Scottish chef, food writer and broadcaster Nick Nairn and his wife Julia have officially opened their brand-new restaurant, Nairn’s in Bridge of Allan, Stirlingshire, two years after a devastating fire destroyed its predecessor.
The new space has been rebuilt to Nick and Julia’s exact requirements, with interiors by Edinburgh based designer Pat Renson, while the new menu focuses on carefully selected independent producers, and herbs and vegetables grown in local polytunnels by Nick and Julia themselves.
The regularly changing menu will include a range of snacks such as Monkfish Cheek Scampi and Tartare Sauce alongside a East Cured Charcuterie plate with a Whisky Oak Smoked Nduja, Porcini and Truffle Salami and Cornichons.
Small plates to share are also set to include a Macduff Beef Tartare, Smoked Mayonnaise, Pickled Wild Garlic and Sourdough Cracker alongside a Barbecued Baby Leeks with a Sauce Gribiche and Spiced Fried Chicken with Courgette and Mint Slaw with Lime.
Big plates will include Venison Roe Haunch, Purple Kale with an umami rich Venison Sauce, alongside a Seared Stone Bass with Creamed Curried Mussels with a Cavolo Nero.
Desserts will include a Hot Raspberry Souffle with White Chocolate Ice Cream alongside a Brown Butter Financier with Heather Honey with Perthshire Strawberries with Hibiscus.
There will be further developments to the Nairn’s business in September, when two new stores will open on Bridge of Allan’s high street – ‘Cook by Nick’ and ‘Home by Julia’.
These stores will be ‘entwined’ with the restaurant, with products and ingredients showcased there. Cook by Nick, will sell restaurant quality specialist and artisan ingredients alongside a personally curated butcher and fishmonger counter.
In an innovative sourcing approach, fresh produce not sold in Cook by Nick will be on the dinner plate at Nairn’s that very evening, providing a range of seasonal specials, an approach that will reduce waste and take greater control of the supply chain from source to restaurant. The food shop will also hold mini masterclasses and demonstrations; sell Nairn home-smoked salmon and homegrown salad; and even provide a knife sharpening station.
Home by Julia is an extension of the popular homeware store located at the couple’s Nick’s at Port of Menteith restaurant. The new standalone Bridge of Allan store will present larger soft furnishing items alongside key pieces from local artists and eye-catching kitchenware such as Nairn’s salt and pepper shakers, water carafes and table scrapers.
Nick and Julia said: “It’s been a long road back for Bridge of Allan, but we are delighted to welcome everyone back to Nairn’s.
“Having the opportunity to have a presence on the high street too is something we’re beyond excited about. Cook by Nick will allow our customers to go that one step further to use our restaurant-quality produce at home and enjoy cookery masterclasses on their doorstep.
“With the popularity of our interiors shop in Port of Monteith, it seems only fitting that we give Home by Julia a place in Bridge of Allan too. These openings in our hometown are a personal reflection of what we love and we’re looking forward to sharing that.”
