomato and chilli with promises of loads of different fish. The toss up was between a steak or the stew (which neither of us would cook at home). The table was dirty and needed wiping – this request was placed 3x on the young waitron who eventually produced a cloth slopping water from a bucket in the corner cupped in her hands where she half heartedly wiped the table with water dripping onto my friend’s lap. Hurried mop up with tissues out of my bag. The white wine was plonked on the table – next to the cooler – unopened and no glasses. Several attempts were made to attract the waitron’s attention. Eventually another bottle was produced opened and we were advised the waitron was under age and not allowed to pour wine. Perfectly acceptable had she produced an opener and the glasses with an explanation I would have been happy to help myself – we understand and appreciate these things. The starters arrived and were delicious! The chef then came out to see us and explained that there was no lobster for the stew – we asked for extra monkfish, he then said there was no monkfish left – but could help us with other white fish and crab claws. He said he was down to the last 2 portions, and he would ensure they were hearty. We were a bit concerned and suggested perhaps we settle for the steak which is always delicious. He assured us we had made the right choice and would enjoy the stew. The stews arrived and were ‘hearty’ if being crammed with the contents of a tin of crab claws is your definition of hearty. The promised ‘rich tomato broth with chilli and garlic’ was a watered down version of what was clearly less than a cup of the original broth left at the bottom of the pot topped with water. It was tasteless – lacking in hint of either chilli, wine, garlic or herbs – having lived in Malta I can assure you I have a deep understanding of Med cooking. I guess we were lucky we didn’t have the salty brine of the crab claws as the broth. It was inedible and we were starving so we kept adding salt and pepper – we were beyond the point of returning the food which was a mistake in hindsight. We skipped dessert – had coffees and left. The meal came to nearly £100.00. This was an expensive lousy experience. We paid a generous tip – because they accommodated us without a reservation. Take aways from the experience: • The restaurant service on a Sunday evening at 19:00 should be as good as it is on a Friday at 19:00 • Being a local and having eaten there several times – it is my first choice for a ‘good’ meal – don’t abuse the luxury of local support. • Train your waitrons to clean tables, by wringing out the cloth and not dripping water on your patrons. • Waitrons (even under aged ones) should at least carry a wine opener, and understand that wine glasses should be produced when delivering wine. • Your chef should know better and never, ever assume he can cut costs by selling the dregs from his kitchen. • A poor dining experience costs you more than you think. We would have ordered dessert, and more importantly returned for a second meal in the next week – WE DIDN’T! I have a friend coming from Ireland in November – do I risk taking her to the Anchor?