PUBLISHED June 5th, 2015 04:36 am | UPDATED May 18th, 2020 04:29 pm
The new Chijmes is a breath of much needed fresh air. Instead of being infamous for late night debauchery, this F&B hub is becoming known for finer quality eating and drinking establishments and more, shall we say, sophisticated entertainment. One of the new kids on this revamped block is Highlander, a bonnie Scottish pub with a great whisky collection and delicious pub grub to match.
The pub’s furnishings remind me of an inn on the outskirts of Stirling, Scotland, called Drovers Inn. Both venues concentrate on softer natural brown hues and make good use of exposed bricks to complement the polish wooden fittings. However, the similarities stop there. The vibe at Highlander is definitely livelier, with their resident band (One Love) busting out tunes every night from 10pm and the festivities can go until the wee hours of the morning.
If you’re looking for avant-garde cuisine, Highlander is not the place for you. Instead you’d find wholesome pub food with the occasional Scottish influence. From their ‘Wee Bites’ menu we tried the Scotch Eggs ($12), good little bite sized quail eggs with a flavourful crust but nothing too fancy. The succulent Whisky Prawns ($18) were a little more desirable but left me longing, despite being soaked in delicious garlic butter, as the whisky was faint and close to non existent.
Scotch Eggs and Whisky Prawns
We moved on to the Cullen Skink ($8), a humble Scottish smoked haddock and potato soup. Both the haddock and the stock were flavourful; in fact, each hearty spoonful took me back to my Scottish grandmother’s Cullen Skink. I’m quite the sucker for salmon (especially Scottish salmon) and their Scottish Salmon Gravlax ($18) didn’t disappoint. Once again, we couldn’t tell that the gravlax was whisky cured, but the entire dish is well balanced with crisp apples and tangy lime aioli.
I was drawn to the Balmoral Chicken Breast ($28) as it’s stuffed with Haggis. For those who don’t know, Haggis is a traditional Scottish dish made of sheep’s pluck mince (I’ll let you Google that one) cooked down with onions, oats, spices, and lamb stock all encased in a sheep stomach. As it turns out the Haggis isn’t as traditional or authentic as I would have liked it to be, but it went quite well with the tender chicken breast and salty bacon wrapper.
Desserts-wise, we were recommended the Cranachan ($12), another traditional Scottish dish made with oats soaked in whisky (wouldn’t be Scottish if it wasn’t) and served with raspberry coulis. This huge dessert is definitely one for people who enjoy oats. My favourite and a dessert I still crave today is their Coconut Ice-Cream ($12), a dessert made with rum and served in a coconut half shell. Despite not fitting into the bonnie wee Scotland theme, it was the most perfect way to finish such a full meal.
On the beverage side, Highlander boasts one of the more extensive whisky collections. I would definitely recommend exploring their whisky list and trying something new to you. If jumping straight into a well crafted, perfectly aged single malt is a little too harsh, indulge in one of their Scottish beers – the light and refreshing Scottish Lager is what I’ll gladly start with.
If you’re looking for a traditional Scottish experience, you should book a flight to the highlands of Scotland. However, if you’re looking for a great place for after work drinks and tasty grub to enjoy with you mates, then Highlander at Chijmes should be at the top of your list. As it says on the cover of their drinks menu, ‘Gie it laldy’ – which translates to ‘Do something with gusto’ in common speak – Highlander is a great pub with good food and a great collection of whiskies with a lot of gusto.
Top Image: Balmoral Chicken Breast