Are all Ghosts' friendly?
Recommendation added: 02/01/2006 22:03
By: Debbie (YSUK rating +42)Debbie has been thanked 6 times for this contribution
"The King's Orchard is one of many restaurants in Peebles but one with a little difference. The restaurant, a more recent development, is adjacent to the Cross Keys Hotel (was known as the Cleikum Inn) which happens to be haunted by previous Landlady, Meg. I can't say I have had the pleasure of meeting Meg before but have relatives that worked in the hotel before who have had ghostly sightings. The hotel also has a connection to Sir Walter Scott who actually wrote about Meg in one of his books.
The restaurant itself is located just one minutes walk from the High Street on the Northgate so there is easy access if coming from Edinburgh or Galashiels. Just take the number 62 (First Bus) which will cost £3.50 from Edinburgh (single) or £6.30 (return). Both Hotel and restaurant (restaurant to the left) are set back from the road so parking may be a problem because it is on a one way road which is always fully parked. Nearest car parking is found on Edinburgh Road behind Somerfield but is pay and display. I always walk from my house so never have a problem.
I normally visit the KO restaurant 5 - 8 times a year with groups of between 3 - 8 people so the bill ranges from around £30 - £100+. We go just to have a nice meal out and chat (a lot).
I find it's always best to book a table for the restaurant because it can be rather busy if there are group bookings. This is a very small restaurant which can only take around 40 people but I've been in when there is a large party celebrating a birthday but they are never that noisy that it will cause too much disturbance.
The restaurant design is small but intimate, in a rectangle shape. Up a small step is the main seating area which normally has around 6 or 7 tables of 4 but which can easily be joined together for larger parties. The last section has seating for two lots of four which again is up a small step and right at the entrance to the toilets. Where I normally sit is the main seating area right at the entrance to the kitchens but far enough away so there is no interruption with staff walking back and fourth or noises from the kitchen. Be warned that the ceilings do feel quite low but it adds to intimate setting. I can't say I have ever had a problem with ever feeling too hot or too cold it's just cosy. Coats are just hung on the backs of chairs.
The place isn't elaborately decorated and one wall has a large blackboard with details of the desserts and the soup of the day - I'm known to sit staring at it just longing for the dessert.
Clientele ranges from kids (with adults) to OAPs although this isn't suitable for kids parties. High chairs are supplied if needed for younger kids.
Tables are all neatly dressed with tablecloths, cutlery, napkins and glasses but if with a group of badly trained diners like my friends, there isn't too much of a problem with spillages. Later in the evenings candles can be found on the table so it is advised to keep an eye out if there are kids about. There will always be a small basket with a range of bread and rolls are supplied (total appetite wasters) with a side plate, butter and knife.
On entering and being shown to the table the waiter/waitress brings the menu. Drinks are normally ordered first and we either have a bottle of wine - there is a good selection to choose from coming from the hotel bar or soft drinks like Irn Bru and Coke etc. which are supplied in tall glasses generally with ice.
The menu is well presented with a large range of starters, main course, desserts, non/alcoholic drinks and wine menu. There is also a kids menu with things like sausages, burgers and healthier options. We normally never have a starter unless something like soup because the portions are quite large so can easily fill us up on there own but they can cost up to around £5. My favourite main courses are either the Scampi or a Pasta dish. Again, large portions - with the Scampi, there is a large plate almost half with scampi, good salad range and chips. With the Pasta (I like the one in the mushroom sauce), this is a large deep plate so well worth the money on whatever we have to eat. Thinking back there are also meat dishes such as steak, fish dishes and vegetarian options and if visiting at the lunch time period there are light lunches with baked potatoes and toasted sandwiches etc. Some dishes can seem a little expensive ranging to around £10. If we are visiting in the evening we normally go around 7pm which means meals have been running during the day and early evening. This can be a bit of a problem with desert as I have noticed a few times. I normally fancy something like apple pie which is again quite a large slice with either ice cream or cream but everyone else seems to fancy that too so it does go quickly. Ice cream is supplied on its own but seems to be a much smaller portion compared to a couple of the other desserts and is only in vanilla flavour but I can't fault it. The sorbets are also delicious as is the chocolate cake so it doesn't really matter what I eat for the main course, I have to leave room for the dessert. Desserts cost around £1 - £3 each.
The plates are large and are heated so the food is all kept warm and never cold (unless having salads etc.). The courses don't take that long to come so once the starter is finished, have a short break and the next one comes along. There has never been a problem with orders going missing like I have experienced in a couple of places so we have always been happy. We all pay for our meals ourselves so a main meal, dessert and several drinks through the evening always comes to around £10. There is great value for money here but I would say that it was only good if you can eat everything in front of you. I normally find the meals so filling that I can leave half of it but of course still charged full price. Nothing has ever really seemed that appetising from the kid's menu but my friends have ordered from it in the past to save wasting food. Condiments of all sorts are supplied including tomato sauce, tartar sauce (important for my scampi), salt, vinegar…
During the time we go, a few hours can pass by the time we decide to leave again (ok, they eventually ask us to leave to close up) but we spend a lot of time chatting so time does fly. We never feel hurried to finish a meal and if there are other people coming in after us, the staff are all very kind in telling us so we chat on the way out instead.
The staff are extremely friendly as are a lot of Peebles' folk and they always ask if everything is ok. If finished a drink or anything is needed we just wave and they come and see what can be done. Usually when on entering the restaurant the member of staff that shows you to your table will be the waitress for the evening. As the place is small we haven't really had trouble with waiting for drinks or meals or the place being over crowded that the service suffers.
The atmosphere in the restaurant is always friendly - if we know the staff (many of which we know from school or parents of people we know) so we always have a chat to them. We have never experienced a problem with any of the meals we have received but I am positive the staff will sort anything out and be accommodating for any needs you may have.
In terms of disabled access this could be a little more difficult… there is a small step at the door, the double doors are small, the inside has a seating area but to get to the main tables there is another small step. No doubt if you are disabled or with someone in a wheel chair, the staff will help getting in (holding doors etc.).
As a nice ending to the evening, the bill is supplied on a plate with chocolates and we always leave a tip for them (normally around 10% of the final bill). After the meal is finished the evening does seem to end on an anti-climax… have a gorgeous meal then go home. If staying in the area there is always the Cross Keys bar to continue the evening for a drink or any of the other pubs in the area. Never know, might be lucky and catch a glimpse of Meg one of these days!
Highly recommended - just remember to go on an empty stomach and not to fill up on eating the rolls supplied in the basket!
Stars: 4/5
Address: 24 Northgate, Peebles
Telephone: 01721 724222"
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