Chapters Bistro
Gattonside
- Food served: Tue–Sat 6.30–10pm. Closed Sun/Mon.
- Private dining: Up to 30 covers
- Also offers: Children's portions, Children's high chairs, Wheelchair access
- Capacity: 60
- Largest group: 60
- Open since: 1999
- House wine: £13 per bottle
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The 2011/12 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).
Gattonside village's welcoming bistro is a short drive from Melrose or a pleasant summer evening's walk by church and river. Locals and visitors congregate, and there is a real buzz of the gentle 'Borders' kind, you understand. Inside is a study of warmth and relaxation: truly comfortable dining chairs, candlelit tables, discreet spotlighting, rustic tiles and adobe arches with south of the border (Mexican) influences. Confident menus (including a new midweek fixed price selection) team together familiar with unconventional dishes, all carried off by dependable, talented cooking. Start perhaps with char-grilled king prawns with a lime and chilli dip or a longstanding favourite, a crab and prawn gateau set on a portobella mushroom baked with mozzarella balsamic syrup. Then try to choose between prime Border steaks with classic sauces, daily blackboard seafood specials, such as fresh sea bass enlivened with citrus butter and crisp capers, or go for 'Chapters Mexican stroganoff' - juicy strips of beef, tingly chillies, peppers, paprika and saffron rice, which is carelessly eclectic but sensationally tasty. A short, well-selected wine list includes Chilean house label wines by the glass, and wine jugs. There are tasty puds too - be sure to save room for the apple crumble ice-cream if it's on.
- High point: Genuine Borders hospitality from a well-established husband and wife team
- Low point: OTT menu descriptions
Reviews of Chapters Bistro (Main Street, Gattonside, by Melrose)
- 1. neilbab, galashiels – 16 July 2011, 5:36pmChapters BistroReport
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a gem in the borders have not been for a while but went for a meal on a sat night on the off chance . waited about 20 mins for a table but a nice cosy seating area and very pleasant front of house staff had a beautiful three course meal as the portions are the right size a lovely bot of wine and never rushed with menu if you haven't been well worth a visit going again tonight so can review again with all the details
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