An Afternoon at The Ryal

One of our favorite hotels to visit is without a doubt the Ballantyne Hotel, A Luxury Collection Hotel just a 20 minute drive from our home. We’ve enjoyed afternoon teas, brunch at the Gallery Restaurant, and now lunch at The Ryal. Located in the newly renovated lobby area of the hotel, The Ryal is a mix of Scottish and Southern Elegance and is the perfect place to spend an afternoon.

When we arrived on a rather rainy afternoon (like what you’d expect if you were in the Scottish highlands) and from the moment we walked through the front doors, we were wrapped up in a winter wonderland. The entire hotel was decked out for the holidays, complete with gorgeous trees both in the lobby, in front of the ballrooms/conference rooms and the grand staircase was enrobed in festive garland and twinkle lights. (Making for a truly magical scene.)

Both school children and adults perused the gingerbread display which had creations ranging from beginnings to the professionally created gingerbread houses.

For those of you who are planning stay at the Ballantyne (or just want to visit for brunch/lunch, dinner) you can dine in the lobby and The Ryal with the option to order from The Gallery menu. We already have our table picked out in the lobby for our next visit to The Ryal.

We started off our lunch with an Un-Bellini from the Designated Driver section of the drinks menu. The Un-Bellini is a delicious combination of peach puree and Fevertree Club Soda. The perfect beginning to a delicious meal. I plan on trying out the No-Jito on another visit to The Ryal. Just in case you’re curious the No-Jito is made with Fresh Lime Juice, Mint and Fevertree Club Soda.

For the Pièce de Résistance, I opted for the Turkey Club. This sandwich is perfect for sharing if you’re ordering several things to share with the table, or enjoyable all on its own. You have the option of adding mustard or mayo to your sandwich, and I’m mayo all the way.

While we don’t often opt for dessert, I had my eye on the delicious Scottish Laird Trifle from the moment I opened up the menu. The Trifle consists of Baked Drambuie Custard, Vanilla Pound Cake, Semi-Candied Raspberries, Toasted Almonds, Chantilly.

The Custard was delicious, light and not overly sweet (just the way I like it) and there’s no reason to feel guilty if you decide to enjoy this delicious dessert all on your own. It’s in a word… Scrumptious!

One of the things that made this first experience at The Ryal so enjoyable, was our waitress Dawn. She was an absolute delight and we look forward to dining with her again!