Review: A comforting culinary cuddle at the Coorie Inn in Muthill

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 Coorie Inn 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.

What is The Coorie Inn in Muthill like?

The business, formerly the Barley Bree Restaurant with Rooms, was taken
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 Coorie Inn, Muthill. Image: The Coorie Inn.

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.

Seared tuna starter ‘sang’ at The Coorie Inn, Muthill

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 we patiently waited for our starters.

I opted for seared tuna with red pepper, lime and onion seed (£16).

It was a pretty picture on the plate and I quickly took a photo before diving in.

The tuna was cooked beautifully and melted in my mouth.

The flavours on the plate were a delight and combining a piece of everything at once really made it sing, with the sweet red pepper a particular highlight.

Karen had gone for the chicken liver parfait, sable, orange and truffle honey (£14) and she kindly allowed me to try it.

Chicken liver parfait at The Coorie Inn was served with orange and truffle honey.

As much as I loved my tuna, I felt I had perhaps missed a trick in not ordering the parfait, which was a smooth, salty mousse that really delivered on flavour.

The sweetness of the truffle honey in the centre was a lovely contrast, while the crumbly oatcake added some lovely texture to a sweet and savoury delight.

How were the main dishes at The Coorie Inn?

For the main, Karen chose Perthshire pork loin (£24) served with black pudding, seasonal greens and mustard – again, food envy flared up.

With a lack of fat content, there is always a danger that pork loin can be dry.

Perthshire pork loin at The Coorie Inn, Muthill. Image: The Coorie Inn.

But this generous portion of pork was so moist and had an almost butter-like consistency.

The black pudding bon bon had an endearing crunch as you bit into it and added a lovely spiciness to a well-rounded dish.

I had opted for the catch of the day (£26), which was seared trout with sweet tomatoes, seaweed and herb butter sauce, asparagus and potatoes.

Catch of the day was trout at The Coorie Inn.

The cooking of the trout was sublime.

The delectable chunks of pink flesh flaked off so easily, I didn’t need to use a knife!

The accompaniment of the seaweed and herb butter sauce, along with the sweetness of the tomatoes, had a party going on in my mouth.

The tasty asparagus and potatoes ensuring I had certainly got the catch of the day.

We also chose some side dishes – beef fat roast potatoes (£6) and new-season peas, baby gem and smoked bacon (£6).

The roast potatoes were some of the best I have ever had, while the pea and baby gem dish was in a creamy sauce that was incredibly moreish.

Did desserts continue the high standard of food?

The “Afters” are simply labelled on the menu by the main ingredient.

I probably wasn’t really needing a dessert, but with a former pastry chef from Gleneagles in the kitchen, it would have been rude not to.

I selected pineapple (£13), while Karen went for rhubarb (£12).

The Pineapple dish at The Coorie Inn, Muthill.

The pineapple was served with coconut, white chocolate and lime.

A fitting finale, the sponge base married well with zingy pineapple, cream and fresh coconut slivers.

Rhubarb, meanwhile, joined sable Breton, meringue, creme fraiche and basil.

The sable Breton (a French biscuit not unlike shortbread) was a rich base for the rhubarb and creme fraiche – revealed as the meringue casing was peeled back.

If there was a complaint about the desserts, it would be that they were just a little too rich for us after what we had eaten previously, but they were luscious.

Coorie Inn, Muthill review verdict

The Coorie Inn is definitely a cosy choice for a visit.

I cannot speak highly enough of the food, which made a celebratory night for myself and Karen even better.

The team is using top-quality ingredients and that means the offering coming out of the kitchen is something special.

The dishes are inventive and the attention to detail, presentation and, most importantly, flavour is evident in everything.

The cooking of the trout and the pork loin, in particular, was a joy to behold.

At The Coorie Inn, the vegetables and side dishes are not just accompaniments. They played a huge part in delivering a mouth-watering dining experience.

The service deserves special mention.

We were made to feel so special and the small team simply could not do enough for us.

They told us this is just the beginning for them, so I genuinely cannot wait to see what the future holds.

And I cannot wait to make a return visit!

Scores:

Food – 4.5/5

Service – 5/5

Surroundings – 4.5/5