The Swilcan Loft
The Old Course Hotel was for a long time the nonpareil of accommodations in St Andrews. Since 1968 it remained unscathed as the town's leading hotel, the only place where golfers of a discerning nature would consider staying. But now it has hungry and astute competitors (yes, plural) fuelled by private equity investors who only have eyes for the winning line.
For too long, food at the 'OCH' hasn't been up to scratch. Perhaps too much of the direction, and indeed investment, has been made from a personal perspective and not with the needs of its clientele in mind. That's fine if you are building a labour of love, one that doesn't always need to hit forecasts, or one that doesn't mind other hotels casting a shadow. It's interesting to note that the OCH saw its operating profits shrink from almost £4M to £400k between 2022 and 2023, when many of the other major 5* venues were basking in favourable conditions. Gleneagles for example grabbed the post-Covid marketplace by the scruff of the neck and cemented itself as the best hotel in Scotland. Much of their success was based around an experiential mindset and excellent F&B. During this same period, Gleneagles' operating profits held firm at over £8M.
But this latest effort at reimagining itself, and more precisely its top floor offering seems genuine and well thought out. As a space, it's majestic. Floor to ceiling windows overlooking the most famous view in golf, a bright and airy atmosphere - it's the perfect shell to recreate, well, whatever you want really. Personally, I am of the strong belief that St Andrews is primed to host one of the world's top chefs or high-end restaurant brands. Not only because it receives a seven month steady stream of extremely affluent visitors, but also because gastronomy may be one of the answers to solving the quieter five month stretch when the weather doesn't always cooperate. Let's look at Atlantis The Royal in Dubai - which is already saturated with luxury 5* properties. How did they separate themselves to become the hottest hotel in the Emirate? The answer is that they lured not one, not two, but eight of the world's biggest names in food. We're not talking about chefs with a couple of appearances on Great British Menu... we're talking Heston Blumenthal, Nobu Matsuhisa, Costas Spiliadis. Industry legends that redefined how people dine out. This is in addition to fashionable brands such as Ling Ling which has become the area's most in-demand place to eat and be seen. While it's a pre-requisite to have all the bells and whistles, Atlantis The Royal believe that experiential elements outweigh amenities. And why not centre that philosophy around food? Why would this not work in The Auld Grey Toon? I think the first hotel with the bravery to make that step in St Andrews will be rewarded ten-fold.
But back to The Swilcan Loft. I think some detailed competitor analysis has taken place. They've obviously looked at Eighteen in Rusacks, Ondine at Seaton House, but I think they have paid particular attention to the undisputed king of restaurants in St Andrews - The Seafood Ristorante. The OCH boast 'an elevated take on Surf & Turf' and I'm not going to argue with that. The menu is attractive, succinct and wide-ranging without trying to be a jack-of-all-trades. The offering is based upon simple things done really well. And again it delivers on that front. Perfectly executed steaks, a choice of well thought out fish dishes, and the showstopper menu element - The Swilcan Seafood Tower. Let's face it - if you highlight something on your menu at £135 then the average cigar-smoking, baseball capped tourist is going to order one. And if they had a tough day on the links, they might need an ego-boost and order two. As a restaurant operator in St Andrews, you have to pander to these diners and the Seafood Tower delivers on every front. Note - we didn't partake, but I have heard from several trusted sources that it's very, VERY good.
The food at The Swilcan Loft is excellent overall. 'Whole Scrabster Lemon Sole' was the highlight. It's a risky dish to put on the menu because of it's delicate texture and the need for perfect cookery. This is a good example of something appearing quite simple but one that actually requires a very high degree of skill. The '200g Beef Fillet' was incredibly flavourful. Medium-rare appeared as it should with a juicy pink centre inside an attractive dark crust. My first thought was that many of the diners might find this cut a couple of ounces shy of a decent sized portion. But then I realised the generic customer described above will order the '650g Bone-in Ribeye for 2'... and gorge on it themselves. So that box is ticked.
The desserts are creative, intelligent and sprinkled with local connotations. Desserts should make you smile, taste great and not leave you feeling like a lead balloon. So another gold star, this time to the pastry chef. The Caramel Chocolate Fudge Cake with Honeycomb and Tonka Ice-Cream is like a sugar explosion inside a Jo Malone shop. Very clever indeed. But the winner is the Rhubarb and Strawberry Eton Mess. This is Fife on a plate.
The biggest accolade goes to service. Our particular server was refreshingly brilliant. To use a word from the hotel's own restaurant description, she 'elevated' our evening. The OCH have definitely upped the quantity and quality of top-tier staff, and I can't say enough good things about their skill, professionalism and the overall mood inside the building. It was noticeable that the talented Matthew Wilkie has been migrated in to manage on the top floor. Previously, he was stationed at the off-site pub (Hams Hame) and I always thought he was more suited to a sophisticated venue. He genuinely cares about the happiness of his guests, and I can tell the team enjoy working under him.
One recommendation I would offer is regarding the acoustics. I'm no expert in interior design, but a sparse room with hard surfaces is going to make the baseball cap wearing patrons even louder than normal (and no one wants that...). Maybe some rugs / more soft furnishings? But that one is best left to the specialists.
The Swilcan Loft is going to be a popular option. Situated adjacent to the more formal fine-dining Road Hole Restaurant, it delivers on the relaxed role it's been handed. It's well positioned for golfers who want to eat well, but in a casual, sociable setting - with PHENOMENAL views. Well done to the OCH for making a huge step forward in their F&B offering. Maybe there's an opportunity to go even bolder in the future and blow the competition away, but for now this is a very solid restaurant that's going to leave golfers feeling fulfilled and happy they spent their evening inside the hotel.
