Turku I.
Yelp
In July 2013, I had one of the best meals of my life at The Three Chimneys (which, in my opinion, would confit the Fat Duck). As soon as we scheduled our trip to Skye, I emailed them to reserve seats for my husband and me at the kitchen table. Before the meal, we were ushered into the cosy reading room of the inn, where we met the delightful American family with whom we would be sharing the meal.
The restaurant assembles up to eight guests around the massive wooden table in a bright nook at the back of their spotless kitchen. The dining chairs sport the unforgiving incline of New England pews - a not-entirely comfortable perch for a four-hour dinner, but it did keep us focused on the nosh. Each course on the generous tasting menu was sublime, showcasing the best crustaceans, bivalves, fish, tender lambs, and plant life that graces the Scottish Western Isles. The wine pairing, too, was superb, with a delightful English bubbly and a surprisingly decent Turkish white in the mix.
In between courses, we admired the beautiful grounds, the crates of giant crabs waiting in the dewy grass for their turn in the stock pot (clearly, I'm not a vegetarian), large array of classic cookbooks, and the professional skills and graceful charm of the motley kitchen crew. They even occasionally invited us to help prep and plate our dishes, which turned out to be great fun (especially since we were sloshed).
I'm pretty rabid about Scotland, but that night I fell in love. I still treasure the menu card they give you as a souvenir. And yes, if you're coming from overseas, it *is* worth the trip over the hill and through the woods, and the many hours of driving on the wrong side of single-lane, sheep-clogged roads. (While you're at it, hop on the ferry to Harris.)
My advice would be to a) wear removable layers, as the kitchen can get pretty toasty, what with the open fires and bubbling cauldrons; b) go with a group of 6 or 8, if you can, to secure the kitchen table for yourself - we had great luck with our party but I can see how dining with the wrong bunch could be trying; and c) act early to book a room at the inn to avoid the long return drive to your b&b.