The Three Chimneys

The old crofter's cottage lies down a single track road on the shore of Loch Dunvegan amid the mystical beauty of the Isle of Skye's landscapes - an elemental setting that places it high on the wish list of many a foodie. That such special food is on offer in a wildly remote location seems an amazing feat to pull off, yet it is the peerless produce from the island that underpins the whole experience. Simplicity is the key to the low-beamed dining room, where bare-stone walls, head-grazing beams and homely fireplaces all contribute to an air of heart-warming domestic intimacy. Fixed-price menus change each day and are designed to celebrate the lamb, beef and venison reared on the island's hills, the herbs and vegetables grown in its crofts and gardens, and the pick of whatever is landed fresh that day from the sea; few places can boast such a sense of terroir. The food impresses with effortless craftsmanship and creativity, with chef Michael Smith delivering fine-tuned flavours in the modern Scottish idiom - everything is built on the ethos of treating superb raw materials with the respect they deserve. And 2011 saw the addition of a spanking new kitchen. A perfectly composed starter unites tartare of Armadale mackerel with cucumber and radish salad, apple and herring roe, for example. Next comes pot-roasted crown of partridge, cooked to perfect tenderness and teamed with tattie scones, choucroute of preserved leg, ceps and Savoy cabbage and elderberry sauce. To finish, the hot marmalade pudding with Drambuie custard is a fixture, but dark chocolate and amaretti delice with blueberries and crème fraîche delivers temptingly big flavours. The wine list is a fine piece of work, too, and does justice to the superb food.