The Belvedere Hotel: Evan Street, Stonehaven

WITH the lighter evenings here, I had a real hankering to sit out in a beer garden.

So we took the drive to Stonehaven.

We were given a warm welcome as we walked through the impressive Victorian building.

The back lounge had a really homely and inviting feel, so we chose to eat inside this time. We could see through to the pretty beer garden though.

I ordered spicy chicken fillet (£10.95), with potatoes, green beans and big chunks of carrot and courgette.

The succulent chicken breast was coated in spices and herbs and topped with garlic butter. Delicious.

My mate Scott chose a proper seaside-town classic – fillet of haddock with chips (£9.95).

Dipped in a light and crispy beer batter, with mushy peas and homemade tartare sauce, he knew it was the right choice.

For dessert, I had the chocolate fudge cake (£4.95), served warm and with a good dollop of cream. Scott picked the apple crumble (£4.95), which had plenty of crunchy topping and was drenched in warm, creamy custard. With a couple of drinks, the whole lot came to £36.40. We’ll definitely be back ... hopefully to sit outside.