Is there anything more exciting than knowing you’re starting your weekend by going for some fine food? I made some last-minute plans to go for dinner with my friend Rebecca one Friday night. Neither of us had been to the Pinehurst Lodge in Dyce before, but a quick glance at their menu online told me everything I needed to know — and Rebecca agreed it sounded “lush”. So I booked us a table and we spent the hours before hyping each other up about the “glorious food” and joking about eating a light lunch in preparation for the upcoming feast.
The Pinehurst Lodge in Dyce Tucked away on Pitmedden Road, the Pinehurst Lodge is a tranquil spot surrounded by gorgeous trees, fairy lights and some cute garden gnomes. The Oor Wullie Millar sculpture is a fun addition too. And walking into the restaurant was just as lovely, with tartan-style carpets and dark wood making it feel comfortable and cosy.
But the quirky personal touches made all the difference, including the stag ornaments and the paintings adorning the walls. Rebecca ordered a strawberry margarita (£10) while I had a non-alcoholic dark and stormy (£7) since I was on driving duties. My drink came quite a while before my friends, so I held off taking a sip until we could cheers properly.
But when her margarita eventually came, it looked pretty impressive and I was told it tasted as good as it looked. Mine was refreshing, and quite honestly made me feel as though I wasn’t really missing out. With rumbling bellies we started devouring the extensive food menu — and it was quite a hard choice.
Fresh and perfectly fried starters Not long after ordering, our starters arrived and the small black plates were brimming with food. The curried cauliflower (£7) had taken Rebecca’s fancy. Three large, crisp-looking pieces of cauliflower in a delicately spiced batter came with plenty of fresh salad and coleslaw.
She said it was “delicious” before offering me a taste, and I quickly agreed. The cheese and chutney bon bons (£7) had piqued my interest, though. I order the haggis and black pudding variety quite a lot when we’re out, but I’d never seen this option before.
My dish was made up of three big bon bons, encased by a crisp panko breadcrumb coating. They were bursting with flavour, and the creamy mustard dressing complemented it so well. Cheesey mains that were a wee bit more than we bargained for Macaroni cheese is a classic, but when I saw the “posh” version (£16) topped with Stornoway black pudding (the absolute best kind), truffle oil and fried onions, I just had to try it.
I also ordered a portion of chunky chips (£3) — which I soon realised were definitely not needed. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a massive bowl of macaroni cheese..
. At first all I could see and taste was the fried onions, which covered the top of the hefty bowl, but soon enough I got the flavour of the black pudding and truffle oil. As tasty as it was, it was quite a hearty and rich dish.
I ended up taking half of it home because I couldn’t finish it in one sitting. It’s not one for the faint-hearted. Across the table, Rebecca was tucking into a similarly generous portion of the sesame and maple halloumi (£16).
Four thick slices of halloumi in a sesame batter with a maple sauce were served with fries and salad. We both joked it looked like a whole block of halloumi had been used on the dish. Although the cheese was fried perfectly, my friend did say it was just a bit greasy.
But that didn’t stop her from declaring the meal as “scrumptious”. She said the sauce that came with it was the perfect blend of sweet and tangy. An indulgent sweet treat to finish We were both feeling pretty full by this point and should have probably admitted defeat.
But we both had spied the sticky toffee pudding (£8) from the at the beginning of the meal and were quite keen to give it a try. We convinced ourselves that getting one to share would be manageable. When it arrived, it really did look big enough for two people.
We couldn’t help but giggle at just how big the portion size was as we tucked in. The sponge was so fluffy, and the sauce was so sweet and rich. It was so indulgent, but our eyes were definitely bigger than our bellies on this one.
The verdict We were both quite blown away by the value for money at the Pinehurst Lodge. The menu was so varied, and the food itself was delicious — and such generous portions of everything. The décor was beautiful, and we loved looking around at all the paintings adorning the walls and the fairy lights outside.
While the service was good, there were times we felt a little bit forgotten about because we were tucked away, and empty glasses were left on the table. But the servers were friendly enough, and we both understood the other side of the restaurant was quite a bit busier than our calm corner. I can’t believe I’d never heard of the Pinehurst Lodge before, but I’ve been recommending it to everyone since my first visit.
I’m sure I’ll be back to try some of the other dishes that caught my eye, I’ll just be a bit more prepared for the portion sizes next time. Information Address: Pitmedden Road, Dyce, Aberdeen AB21 0EX T: 01224 722 272 W: Price: £81.90 for one strawberry margarita, one non-alcoholic dark and stormy, one lemonade, one diet coke, two starters, two mains, a side of chips, and one dessert.
Disabled access: Yes Dog-friendly: Not in the restaurant, but they are allowed in the outdoor seating area..
