I drove through the Perthshire countryside – avoiding a number of brave pheasants meandering across the road – heading to Coorie Inn in Muthill. In case you didn’t know, “coorie”, in Scots, means to snuggle or cuddle, so it fits cosy very well, too. And cosy we were on our brief stay in the Perthshire village.
But we weren’t on a sightseeing tour, we were there to try the food at the Coorie Inn, which we’d heard good things about. And the visit to the coincided – albeit two days after – our 20th wedding anniversary. So we also stayed over in one of the inn’s delightful rooms, which have been refurbished to a high standard.
The business, formerly the Barley Bree Restaurant with Rooms, was over 10 months ago by Phillip Skinazi, who previously worked as executive pastry chef at Gleneagles. It features a lovely bar with a roaring fire, ideal for cold nights. The restaurant area is also extremely well-appointed, with a wood-burning stove as its centrepiece.
The team pledges to use the finest local ingredients, with the menu largely focused on Scottish cuisines. And, on the night we visited, there was a great atmosphere about the eatery, with almost all the tables occupied. We took this as a positive sign – and we weren’t the only ones who had travelled for the experience.
As we perused the menu, we snacked on mixed nuts and giant corn (£4.50) and Damsel Bakery sourdough with butter (£4.50).
The bread and nuts were both delicious and lovely to nibble on as.
