On my recent trip to Mull with my friend Brian, one of the highlights of this little adventure was dinner on my birthday at The Galleon - Bistro on the Brae, a fantastic gastronomic family-run restaurant within spitting distance of Tobermory's picturesque harbour.
The Isle of Mull, one of Scotland's Western Isles, is a place of exquisite beauty, an island where long walks through the rugged landscape deliver everchanging views, from craggy coastlines, sheltered sandy coves and picturesque fishing harbours to forbidding rocky hills, mossy coastal woodlands and ancient buildings. There's also a lot of rolling farm land.
While all of these things make Mull a delight for visitors and locals alike, there's another implicit aspect that is perhaps less obvious. It produces some of the best quality food ingredients anywhere in the world: fish, seafood, meat, wild fowl and organic crops, including malt that becomes those famous single malts.
So close to the veritable source, it's no surprise then that Mull has something of a reputation for good food, especially amongst the canny, city-dwelling Scots who enjoy heading to the isles for an easy weekend getaway. And, indeed, there are plenty of eateries where fine food can be found. Unsurprisingly, given Mull's popularity as a leisure destination, a lot of local restaurants focus heavily on traditional Scottish cooking and, certainly, there's nothing wrong with that.
New kids on the block
What makes The Galleon, the island's most recent gastronomic newcomer, stand out, is that it is probably the only restaurant on Mull that brings a certain international sensibility to its menus. There is plenty of traditional Scottish fare on its menus—and dishes influenced by the Scottish kitchen—but chef Martin Cahill brings a definite global outlook to the way he uses the locally sourced finest ingredients. His is not so much a full-blown fusion cooking—much of his cuisine grounded in classic European fine cuisine—but the work of a chef who is "well travelled".
This is hardly surprising. Martin and his wife Elaine, who run The Galleon together, met decades ago while working in Bermuda. Years later, the most recent milestone in a journey that has seen them working in high-end establishments in the UK, the Caribbean and Asia, they settled in Tobermory and bravely opened their wonderful bistro in the middle of the pandemic. Singapore's loss is most definitely Scotland's gain.
Located in a stone building in a lane directly off Tobermory's idyllic harbour, The Galleon has a cosy, contemporary feel, set up with tables and more private booths for the full dining experience as well as high tables for those who fancy drinks with some perfect tapas-style sharing plates, subject to availability.
Cuisenaire
One of the problems with writing in detail about the dishes we had on that October evening is that The Galleon is truly committed to seasonal produce from local sustainable producers. So, the menu changes frequently. But, some dishes, such as the roasted rump of lamb—unquestionably the most perfectly cooked and succulent lamb I have ever eaten—with creamed Savoy cabbage with pancetta, do appear regularly, no doubt by popular demand.
On that particular autumn evening, Brian and I went for Martin's take on a classic 1970s prawn cocktail served with a Kermit-like aplomb and scallops served with "creams" of various fresh herbs and a radish salad with an Asian vibe, respectively.
Where I went for the lamb as a main, Brian opted for cod from that day's local catch with a rich creamy butter sauce with caviar and local seasonal vegetables. Neither of us had space for a full pudding, but Martin and Elaine were not letting me escape that lightly on my birthday and presented me with a sparkling coupe of local Isle of Mull ice cream. The minute I tasted it, I knew that they were right to not let me miss the opportunity.
Even if the menu has almost certainly changed since our visit, you can count on there being a range of creative and excellent dishes deploying the finest local produce and ingredients to optimum effect.
Wines
Similarly, in keeping with menus that balance simplicity and impressive technique, the wine list is good, ranging from robust options for an impromptu dinner out to some very fine wines worthy of a special occasion. And, of course, one would expect nothing less than the impressive stash of the finest whiskies that the bar has to offer.
Don't mention the Spanish Armada
The Galleon, no doubt, takes its name for the ill-fated San Juan de Sicilia, a ship of the Spanish Armada that, having survived the perils of battle, rough seas and navigating the uncharted treacherous coasts around the northern tip of Scotland, limped into Tobermory Bay, badly damaged, in 1588. Here the ship's crew planned to take on supplies and repair the damage to the vessel. Instead, the galleon mysteriously blew up and sank.
The 11th Duke of Argyll's high-profile effort to salvage the vessel was just as ill fated. He had his father-in-law, billionaire dad of Margaret, notorious Duchess of Argyll, finance the costly exercise of raising the wreck, placing all of his faith in the legend that the galleon was loaded with Spanish gold. It wasn't.
Poor auld Ian Campbell. He should nae have played a short game, but rather placed his bet on this galleon. It's where the real treasure of Tobermory can be found today.
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