Photograph: Robert Perry
NESTLED at the foot of the Campsie Fells jus
t west of Stirling, The Inn at Kippen has long been one of my favourite destinations when I'm in the mood for a weekend stroll followed by a spectacularly good Sunday lunch. I first came across The Inn at a time when pubs offering consistently good grub were few and far between. Happily, though, the times they are a-changing – and nowhere is that more obvious than in Kippen itself, where The Inn has suddenly and unexpectedly found itself with an impressive competitor right on its doorstep.
I remember the Cross Keys as the sort of dark and dingy boozer you'd go to only when there was nowhere else to drink. The food, if it served any, would be microwaved to within an inch of its existence and eaten only out of beer-soaking necessity. And the beer itself wouldn't be up to much either.
That, however, is all in the past. This year, the place has been transformed, not so much visually – although there are major changes under way – but by the arrival last August of Debby McGregor and Brian Horsburgh, a couple with big plans and some grand designs.
McGregor has worked for Nick Nairn and The Tron, and was a chef at the Hallion in Glasgow when she and Horsburgh, a TV director who has worked on River City, saw the Cross Keys and fell in love. Their vision was for a proper village pub that would also attract visitors and walkers by serving simple food prepared with local ingredients, attention to detail and a minimum of fuss.
One of their first steps was to convert the top floor into three comfortable en-suite double rooms for visitors, and having got those fully operational just after Christmas they're now turning their attention to the ground floor. To be honest, it clearly needs some tender loving care, but McGregor and Horsburgh are approaching the job systematically, giving the place a new lease of life while trying to hang on to those old features that deliver its palpable sense of comfort. Although extra windows are soon to be added, with the log fire roaring away in the corner the ambience is invitingly cosy.
The accent is on affordable quality, and as this is first and foremost a pub the tone is set by the presence of Harviestoun's excellent Bitter & Twisted beer. As for the food, it's superior pub grub with the occasional flourish that's straight out of the Hallion cookbook.
For instance, the chicken-and-chorizo terrine with red-onion chutney that I started with was excellent, and quite unlike anything I've tasted before. Dry, pungent in places and with a texture like ground, compacted couscous, it was an unexpectedly palate-provoking mix. Bea went for the moules marinières, which turned out to be standard issue, while Mark plumped for a gooey smoked-haddock tart that would have been perfectly at home in any Parisian bistro.
When it came to the main courses, our problem was deciding what to choose. In the event, my lamb shank with garlic mash was a job well done; Bea's Moroccan lamb stew with turmeric rice and flatbread was as good as anything we've eaten in Morocco itself; and while Mark adjudged himself completely satisfied with his big plate of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, I'd have preferred the meat a little less well done.
The highlight of the puddings was a spectacularly rich dark orange rum mousse, but the apple crumble and custard just about passed muster too. As for the kids, they loved the Luvians ice-cream, which arrived in huge bowls and disappeared at an unbelievable rate.
On the subject of kids, it's worth bearing in mind that McGregor and Horsburgh are absolutely fantastic with families. Their nine-year-old daughter Robyn is on hand anyway, and there's an enclosed garden where the children can work off some energy. But even indoors they're indulged as much as is humanly possible. Excellent kids' portions of home-made food – there's bangers and mash, pasta with tomato and basil, fish and chips or home-made chicken nuggets – come in at just £4, and sweets and lollies are dispensed with dizzying regularity. They clearly understand that happy children equal happy parents.
News of the improvements at the Cross Keys has yet to really filter out so it's not too difficult to get a table at the moment.
We went with friends who live nearby and have three kids. All six youngsters cleared their plates, charged around outside and generally enjoyed themselves immensely.
So did their parents: we all concluded that the Cross Keys is a genuine find.
VITAL STATISTICSThe Cross Keys Main Street, Kippen, Stirlingshire (01786 870 293)
Out of pocket Starters £4–5;
main courses £6–£12;
puddings £4–£5;
kids' portions £4;
house wine £12
Rating 8/10
The full article contains 841 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
