Abernethy

Well, isn't that just typical? Just when you discover a wee gem some bright spark comes along and changes it. For the worse.

Case in question: one organic farm shop on the A913 between Abernethy and Newburgh. When we first ate here 9 months ago the food was great and reasonably priced. Example: smoked haddock stovies and oatcakes for about £3.50; a top-quality (he says) sizeable homemade burger with sides for about £5.95. All good.

So, there we are, it's a Sunday afternoon and there's next to bugger all in the larder (ie kitchen cupboard) for lunch.

"Why don't we pop along the road for lunch? Can't be arsed cooking anyway."
"Nice one."

The signs out on the road tell us that 'new management' has taken over. This makes me nervous.

I have to say the look of this place has always troubled me a wee bit. It's organic home farm credentials don't extend to the building which is made from hideous pink breezeblocks and sits in a massive tarmac'd car park. The interior is pretty dull and sterile and has zero atmosphere.

Well, to our dismay, it now has a menu to match.

No sniff of my beloved smoked haddock stovies. Only a teensy wee single page menu of the usual generic suspects: tuna mayonnaise baked potatoes and their boring friends. I mean, we can get this sort bland, unimaginative nonsense anywhere - do people really want to be going out of their way to sample the organic version?

They should take a few tips from our beloved Gloagburn who manage to be interesting and consistent; ok, so they're not perfect - mains portion sizes could be bigger for the price and charging 80p extra for cream on your puddings is taking the proverbial. Everything else pretty much hits the mark.

FUFF x

p.s. We had quiche. Tolerable.