The Dovecote , 4 South Muirhead Rd, Cumbernauld Tel:

01236 725339

THE big chill had settled in, the frosty tendrills of autumn had started to bite and the moths had found a cosy home in Tec's wallet.

The word on the street was that Big Al had left town, heading for warmer climes.

He was the desperado I was supposed to be trailing, but that particular lead had gone cold and was getting chillier as the day progressed.

The rumour mill was in overdrive, a whisper of a hidey hole a hop, skip and a jump away.

I could only hope a light would soon appear on the horizon.

"Tec, this chill is giving me the munchies," the dulcet tone of my beloved echoed across the room.

"My fiery furnace feels like a victim of a dowsing - I need to feed my soul."

The sunshine of my life failed to warm up the atmosphere, in fact there was a distinct chill.

However, it did push my brain cells into supercharged mode

And the light bulb flashed on a little hacienda I'd frequented many moons ago in green and leafy Cumbernauld.

With Toots sashaying before me I clambered into the Buick and headed north.

Ignoring the mist which had descended, we walked into a warm and welcoming room.

"Oh Tec it's lovely here," whispered my beloved - even she was caught up in the subdued atmosphere.

"It's put me in the mood for something warm and tasty..."

We were quickly shown to our seats. No need to book until nearer the festive season we were told.

The waitress flourished the menu and took our drinks order.

Just looking at the long list of nosh was enough to set the taste buds a tingling.

There was no hesitation on the part of Toots, She was right in there with her order of garlic and herb mushrooms, while this ol' Tec plumped for the plain and seeded breadsticks with the cheesy bread.

While we waited for the scran, I cast an eye over the room and the clientele.

Although part of the Beefeater chain, The Dovecote has always been that bit different - a real haven for locals who want something a bit special at a reasonable price.

The rapidly filling room seemed to point to many people thinking the same.

And then the food arrived, with the steam from the dishes in competition with the mist outdoors.

But when the haze cleared the pile of food was a sight to behold.

There was no holding Toots back and I quickly followed her lead.

Succulent, tasty and moreish - three words which spell success in anyone's language.

But these morsels of mouthwateringness were just the appetisers for the main course.

The Moll's chicken must have won biggest in class because the rest of the main was struggling to stay on the plate, and the fish and chips were not far behind in the size stakes.

Silence descended as we fought to be first to clean up our plates.

And while chips can come in many guises these were top drawer variety.

With plates pushed forward, Toots debated the value of squeezing in a pud. Gluttony won the day and the profiteroles quickly landed in front of her.

The mountain was a struggle but she reached that summit, face glowing, breath coming in short bursts. The Americano finally finished her off.

But with a fully sated Toots beside me and the mist clearing from the screen, we set off back to the city.

STARTERS: Crispy Garlic & Herb Breaded Mushrooms, with BBQ and ranch dips £3.99

Plain and seeded breadsticks and cheesy bread. Served with garlic & herb dip and balsamic vinegar and olive oil £3.49

MAINS: Half a roast chicken glazed in BBQ sauce, skinny chips and a side salad £9.99

Chunky cod fillet with chips, Tartare sauce and peas £10.99

DESSERT: Profiteroles with ice cream £4.99

DRINKS: Pint of Brooklands £3.90

Large glass of Shiraz £4.99

2x Americano £1.85 each

TOTAL: £47.04