Morris’s Hotel: The Square, Oldmeldrum

IN BETWEEN the school run near Turriff and ballet classes in Oldmeldrum, my daughter and I were caught out.

There wasn’t enough time to return home to eat so it was time for us to find a good but affordable mid-week restaurant.

We got a warm welcome at Morris’s Hotel, where tasteful and informal decor, combined with its affable staff, make for a relaxed and convivial environment.

My daughter chose an Aberdeen Angus beef burger in a floury bap with salad and chips and extra cheese (£7.05) and I went for fresh fillet of haddock in the chef’s own beer batter (£7.95).

The burger was huge, tender, juicy and tasty and the chips were crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside, but the portion was so generous she was unable to finish it.

My haddock was flaky fresh, with soft, moist chunks of fish in a tangy, crunchy batter – delicious. The salad was varied and the chips finger-licking good.

Neither of us were fit for dessert but the options were tempting: sticky toffee pudding, cheesecake (each £3.50) and ice-cream £2.50.

With drinks, coffee and a side order of coleslaw, our total bill came to a very reasonable £21.80.