Food on a Friday: The Lass O'Gowrie
Murray Chalmers headed to 'the Carse', where he discovered the true joy of a great café . It reminded him of Patti Smith, truth be told...
Re-reading Patti Smith’s wonderful M Train I was struck by many things, some deeply philosophical and others a bit more mundane – not least Patti’s almost forensic skill at depicting the joy of a table for one at her favourite café.
In fact Patti loved her favourite New York café Café ‘Ino so much that she was the last customer in there the day it closed forever, when the owner promptly carted her favourite café table and chair over 6th Avenue to her house, a permanent reminder of her Greenwich Village flaneur existence.
Patti at her caff
One day in the pub let me tell you about the day I met Patti in that favourite New York café, where she was being interviewed by a friend of mine. It was my birthday and he knew it would make my day to meet her.
When I turned up towards the end of their chat, Patti was in full Speakers Corner mode about the evils of consumerism, an argument I would happily and hypocritically have supported, had my love of shopping not been quite so apparent by the bursting, intensely chic Bergdorf Goodman bags I’d already dumped on the floor beside the Icon herself.
Nevertheless, knowing it was my birthday, Patti ran across the street to her house and came back with a selection of rare books and catalogues, all of which she signed for me, proving once and for all that arty consumerism doesn’t really count as shopping at all. What a gal!
What makes a great café
A good café can be many things, not least the source of a deeply restorative expresso and a bacon sandwich, the former almost pinning you to the wall in its speed-rush potency, the latter bringing you one step closer to the joyful slump of a duvet day.
In every house I’ve had – from Dundee to London, to France, Fife and now Edinburgh, one of the first things I’ve established is where to get my morning coffee.
Even now, when I might be very critical of Dundee’s dire food scene, I have to admit there are some damn good cafes in and around the city.
Perhaps because of this, I feel embarrassed that it’s taken me two years to find one of the best of the local cafes, albeit one that’s a short car ride away in the beautiful Carse of Gowrie.
To call the Lass O’ Gowrie a great cafe would be doing it a massive disservice, because this place is so much more.
The most handsome building
For one, it’s in the most handsome building in Errol – the Victoria Hall, a gift to Errol from Sir William Ogilvy Dalgleish, head of the Dundee jute company Baxter Brothers.
It’s the most wonderful, soaring space which instantly lifts the spirits and, if you ever get into conversation with co-owner Ali Abercrombie she might tell you about the serendipity of she and her partner, Bob, discovering that three generations of Ali’s family had lived next door to the café, a fact the couple were unaware of when they took over the space.
Of course this beautifully renovated space would be nothing without good food and great service and it’s here that The Lass O’Gowrie really flexes its muscles.
Firstly, it’s open every day. Yes, you read that right - it’s open seven days a week.
I have a confession…
Please pardon my incredulity here but I now have to confess something that will probably annoy some people working in hospitality - I’m really, really over places that have erratic opening hours, that consistently close at short notice due to staffing issues or that fail to communicate such basic information to the customer.
Tim Hayward wrote a great piece about this in his excellent FT column recently – how he was sick of getting angry at many of the things that were clearly negative products of Brexit and Covid, including lack of trained hospitality staff, erratic opening hours and general bad service.
He suggested that, rather than moan about it, we might just have to accept it as the new norm, especially outside a metropolis like London.
It was a good point, well made, because try eating out locally on a Monday or Tuesday and you’ll soon see the issue.
Top marks to the Lass O’Gowrie for opening every day.
Warm, life-affirming service
More plaudits go to them for their service, which is just so warm, effusive, on-point and generally life-affirming.
The first time I visited was a Tuesday lunch time and I was amazed to see the place full to bursting (I hadn’t realised you could reserve a table).
Nevertheless, they found me a table, seemingly from nowhere, and got me seated with a menu in my hand within minutes.
Here I have to mention co-owner Bob who exudes the kind of warmth and concern for the customer that absolutely defines great hospitality.
Really good café food
The food here is really good café food, all home-made and all delicious. On my first trip I just had some soup (£4.95) and a cheese and tomato toastie (£6.95) because I always think if a café gets the basics right then you know you’re in safe hands.
Also, think of St John’s now classic Welsh Rarebit, still a shining star on their menu after 30 years – there is no shame in an ostensibly simple dish done brilliantly.
A second visit a few days ago with my sister saw us both have a delicious pea and ham soup (£3.95), and a couple of October specials – a winner winner chicken dinner (£12.95) and a very fresh chipotle chicken wrap (£9.95).
The chicken dinner was basically elements of the classic Sunday roast distilled into a lunch dish, whilst the soup was pronounced as good as our mother used to make, which is some praise indeed.
We shared the most wonderful cheesecake with local strawberries and a distinctly Proustian macaroon which brilliantly took us both back to the school playground, but without the fighting.
The whole meal – a lot of food, plus three coffees, came to around £40 but you could eat here for much, much less and still leave feeling very satisfied. I think my first solo lunch here came to a tenner.
As you leave, remember that the wonderful selection of home-made cakes is available to take-away, along with a beautifully curated selection of mainly local products, including wrapping paper, local wild -flowers, candles, Jam Bothy marmalade, local beers and even Lass O’Gowrie apple juice and cider, specially pressed from local apples.
As we left some kids from Errol Nursery were there presenting Ali and Bob with a certificate for being the World’s Best Café.
It was truly lovely to witness.
This place is a joy
Really, this whole place is a joy – a space created with love and run with a passion; a place that truly serves the community; a place to sit and revel in the good things in life.
In an age of homogeneity and disposability, at a time of deep uncertainty for the hospitality industry and for the world in general, The Lass O’Gowrie very quietly gets everything right. I’m sure Patti would approve.
The Lass o’ Gowrie, The Victoria Hall, High St, Errol, Perth PH2 7QP.
E: hiyapal@thelassogowrie.co.uk, T: 01821 684960.
All Scots Ink reviews are based on anonymous visits to restaurants/cafes and paid for by the reviewer.
Sigh…. I really miss your reviews in the Courier.