Culinary & Culture

Take a luxurious train ride to the Scottish Highlands

A journey on The Royal Scotsman takes guests straight to the heart of the Highlands, through landscapes of towering, pine-clad mountains reflected in mirror-still lochs. Just 36 guests travel through Scotland's Cest countryside in private cabins, with an open-deck observation carriage behind. Life on board this luxury train is relaxed and indulgent, with gastronomic dining and an atmosphere of celebrating with friends. Along the way, guests disembark to talk to experts on salmon fishing to whisky and take part in fun activities.

Book a journey in May, June or July 2013 and Royal Scotsman will be delighted to offer you a FREE night's stay. Book Now.

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The Yeatman Hotel at Vila Nova de Gaia in Porto, Portugal

By Stuart George

Owned by the Taylor-Fladgate Port group, which owns the Croft, Fonseca and Taylor brands, The Yeatman hotel sits high above the Port lodges and rabelos (boats) that lie along the riverfront. Taylor’s has built 82 bedrooms (all sponsored by a “Wine Partner”); 11 event rooms; a wine shop; a 20,000-bottle capacity cellar, overseen by Beatriz Machado; and The Caudalie Vinothérapie® Spa, where those who have overindulged can purge themselves.

I ate from the five-course “Express Menu” with some additional amuses bouches. The aperitif drink was Murganheira Grande Reserva Bruto Assemblage 1995, a sparkling wine from Beiras in north Portugal. Largely made from Malvasia Fina, with the red grapes Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz also in the blend, it smelled “skinny”—of grape skins, that is—with little of the yeastiness found in Champagne and some other sparkling wines. The hotel exists to promote Portuguese wines, especially Port, but a wide range of classics from other countries is available from the 1,500-wines list. The Murganheira was pleasant, as was the Taylor’s Quinta de Vargellas Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which I was told has low acidity of only half a percent.

The first amuses bouches were foie gras with caramelized apple; scallop salad with Avruga caviar; and steak tartar. They were delicious and decadent. The dishes kept coming—they must have known that I’d been to the Spa that afternoon. The flatbread was scrumptious.

Beef carpaccio topped with a cheese balloon on a tunatto sauce—a Portuguese version of vitello tonnato—with rucola (rocket) leaves and white asparagus was the first starter. The cheese balloon was achieved brilliantly but it looked better than it tasted—it was rather rubbery in texture and flavor. The beef was tasty but a bit chewy.

Having downed the Murganheira, I was offered a white wine from Bucelas—Companhia das Quintas’s Santa Catherina Reserva 2007, made from the obscure but well-regarded Arinto grape. It had a creamy, almost yoghurt-like nose, with pear flavors and snappy acidity. It was very good with the shrimp in a superb celery sauce. The few chunks of celery that were floating in the dish really weren't necessary.

The main fish course of Monkfish roasted with tomato chutney had some sort of sweet and sour caramelized thing on top and some very earthy tasting carrots. It was quite enjoyable, but there was too much calamari pasta with it.

The Atalaya 2008 – a red table wine from the Douro – served with the Mountain Lamb had a deep color and was made in a modern, lush style, with oak make-up and high alcohol. The lamb had been “double cooked”—boiled twice, apparently—and came with a rather sickly almond and orange cream.

For dessert, the hazelnut mousse and carrot, coconut and curry cake needed to be cut with the ice cream to sweeten and soften it. The fresh strawberries and raspberries that decorated the dish were very moreish as in more, more, more. The nutty and nicely chilled Fonseca 20-year old Tawny Port was scrumpcious, and I can think of few things more enjoyable than sipping Port while enjoying a view of the River Douro.

After such a splendid dinner, breakfast the following morning was a little disappointing. I suppose pasteurized milk and strong coffee are to be expected in Portugal—I got used to it when I was backpacking round this lovely country ten years ago. But the cold meats and fresh fruits were fine.

My visit to The Yeatman was enormously enjoyable. The accommodation, food, wine and service are—or will be—just about flawless.

The Yeatman

Rua do Choupelo
Vila Nova de Gaia
4400-088 Portugal

351 93 200 3916