IF I said I was dining at the ancestral home of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll you would probably expect me to be in Memphis.
Fortunately you don’t need to go quite that far to find a link to Elvis Presley.
Records show Andrew Presley married Elspeth Leg at Lonmay on August 27, 1713. Their son, also Andrew, was the first Presley in America, arriving in North Carolina in 1745 ... and started a dynasty that led to the King.
Not that there’s too much of American razzmatazz about this rural village, between Peterhead and Fraserburgh.
But it has become the home of the Ban-Car Hotel – and a popular destination for folk in search of a fine feed.
So no need for white jump suits – and I had even shaved off my sideburns before our trip – but my friend Shona and I were hopeful of some rocking food as we rolled up to this friendly restaurant.
I half expected to see a Cadillac or two as we pulled into the spacious car park.
But, to be honest, we weren’t looking for glamour. Just good food.
We both ordered the duck spring rolls with sweet chilli sauce for a starter (£4.30).
The sumptuously crunchy morsels had a real zing and went down well with their tangy condiment. I ordered one of the hotel’s most popular meals for my main course, the Ban-Car Highland chicken with haggis smothered with Drambuie sauce (£9.95).
The chicken and haggis were combined in a parcel that was bursting with flavour.
Each mouthful was tender, the spicy touch of the haggis complementing the more subtle poultry. The sauce itself was a touch on the thin side, although it tasted fine and added a sweetish note to the dish.
Meanwhile, Shona chose the sweet and sour chicken (£7.95) for her main course.
And what arrived would have done justice to any of the nearby Chinese restaurants.
Tender chicken breast was smothered in a tangy, thick sauce that tantalised the taste buds.
It got a big thumbs up from my dining partner.
Overall the service was fast, efficient and friendly.
I’m sure Elvis would have agreed the Ban-Car is no Heartbreak Hotel ... even if there were no deep-fried banana and peanut butter sandwiches on offer.