Collingwood Arms Hotel, Cornhill on Tweed

Oct 5 2008 Sunday Sun

Rating: 16/20

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WHAT with all this talk of credit crunch and banks falling off the edge of a cliff, I fear I too may have to tighten my belt.

This will be no easy task. My belt is pretty tight already from searching out the best scrans for Sunday Sun readers . . . such a vocation can put a strain on anyone’s waistline, not to mention your pocket.

It is always interesting to see just how prices can differ from one establishment to another.

Value for money is the name of the game, and we always try to take all contributing factors into account, such as the character and atmosphere of the hostelry.

All this came into play when we ventured close to the Scottish border, stopping just half a mile short at the little village of Cornhill on Tweed.

This is a very historic spot, being close to the site where the Battle of Flodden Field was fought in 1513.

Our venue for lunch, the Collingwood Arms Hotel, is — as its name suggests — also steeped in history. Apparently, the name comes from the family of a local merchant who owned the premises until 1955.

It also has links with vice admiral Lord Collingwood, who served under Lord Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar, at around the time the hotel was built.

The Collingwood Arms is certainly an impressive building, which we couldn’t help but admire as we pulled up in the trusty Eatsmobile.

We then wandered in through the main entrance and into a hallway complete with open fire, where several drinkers were taking advantage of the large sofas.

From there we found the bar, where we were met by a helpful waitress who showed us to a table in the neighbouring brasserie.

The Collingwood had a makeover, both inside and out, last year and has a look that mixes both the old and the new.

In the brasserie, modern solid wood tables are matched with painted, more old-fashioned kitchen chairs, but the overall appearance is that of being bright and clean.

I ordered a lime and soda for Mrs Eats and a pint of Guinness for myself while we looked over the menu.

As is becoming the trend in a lot of places now, there were set prices for two and three courses. Any two courses came at £12.50 and three for £16.50.

She Who Must Be Fed thought long and hard about a starter, eventually deciding to miss out on the first round, while I opted for the beetroot and roast red pepper soup.

This arrived with a warm roll and butter. The soup was a gorgeous deep red colour and very creamy. It was also piping hot and tasted delicious, with a pleasant tang.

For her main course, Mrs Eats chose the roast sirloin of beef. I was tempted by the local game casserole, as this area of our region is noted for its hunting, shooting and fishing but, in the end, plumped for the “assiette”, or assortment, of fish.

Mrs Eats’s plate arrived with a thick slice of meat surrounded by roast potatoes and a mixture of carrots, peas, green beans, white turnip and swede, together with a red wine jus. That’s posh for “gravy”.

My fish, a selection of salmon, sea bass and halibut, came with creamed leeks, new potatoes and salad.

The missus tucked into her main course with relish and reported that the beef was tender and full of taste, while her veg was cooked to just the right degree.

The portions were just about right as well . . . enough to satisfy without feeling uncomfortable.

My fish was excellent . . . the tender pieces of flesh fell into flakes at a touch, and the leeks were particularly tasty.

I was now satisfied, but Mrs Eats had saved herself for a dessert. While she pondered the menu I opted for another Guinness from the bar, which was surprisingly quiet for a Sunday lunchtime, although we had arrived towards the end of the serving session.

That was probably our only criticism of the Collingwood. It really lacked a bit of atmosphere. You don’t want an ear-splitting racket while you’re eating, but it is nice to hear the babble of conversation and the sound of people enjoying themselves.

When I returned, Mrs E had ordered and was eagerly awaiting her Dutch apple pie and cream. The wait appeared worthwhile when a decent-sized slice of pie emerged from the kitchen.

Mrs Eats gave me that familiar look of satisfaction as she tasted the warm fruit-filled pie, wrapped in a particularly tasty pastry.

Given all the history surrounding the place, it was perhaps fitting that the Collingwood Arms turned out to be another victory in our constant battle to discover decent scrans.

• To get to the Collingwood Arms Hotel, head north on the A697 until you reach the village of Cornhill on Tweed, which lies only half a mile from the Scottish border and the neighbouring town of Coldstream. The hotel is on the right in the centre of the village.