Ythanview Hotel: Methlick

TUCKED away in a quaint countryside village, the picturesque drive to Methlick's Ythanview Hotel was a slice of heaven after a long week in the office.

I was thankful I'd taken my mum’s advice to book a table, as ours was the only one going – the place was bustling and had a warm, homely atmosphere.

To start, I opted for the chicken liver pate with Cumberland sauce (£4.25). I heaped the coarse oatcakes with the delicious creamy pate and sweet plum-coloured sauce.

I could tell my friend's tempura prawns (£4.95) in a delicious light crispy batter with moreish sweet chilli sauce were a hit by the sudden lull in conversation.

I usually steer clear of curries unless I'm at an Indian restaurant, but I'd heard rave reviews about Jay’s hot homemade curry (£8.50) so I just had to try it. The loaded plateful of tender chicken in a spicy sauce, on a bed of sticky basmati rice was accompanied by a couple of crisp poppadoms and zingy mango chutney – perfect to mop it all up.

My friend’s whopper of a chicken burger (£7.25) was coated in spicy breadcrumbs topped with two large slices of bacon, lemon mayonnaise and homemade chips. Definitely value for money.

And after a couple of drinks, our bill came to just £31.55 – a total bargain for such a great meal with friendly service.