They are few and far between and we finally settle on 18, the rooftop bar and restaurant of Rusack’s Hotel in St Andrews. As the name suggests, it boasts stunning views of the 18th at the Old Course and a fantastic vista of St Andrews Bay and its glistening sands on this sunniest of days.

The room is redolent of a French restaurant, complete with a zinc bar top – these were so ubiquitous in France that their equivalent word for ‘pub’ is ‘zinc’. I like this place.

A small army of waiting staff buzz about and, as we appreciate the view, we make our choices from the Sunday lunch menu – three courses for £40.

For the first course I plump for the Baked St Andrews Cheddar Soufflé with melted leeks and mustard – soufflé is a good test for any kitchen. John opts for the Partan Bree (crab soup to you non-Scots speakers) and recalls “we used to get this all the time in Fraserburgh”, while the ladies choose the veggie option of Marinated Artichoke.

The cheese soufflé demands a red wine and I order a glass of Bordeaux Superieur – at £17.50 for a 175ml glass, the price is certainly superieur. I mention that Bordeaux is in the grip of an unprecedented crisis as wine drinking habits change and the Chinese and US markets collapse. Earlier this year 90,000 cases from a bankrupt winery were auctioned for 23 cents a case! That same night producers poured 110,000 cases down the drain. I doubt that we consumers will ever benefit from the price drop.

My wine arrives and is a passable Chateau Bog Standard with an initial hit of tannins followed by red fruit.

During a lengthy wait for the starters (soufflé can’t be heated up or readily assembled) John, a senior accountant with a local authority, outlines the incredible abilities of AI and it’s likely impact on his profession while his wife, a teacher, describes the shocking level of pupil violence against teachers. I should have ordered a bottle…

The starters finally arrive and I am not disappointed. The kitchen has passed the soufflé test with flying colours. A dome of rich deliciousness is bedecked with tiny snippets of chive and sits on bed of cheddary sauce spiced up by the zing of the mustard seeds. It is a well-executed classic. Light as a feather and superb.

The vegetarian starter is a hit with the ladies who particularly appreciate the tarragon oil that binds the chicory and Scottish goat’s cheese salad together with the marinated artichokes. An unusual and imaginative combination. The Partan Bree also gets the thumbs up, although the large dollop of cream in the centre looks unappealing to me.

A large trencher of crispy olive oil roasties, glazed carrots and greens announces the arrival of the mains. I’ve overcome my reservations about rump as a cut and ordered the roast beef. Two whacking great slices of pink roast rump are served with gravy and a splash of celeriac. I take my hat off to the chefs at 18 – the rump steak is as tender as a rump steak can be. But it is a chewy cut and I would heave preferred a smaller portion of roast rib.

I have avoided Yorkshire puddings in restaurants for years. They are invariably overcooked, leaden or greasy and glutinous. But these are excellent – light on the inside and crispy on the outside.

The lad from the Broch has ordered the herb roasted chicken and is delighted with his dish – a mighty portion of half a chicken with sage and onion stuffing along with a gravy described as “affa fine”.

The vegetarian choice of half a roast cabbage sounds less than thrilling – unless you are a Belorussian tractor driver – but is reported to be very good indeed. It is no ordinary cabbage, but a hispi cabbage roasted with a miso glaze which, apparently, makes all the difference.

The ladies opt for the home-made coffee ice cream. Somewhat lacking in presentation, it is, nonetheless, judged to be a triumph.

We take our coffee on the hotel balcony. Nearby, a group of Bostonian golfers have just arrived and are thrilled by the view. So are we – it makes Sunday lunch an experience. 

Verdict: 8/10
www.18standrews.co.uk