The Azalea Restaurant at Glenapp Castle
Five Star, Relais & Chateaux hotel, Glenapp Castle in Ayrshire, Scotland, is a leading destination for excellent cuisine with its fine dining and 3 AA Rosettes. With the introduction of The Azalea, a unique and magnificent dining venue, the hotel will take their F&B offering to new heights. Located in the centre of the Castle’s Walled Garden, The Azalea is situated in the Victorian Glasshouse & original Bothy. Both spaces are adjoining, giving guests the choice of the surrounding gardens or picturesque views of the Azalea Pond. These two spaces can be kept separate or combined and offered exclusively.
Seed to Service & The Delicious Azalea Menu:
The Azalea is the centrepiece of the Walled Garden where much homegrown produce finds its way from the garden to plate. The concept of restaurant is to beautifully blend horticulture and dining and this magical kitchen-garden relationship is echoed in the menus. 80% of the herbs such as: curry plants, marigold leaves and rhubarb, are grown a few feet away and all feature on the menu seasonally.
Capitalising upon the hotel’s location, surrounded by the freshest of Scottish produce, the starters feature fresh Scottish mackerel, one of the most sustainable catches in the Atlantic and North Sea and tender rabbit leg that is accompanied by prosciutto and wild watercress. The watercress is picked daily from the edge of the Azalea Pond. Mark, the hotel’s Head Gardener has worked hard to grow and expand upon the homegrown produce, adding an abundance of root vegetables such as celeriac as well as courgettes and pumpkins which are all available on the menu as delicious starters.
Main courses will consist of roe deer with mushroom, red cabbage and beetroot and there is also roasted tenderloin ginger braised pork cheek that is full of flavour. Although quite rightly famous for halibut, the waters surrounding the island of Gigha is also home to the finest turbot on the British Isles and this is unbeatable in flavour and texture.
For those with a sweet tooth, there are some scrumptious desserts available, from tangy lemon mousse to Glenapp Castle’s very own blend of chocolate. Head Chef, Joe Gould worked closely with Valrhona, the French chocolate manufacturer and following seven months of tastings, samples and refining, the team created a bespoke blend of chocolate for Glenapp Castle. Guests can taste the signature Valrhona chocolate dessert featured at The Azalea that is floral in flavour with strong berry notes to echo the fruit that surrounds The Azalea.