1610 Restaurant Review, Globe Inn, Dumfries, Scotland

I had never been to Dumfries, but I hear good things about the 1610 Restaurant, so that seems like a good excuse to visit. The town sits on the River Nith in Scotland’s southwest, just over the border from England. It was here that Robert the Bruce killed his rival and also that Robert Burns, the national poet, spent his final years, weaving Dumfries into Scotland’s cultural fabric forever.

Globe Inn

River Nith

Dumfries

But Burns is more than museum pieces here; he lingers in the air. The Globe Inn, one of his favourite haunts, still serves pints to thirsty visitors. In the Burns Rooms, see the poet’s chair plus other artefacts, and you can almost hear his laughter. Now, the stables have been transformed into the 1610 restaurant, named after the date the pub was founded. It’s one of only six in Scotland to be listed in the Michelin Guide.

Wooden tables line both sides of this narrow, intimate space, complete with dark timbered panelling. Stained glass murals, depicting the story of Tam O’Shanter, run along one wall. At one end, by the entrance, is the bar offering one of the UK’s largest single cask single malt collections.

Globe Inn

1610 Restaurant

1610 Restaurant

The menu is a celebration of Scottish produce, reimagined with modern, creative flair and vibrant presentation. The head chef, Fraser Cameron, brings Michelin-inspired techniques to the table, fusing traditional roots with innovative dishes. You can choose from the à la carte menu or go for an eight-course Degustation with matching wine pairing. Of course, that’s what we chose.

Tasting Menu

CANAPES – I love the Fish and chip canape with cod roe.

Canapes

BREAD – curry, parmesan and apricot. Two thick slices of extremely delicious warm bread, and well-presented butter. Delicious as it is, I make sure I don’t eat too much.

Amuse Bouche

1st Course AMOUSE BOUCHE – Green pea gazpacho with loads of mint, feta cheese and barley. This is wonderfully minty and the crunchy barley at the bottom of the bowl gives extra texture.

Sea Bass

2nd Course SEA BASS mi-cuit w hollandaise. A symphony of colour with thin discs of different beets, green beet leaves, dark cucumber chutney, and yellow hollandaise.

Pork en Croute

3rd Course PORK EN CROUTE. A slice of belly pork in moist pastry and a cylinder of celeriac mash topped with prune and pickled walnut. It’s hard to beat a good pork pie and this is one of the best.

Cod Roulade

4th Course COD ROULADE. The fish is wrapped in a carrot shaving, there’s parsnip and carrot puree, plus a single carrot with honey and mustard sauce, topped with lovage. A nice surprise is the horseradish tartlet, giving an extra buzz,

Galloway Beef

5th Course GALLOWAY BEEF. Square of meat is nicely rare in a rich jus with a slice of parmesan hash browns. Another tartlet here, this time artichoke and mushroom, a very tasty bite.

Yuzu

6th Course YUZU. A fresh citrusy palate cleanser on a bed of almond granola with blood orange does the job perfectly.

Mille Feuille

7th Course MILLE FEUILLE. Exquisite layers of pineapple and coconut with banana and rum ice cream on the side. Brilliant.

Cheese

8TH Course CHEESE. Imagine a cheese clock with 9 different cheese where the numbers should be. A great choice, served at exactly the right temperature and comes with a crib sheet detailing the different cheeses. I leave the accompaniments of apple slices, grapes, dehydrated pear, biscuits and honey almost untouched

Petits Fours

PETITS FOUR. Three, all delightful.

As you can see from the pictures, the presentation is excellent and the service was attentive and efficient. What I like about the food is the distinctive combinations of flavour in each dish, with excellent use of local and seasonal products. Every course has that element of surprise due to the inventive use of vegetable garnishes, both fresh and preserved. 

Verdict: In my opinion, it’s well worth a special trip to border country.

1610 Restaurant at The Globe Inn 56 High Street, Dumfries DG1 2JA

Open for lunch and dinner, Wednesday to Saturday.

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