What makes a house into a castle? There are technical considerations relating to fortifications and towers, but most would agree that the title simply suggests a degree of style and grandeur. This type of structure is not a typical sight when cars glide off the busy East Kilbride Expressway, about 25 minutes drive from Glasgow city centre. Yet the ornate faux battlements and imposing historic facade of Crossbasket Castle loom large down a lane and ornate driveway, illuminated at night by powerful white light.
There’s more to the New Town of East Kilbride than roundabouts of course – much of the land in the area belonged to the Lindsay family who built this estate and the nearby Mains Castle, currently marooned beside the suburb of Stewartfield. Anyway, this is strictly speaking High Blantyre, a town that has its own storied history before Crossbasket was surrounded by modernity.
If you haven’t heard of it before, that’s because Crossbasket was only very recently saved from dereliction by current owners Steve and Alison-Timoney, who have invested heavily to create a hotel and event venue from a 16th-century tower with Georgian and Victorian extensions.
The 14 acres of lawns, landscape gardens and woodlands that surround the main building also feature a river and waterfalls. It’s all very tranquil and secluded. When there’s a wedding here they close the gates and give you the run of the place. It’s an impressive setting.
When we arrive, we are guided into the main hall where there’s a harpist playing music – a regular fixture most evenings apparently. The lounge where afternoon tea is served is on the left – spacious with comfortable soft furnishings, antiques, period prints on the wall. We instead take a turn to the right to the bar for a seat by the fire and an expertly prepared Old Fashioned.
The thing about stately homes is they can often be constrained by the interiors that have been in place for generations. Fusty Victorian fixtures and fittings can have their charms but often don’t lend themselves to modern entertainment when a bar or restaurant is shoehorned into the space. The current owners found Crossbasket in a state of disrepair with water running down the stairs and deteriorating interiors. This provided something of a blank canvas, a tangible area to decorate and arrange furniture, if one that’s enclosed by formidable stone walls.
This is where we start our meal with a chef’s starter combining different textures and flavours.
We had a view of the Roosevelt Grand Hall, a modern addition to the castle that is an excellent approximation of what a Scottish baronial banqueting hall should look like. They are hosting a Hogmanay Gala Dinner here with a ceilidh band.
All this preamble is leading up to the main event. Dinner in the charming fine dining restaurant that is overseen by French chef Albert Roux and son Michel Roux Jr.
Now, the Roux family have a formidable culinary empire, including Le Gavroche in London. Their input at Crossbasket includes training the staff, influencing the menu and informing the wine selection.
The cooking is unashamedly French. The Scottish twist comes from Head Chef Alex Thain who is in charge in the kitchen on a day to day basis. Currently, sommelier Amanda McCulloch, who previously worked with Alex at Cromlix Hotel, selects the wines that pair with each dish on the dinner tasting menu.
Our meal began in suitably Gallic fashion with a preparation of steak tartare. Not to be seen on many menus (we’ve only previously sampled this in Scotland at Tom Kitchin’s Scran and Scallie in Edinburgh), it was a surprisingly delicate and multi-layered small plate to get things going.
Next came a confit duck terrine and apricot puree, with toasted sourdough. The toasted sourdough was wafer thin and not really up to the task of being lathered with delicious morsels of duck, but that is a minor quibble. Our wine flight commenced with a glass of Etienne Pochon Crozes-Hermitage, Rhone, France 2012. One of the best aspects of a meal like this – a tour of different outstanding ingredients with impressive small batch wines – is the fact you can ask questions. Amanda introduced each glass gusto and we were able to understand what to expect. It adds a welcome element of theatre to the experience.
A seared Orkney scallop arrived and it was a belter. They breed them big up north. Served in a shell it was lathered in almond butter on a bed of shredded artichokes and topped with sea herbs. A glass of Leon Beyer Pinot Blanc, Alsace, France 2014 was poured to compliment this splendid example of Scottish produce. We’ve seldom tasted better.
With each course, the meal built towards a crescendo and things began to peak with a pan fried fillet of wild bass, parsnip and vanilla with red wine sauce, served with a glass of Roux & Chapoutier Roussillon Rouge, France 2013. It was a powerful wine that changed dimensions when enjoyed with the rich sauce and robust fish.
The meat course was a medley of acorn fed Iberico presa loin with braised cheek, celeriac choucroute and braising jus. Part of this dish (our favourite) was an approximation of a sausage roll. We’d like a crate of these delivered for our Christmas. Superb and a nice nod to a local staple dish. The glass of wine with this was a Chateau Biac, B de Biac, Bordeaux, France 2011.
At this stage, we confess we were feeling slightly giddy. We were also completely relaxed – the room has a great feeling of calm despite the constant movement of staff and we could still hear the music of the harpist in the background lulling us into a state of contentment.
Dessert was a zingy, sweet pink lady apple tarte tatin and vanilla ice cream with a glass of Klein Constantia, Vin de Constance, South Africa 2011.
We also opted for a plate of cheeses served from a formidable selection that is rolled out on a beautifully old fashioned trolley. Our picks were assembled and served with Scottish quince jelly, damson jelly, homemade oatcakes and fruit chutney. This came with a traditional Taylor’s Tawny Fine Port.
For those who find the thought of a procession of courses on this scale slightly overpowering, we should note that afterwards we felt well fed but not uncomfortably full. We breezed out the room feeling the way you want to feel after a proper dinner.
Also, as impressive as the dining room looks, there’s not a stuffy atmosphere here. This is a room for conversation, not po-faced posturing. A hearty laugh will not be met by a disapproving arched-eyebrow, as in some uptight fine dining establishments. At least, it wasn’t when we were there.
Before we left, the last stage was tea or coffee with petit fours, which we took while sitting in armchairs back in the bar.
We hear there will soon be an a la carte menu, arriving in the new year to provide even more reasons to visit. For the moment, the seven-course dinners is £67 per person; £97 with matched wines. It’s a dining experience that rivals anything you’ll find in Scotland.
Crossbasket Castle
Stoneymeadow Road
High Blantyre
Glasgow
G72 9UE
Stoneymeadow Rd, East Kilbride, Glasgow G72 9UE, UK
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