The Boat House

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 – in the shops now or buy online.

South Queensferry's Boat House restaurant has outgrown its original walls and a couple of years back part of the garden was sacrificed to make way for what is now a thriving bistro and bar with stunning picture windows over the Forth. Cleverly, however, the pleasant patio by the sea remains intact for sunset drinks or balmy summer days. On street level there's also now a delicatessen selling choice items and serving coffees, smoothies and scones. The bistro serves a broad food spectrum from macaroni cheese to mussels. In contrast, the main restaurant, with its white tablecloths and white stone walls, has a relaxed but more formal atmosphere. Chef/patron Paul Steward sources fish from all over Scotland; dark red rich seafood bisque owes its flavour and colour to lobster, langoustines and crab shells, while delicate locally oak-smoked salmon is from a smokery five miles down the road. The menu changes every few days, but dishes such as the west coast scallops (the heady aroma of white truffle scented oil announces their arrival to the table) have been on the menu for the past five years. Book or arrive early if you want sea views or a table in the main restaurant, as diners flock from all over the Central Belt to this destination seafood restaurant.

• High point: Stunning location with views of both bridges and Fife
• Low point: Having to navigate either a steep internal staircase or wave-lapped beach access steps