The Wheelhouse: Falkirk

For years it seemed that Falkirk was best known for being that train stop between Glasgow and Edinburgh. You'd see commuters shaking their heads, wondering why a place they'd always thought was roughly the size of the SECC car park needed a train station at all.

Then something happened to put the town on the map: the FalkirkWheel - the world's first and only rotating boatlift. Now, visitors from across the world come to marvel at the graceful engineering of a 35m high structure that takes the power of just six toasters to rotate and yet could - if required - lift loads of 600 tonnes. That's the approximate weight of 100 adult African elephants, I'm reliably informed.

Set on the edge of the town, until recently the wheel has cut an isolated figure for an international tourist attraction, but the opening of The Wheelhouse is changing that. The new restaurant has some of the design savvy of its inspiration: the curvaceous minimalism of the exterior isn't let down by what's inside; huge windows (yes, you can see the wheel), dark wood and white walls set off by local artwork.

Despite its size, they've carefully avoided a cavernous feel. Indeed, the restaurant is proving to be a destination in its own right: its 150 seats filled at weekends and busy even mid-week. We arrive at 8 o'clock on a Sunday and Phil announces he's going to be adventurous.

Without irony, he chooses the fish and potato cake as a starter. He tucks in and declares it very good, with a smoky flavour.

I opt for "freshly crumbed mushrooms" - a claim I'm sceptical about, but the coating is nicely crumbly and the Mediterranean dip deliciously tangy, though the usual garlic dip is also present.

After his exotic starter, Phil plumps for steak, relieved he doesn't have to choose from the extensive list of sauces - indeed, perplexed anyone would even consider such a thing - and pronounces his well-done fillet steak "perfect" and the chips to his satisfaction.

The menu seems ridiculously large but The Wheelhouse - owned by footballer Kenny Deuchar and his dad, Dr Robert Deuchar - caters to all tastes as a coffee shop, lunch stop, restaurant and bar. (We later discover Sunday's menu is smaller than the regular offering. Gulp.) There are occasional slips; my salmon is tender, the potatoes plentiful and the veg has bite, but the promised herb and garlic butter absent, making it all rather bland. The memory of another canal-side serving of salmon I enjoyed recently a couple of miles away, haunts me like the ghost of meals past - that delicious, buttery sauce would be most welcome here.

Still, a chewy meringue with apple (not soft fruit as described) and two mouth-watering coulis cheers me up - as does the friendly service, which is excellent.

As Falkirk revels in its status as a tourist destination, The Wheelhouse is a welcome addition. It's good news, too, for locals, who've got a stylish restaurant on their doorstep - while city folks should put that train stop to good use.