Being able to turn a famous Christmas poem into a menu is most certainly a talent, and one Tom Tsappis at Killiecrankie House is clearly very good at.
The co-owner of the restaurant with rooms based just outside Pitlochry, joined Scotland’s culinary scene with his gastronomic tasting menu last October.
The first versions saw 18 courses being served up, and now the team has launched its new 15-course Christmas-themed offering which is just as spectacular as its last menus.
Real magic is conjured and captured here at this hidden gem. Be that the dishes created by the young team, to the faces diners pull in amazement as each dish surprises them.
Killiecrankie House
For this instalment, Tom has taken the famous A Visit From St. Nicholas poem by Clement Clarke Moore and has created it into a festive menu.
You first find this out after pulling a few crackers that the poem is hidden in. Highlighted words on it introduce the dishes, plus, like any good cracker, there’s a joke and a festive paper hat.
This dining experience is all about fun and innovation. The music you’ll hear in the dark blue-painted minimalist room isn’t what you’d expect. Razorlight, Take That and Amy Winehouse are just some of the artists you’ll hear.
And every one of the 12 diners who were also booked on the Saturday night I visited had a front-row view of the open plan kitchen, with every chair facing towards it. The best seat in the house, of course, is the chef’s table where a newly engaged couple were.
The setting here is comfortable. Even the word casual could be used to describe the service style and ambience.
The food
Adding paired wines to the tasting menu experience, and following a cocktail in the bar, we were shown to our table. The drink was a sweet yet crisp Champagne cider which would pair with our first three dishes.
Smoke and Flew Like a Flash were up first.
The smoked belly tartare in a layered seaweed tart sat on one side of the wooden box, while the pheasant liver pate with black garlic and chestnut tart sat on the other.
Bite-sized, they were a “taste explosion” according to my boyfriend. The fish was soft and sweet while the pate and black garlic worked harmoniously. Both were utterly delicious.
Up next was Sky. The Isle of Skye langoustine dish was inspired by a Christmas staple – prawn cocktail. The clear tomato and cherry blossom jelly was delicious, but it was the langoustine hot toddy with foam that stole the show. This bisque was absolutely stunning and an excellent nod to quality produce.
Ashes and Soot soon followed and this was a sight to behold. What looked like coals and a flame was actually tempura oysters with an edible beetroot flame.
I was so impressed with this dish visually, and it also tasted delicious. The crispness of the black aerified tempura could almost trick your mind into thinking it was coal. The oyster was juicy and two colours of beetroot had been fused together to make a crisp flame that, if you touched it too hard, would crack.
We moved on to a delicious light sake for the next few courses. This specific brand was pasteurised, which is quite unusual, and came from a 200-year-old brewery.
Its melon and fruity notes went perfectly with Leaves and Not A Creature Was Stirring.
Leaves consisted of miso, chestnut and Brussels sprout chawanmushi (Japanese egg custard), which was decorated with sprout leaves. The custard was savoury and very moreish and balanced beautifully with the sake.
One of my favourites was simple yet very effective. A beef stock jelly in the shape of a mouse was presented with our server prompting us to pour over an onion broth. The mouse disappeared.
Tiny croutons added a little crunch although the pickled shimeji was a little overpowered by the beefier flavours.
Lots of things were unravelling in the kitchen as we watched on. Nothing phased the team and they all looked very relaxed. The front of house team matched them, and continued to explain a bit about each dish when they arrived.
Moving on to a South African Chenin Blanc, just one dish was paired with it – Cap.
The oyster mushrooms cooked over smoking Christmas tree needles resulted in a delicious pine nut risotto. The crispy sage leaves on top crunched in my mouth as the red currants popped, bursting with flavour.
Both my boyfriend and I adored this. The battle of savoury vs. sour was excellently executed and we savoured every morsel
Matilda, Tom’s wife and the other half of Killiecrankie House is the resident drinks expert. A sommelier of wine, it was a north east Chinese variety from her dad’s winery she had picked to pair with the next dishes. Not too tonic, it boasted plum and cherry notes, all while being quite a light red.
Wild was Urrard estate venison tartare, wild garlic, brambles and cinnamon. The rich meat worked well with the wine, and the edible ‘leaves’, which were paper thin, crunched as you’d expect on a cold winter’s morning.
Snug in their Beds saw a scallop sit on top of a bed of four mussels which had been hidden under a sauce made from chicken stock, the juice of the mussels and a little sherry. Another absolute highlight.
However, Cheeks were like Roses surprised me when I heard Turkish delight had been paired with braised ox cheek. The flavours worked very well with the slightly pickled beetroot rose on top of the croustade.
It was also presented beautifully on a bed of dried rose petals.
The second last drinks pairing was another red. This time a French one made by a former employee of Luvians in St Andrews.
It went well with the Deer dish which was succulent barbecued Urrard estate venison loin with pumpkin, braised fig and a mulled wine sauce. The mince pie hand-laminated brioche was delicious and we used the leftover sauce to dip it into – if you take anything away from this, a rich gravy and mince pie certainly works.
The meat was by far the standout on the main plate.
Cherry saw a gorgeous creamy stilton within a port casing presented in the shape of a cherry, with a dark chocolate stem. The homemade cocoa nib oatcakes paired nicely, and there was plenty of them to spread the soft cheese over.
New-Fallen Snow also impressed me. In short, it was a clever play on an ice cream sandwich. Parsnip and white chocolate ice cream housed within a wafer-thin snowflake biscuit which had been topped with white chocolate shavings.
This one came with a warning on how best to eat it to avoid it going everywhere as it was very delicate.
The last wine was a dessert wine from Cyprus, or sunshine in a glass as we labelled it.
A Bowl Full of Jelly, was a sherry vinegar, spiced orange, gingerbread and pumpkin trifle was the final course. Each layer on its own was great, but together created a gorgeous offering. Creamy and fruity, it was superb.
And no tasting menu is done until you tuck into the petite fours.
Happy Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night concluded with salted After Eight fudge, mulled wine cola bottles and mini Christmas pudding madeleines in the cosy living area.
Every table had made their way through to the comfortable space to enjoy their after-dinner drinks and final nibbles, and it was lovely to get the chance to chat with others about their experience. With everyone equally impressed.
The verdict
You’ll find only the most unique dining experience at Killiecrankie House.
This is a place for food enthusiasts, and for those who long for something quite different.
Every course is intricate, and every flavour and ingredient well thought out. The attention to detail paired with creative concept is miles ahead of other fine dining establishments, and quite honestly I believe this hidden gem could be home to Scotland’s most ingenious tasting menus.
This place is one to watch.
Information
Address: Killiecrankie House, Pitlochry PH16 5LG
T: 01796 473213
W: https://killiecrankiehouse.com/
Price: £85 for tasting menu or £150 for the drinks pairing and tasting menu. A non-alcoholic drinks pairing is also available. Killiecrankie is open Wednesday to Saturday.
Scores:
Food: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Surroundings: 5/5
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