Lochboisdale, located on the southern coast of South Uist in the Outer Hebrides, is a small, charming village that surrounds the Calmac ferry terminal to Mallaig, Oban or Castlebay. Visitors boarding or disembarking the ferry at this tranquil haven have access to an absolute foodie gem less than a 2 minute walk from the pier - say hello to Croft and Cuan.

REVIEW OF CROFT & CUAN, OUTER HEBRIDES

Croft and Cuan, is owned and operated by two sisters, Christina Morrison and Samantha MacCormick who during Covid and due to redundancy, decided that they had nothing to loose and opened a mobile catering business. Both sisters have considerable knowledge and experience in hospitality and it was just a natural progression to open a cafe. In June 2021 they managed to secure some funding and opened their lovely wee shop in Lochboisdale.

Croft and Cuan proudly fly the flag for local produce, how could you not when you live on an island that produces some of the best food in Scotland, the UK and possibly globally!!

From the nutrient-rich waters of the Atlantic Ocean comes an array of exceptional seafood, including succulent langoustines, plump scallops, and melt-in-your-mouth smoked salmon. The peat-rich landscapes give rise to exceptional meats, such as the renowned Stornoway Black Pudding, with its rich, savoury flavour. The fertile lands also yield an impressive array of organic vegetables, showcasing the region's commitment to sustainable farming.

And when you take all of that and combine it to produce tantalizing bites of deliciousness, you have an extremely successful business promoting the best of food in the Outer Hebrides.

Samantha runs the kitchen whilst Christina runs the front of house. As this was out first stop on our Meet the Producer Outer Hebrides tour, we were treated to some extraordinary dishes. One of their most popular dishes is the Stornoway Black Pudding, venison and sweet potato pies. Flaky and savoury, we just couldn’t get enough of these.

Next we tried Chilli Scallop Tacos with lush plump scallops caught locally. A taste explosion and we all departed with a warm large choc chip cookie and a coffee to keep us going until our next foodie stop.

This duo seems unstoppable with their catering business in full swing, the Croft and Cuan mobile van popping up at festivals and markets across the Isles and of course the shop. Their menus sing with a symphony of flavours, tempting the taste buds with tantalizing descriptions of succulent dishes that promise to transport diners on a gastronomic journey across the Outer Hebrides. You’ll find local seafood like lobster, scampi and scallops; Hebridean salami, pork belly and venison, as well as a decent amount of vegetarian dishes written up on their blackboards.

Croft and Cuan is most definitely a stop you have to make pre or post ferry crossing!. This is where you get to eat the Outer Hebrides.

THINGS TO NOTE ABOUT CROFT AND CUAN

• Check their socials for updates on shop openings, and food pop-ups

• They cater for vegetarians

Croft and Cuan, Unit 9, Lochboisdale Pier Development, Lochboisdale, United Kingdom, HS8 5TP www.facebook.com/CroftandCuan

My Spoon Award : Tartan Spoon 10/10