Thistle Hotel, Edinburgh

A meal of strong contrasts. Standard chilean red was very impressive but with the usual hotel mark up. First course of Pheasant paté, Ayrshire bacon and scottish cheese was just plain awful. It was cold, had clearly been sliced from a greater lump of paté but tasted of absolutely nothing. Couldn't make out any of the flavours suggested.

The Roast loin of venison with port wine jus, rosti and roast vegetables was however divine. Cooked rare, solid meat - no waste, lovely rosti (3cm rings again) and 9 square cut carrots and parsnips served in a mini jenga formation. Waiter told me that most people want their venison better cooked but for me it was perfect. The port wine jus was hedonistic in the extreme. Well done chef. Now do something to give the pheasant paté some taste.

£37 for 2 courses and a bottle of red was high but the alternative was to walk the streets looking for good cooking while risking dying from exposure. I took the gout inducing option.

Premier Travel Inn, Inverness

In an old distillery with plenty of local history and flavour. As well as the standard PI menu there was the scottish option so I tried haggis for starter. Someone here clearly has some tall cooking rings. The haggis, neaps and tatties came in a cylindrical tower nearly 4 inches high topped with very crispy onion slices, beautifully layered and surrounded by juicy gravy. Very nice.

The sirloin was finished but they offered fillet steak at no extra cost. Great. Ordered rare but unfortunately it arrived well done. Shame. Nice but would have been better rare. Chips remarkably soggy. Asked for no tomatoes but still two turned up.

Chilean carmernere very impressive. No local spirit available as a digestif despite posters on the wall saying so. Good meal but could have been great.