Ullapool culinary hotspot The Dipping Lugger has renewed and added to its haul of awards from the AA.
The north-western Highlands restaurant with rooms retained the AA’s five-star-gold Restaurant With Rooms Award, three AA Red Rosettes for Culinary Excellence and the AA Breakfast Award for the third consecutive year.
To round things off, the venue has now added the AA’s Notable Wine List Award to its collection.
The Dipping Lugger’s co-owner Robert Hicks said: “We’re delighted that we’ve maintained our five Star restaurant with Rooms Award, three AA Rosettes for Culinary Excellence, and our Breakfast Award, but the fact that the AA has also chosen to recognise the strength and depth of our wine list with a Notable Wine List Award is the cherry on top.”
Robert added: “It’s been an exciting year so far with The Dipping Lugger being shortlisted in the Scottish Licensed Trade News Awards in the Fine Dining Category, The Highlands & Islands Food and Drink Awards in the Restaurant of the Year category, and most recently we were announced as regional winners in the Scottish Thistle Awards for the Highlands & Islands Best Eating Experience category, which now sees us go forward to the National Finals in Glasgow in November.
“I’m sure when we all have five minutes the entire team will take a few moments to celebrate everything we’ve achieved so far. With that in mind, I’d like to add that these awards are really about every member of the team, from housekeeping to front-of-house and from pot wash to our chefs and I’d like to say very big thanks to them for all their help in making The Lugger what it is today.’’
The AA Hotel Services’ Hotel & Restaurant Inspector commented: ‘‘Highlights of the meal taken were a beautifully fresh large local scallop and a delightful and technically accomplished dessert.’’
The Inspector also added: ‘’The property continues to project a strong impression on arrival – the harbourside location and setting are truly enviable and no doubt will impress visitors here. Bedroom interiors are individually designed and show high-quality décor and complimentary furnishing styles.’’
The AA introduced a star rating system to classify hotels in 1912, and in 2006 they developed Common Quality Standards for inspecting and rating accommodation. These standards and rating categories are now applied throughout the British Isles.
These nationally recognised ratings provide businesses with an independent national quality marque, which in turn enables potential guests to make informed decisions about where to stay.
In turn, an AA Red Rosette award is only presented to restaurants that are achieving standards that stand out in their local area. These are restaurants that are ‘serving food prepared with care, understanding and skill, using good quality ingredients’.
