Having got to the end of a two-week holiday, I was hoping to finish on a high so the Stormont family headed off to Murrayshall Country Estate to sample what was on offer at Eolas.

I last visited the restaurant back in 2020 when I enjoyed Sunday lunch and, having fantastic memories of that visit, it would be safe to say my expectations were high.

And I was not to be disappointed with Eolas serving up some fantastic fare which rounded off my break in the best way possible for a foodie.

I love visiting Perthshire, with me being in Angus it is relatively close and, having been born at Perth Royal Infirmary, it is a part of the country close to my heart.

It took only 45 minutes to reach Eolas – and that was on a busy Friday evening’s traffic. However, it was a relaxing enough drive which had myself, my wife, Karen, and daughter, Cari, exclaiming that we were most definitely ready to eat.

Eolas

The restaurant is part of Murrayshall Country Estate, nestled in leafy Perthshire. The drive up to the old mansion house is lovely as it showed the house all its glory in the late summer sun.

On arrival, we were greeted like old friends as we were guided through to the Barosa Bar where we enjoyed some pre-dinner drinks.

The drinks selection is varied, impressive and good value for money. It also caters well for those who are not drinking alcohol. The girls loved their non-alcoholic cocktails, while I sipped on a delicious glass of Champagne.

After enjoying our drinks, we were taken through to the stylish restaurant which has ample-sized tables for dining and some very comfortable seating.

The food

The restaurant offers two menus – a tasting menu that can be enjoyed with wine pairings should you wish, and the a la carte menu offering two or three courses at a set price.

We were having three courses from the a la carte menu and I opted to begin with something I had never had before, pigeon, which came in the form of a pigeon wellington.

But before that, we were treated to some Eolas’ home-baked sourdough with miso butter that whetted our appetites.

The wood pigeon in the wellington was divine and it melted away on my tongue after I peeled away the lovely layer of buttery pastry that encased it. The sherry vinegar and pickled raisin gave a lovely piquance to a dish that delivered on flavour and texture.

Perfect pastry

Karen had gone for beetroot tart with goat’s cheese and horseradish. The pastry was again spot on in a dish that perfectly paired the beetroot with the horseradish, resulting in a continually changing experience that went from sweet to peppery – from the horseradish – and back again. This was given an overwhelming thumbs up.

Risotto with pea, feta and nasturtium had caught Cari’s eye and it also hit the spot. Creamy cheesy goodness allied with al dente rice kicked things off with the richness of the feta adding another level of flavour. It was topped off with a lovely tuile that completed a lovely presentation.

I had great difficulty in choosing from the main selection but plumped for Scotch lamb, Nicoise flavours and tomato jus. The lamb was lovely and pink and needed very little cutting as it had been cooked so well.

It paired well with the tomato jus and I loved the surprise of cutting into a carved-out tomato for a mix of Nicoise salad to spill out – very clever indeed and something that brought a big smile to my face.

Corn-fed chicken with truffle mousse and macaroni gratin seemed an unusual combination that Cari had gone for, but it was a delight. The chicken was so moist and eaten with the mousse and macaroni resulting in a party going on in the mouth. It was a lovely clean dish presented beautifully with some foraged mushrooms as a garnish.

Smoky crunch from croquette

Karen had chosen cod with peas, pancetta, lettuce and smokie croquette. This, too, was a clever combination. A perfectly cooked cod steak flaked away into bite-sized chunks that were accompanied by the freshness of the peas, the slight smokiness of the pancetta, with the croquette adding a lovely smoky crunch to a well-rounded plate of food.

Fortunately, we had room for dessert and Cari, as expected, immediately ordered the souffle with Blacketyside strawberries, cocktail and sorbet. After bringing the dish to the table, our server cut a slit in the souffle and poured in the cocktail which was an attractive piece of theatrics. The souffle was rich and light at the same time and the dessert overall was a delight with the raspberry sorbet and a moreish coulis rounding things off.

Magical meringue was a showstopper

Karen’s meringue with raspberry, whisky and honey was a real showstopper. It was an absolute treasure trove of flavours with half of the meringue encasing a rich sponge and the other half featuring an unctuous raspberry cream. More creaminess came in the form of a sorbet with a fresh raspberry and one formed from the cream inside the meringue completing raspberry heaven on a plate.

Being an inquisitive person, I had taken the unusual step of ordering a savoury dessert of bread pudding, cheddar, truffle and pickled walnut. My server told me that the chefs had created this when a cheeseboard was no longer offered and, not being a huge sweet tooth, this hit the spot for me, with the richness of the bread and the cheddar meeting the luxury of the truffle and walnut in fine style. It was something completely different and I enjoyed it, but I doubt it would win over any real dessert lovers.

The verdict

I genuinely cannot pick a fault from the moment we walked through the door at Eolas, which has two AA Rosettes, until we left after a couple of fantastic hours.

The food was absolutely top drawer, the flavours being so good in every dish that reaching for seasoning did not ever enter my head. The service, too, is at another level and they should be proud of their front-of-house staff who are incredibly knowledgeable about the dishes they serve and answered any questions we had regarding the food.

I left Eolas a very happy man indeed, with all three of us suitably impressed that we planned a return visit for my birthday in a couple of months.

Information

Address: Eolas, Murrayshall House Hotel and golf courses, Murrayshall Road, Scone, Perth PH2 7PH

Tel: 01738 551171

Website: www.murrayshall.co.uk/eat-drink/eolas/

Price: Guests can enjoy two courses on the a la carte menu for £39.50 and £47.50 for three courses. Sides can be added at £6 each and some dishes on the menu include a supplement.

Scores:

Food: 5/5

Service: 5/5

Surroundings: 4/5