HOW many times have you gone for a quick, cheap meal – only to throw caution to the wind and go for the full three-courser?
After filling your face for a good while, the realisation only hits you once you’ve asked for the bill – that this could be a bit ambitious ... and pricey.
This happened at the Saddlery – well, everything except for that pricey bit.
The starters all looked very tempting but we couldn’t choose. So we opted to go for the sampler (£11.95) – two heaped plates of big deep-fried onion rings in crispy batter, tasty butterfly prawns coated in breadcrumbs, warm and buttery garlic mushrooms also in batter, mozzarella sticks and a tangy chicken satay on a skewer.
It also came with a smoky barbecue mayonnaise and a sweet chilli sauce for dipping.
It was all a tasty treat, setting us up nicely for our main courses.
I have a habit, so people tell me, of instantly going for the oddest-looking thing on the menu – and so I only had eyes for the Jamaican shrimp in a hot black pepper sauce (£11.50).
The shrimps were tender and subtle, but the making of the dish was the mango salsa, the soft texture combining perfectly with the black pepper.
When my fiancee went for the haddock and chips (£8.95), she opted for batter instead of breadcrumbs, which was golden and crispy.
The fish itself was unfortunately a little dry in comparison, although the dish came with home-made chips.
But we weren’t going to stop there ... on with the desserts.
I was initially tempted by the sticky waffle pudding but after the waitress gave us a run-down of what was on offer I chose the strawberry chocolate Charlotte (£3.95), a spongy strawberry base with a cream and chocolate sauce. It was a nice light choice after my heavier main course.
The lovely lady ordered the cheesecake (£3.95), classic New York-style and served with a raspberry coulis. It was delicious, although the coulis tasted a little like raspberry jam – it wasn’t unpleasant, but slightly unexpected.
Staff at the restaurant, part of the Highland Hotel, were extremely friendly and there was a cosy atmosphere with a fire on the go – which was much needed with the wintry weather outside.
And then that important part. The bill came. With a bottle of wine, the meal was a very reasonable £55.80.