The Perthshire country side is beautiful and at this time of year when autumn is clutching onto its last remnants, winter creeps in.  The wee windy tree lined roads where only a few weeks back were showing off their autumnal foliage now bare all to the world and the lush thick green grass lies crispy and crunchy underfoot. Nonetheless this holds an icy beauty, one of hope and rebirth in the new year.

I headed over to Perthshire, an hour from Edinburgh to try out Sunday Lunch at the Murrayshall Country House Hotel and Golf Club

REVIEW - SUNDAY LUNCH AT MURRAYSHALL COUNTRY HOUSE HOTEL AND GOLF CLUB, PERTH

Murrayshall House was built in 1664 and was initially owned by Sir Andrew Murray (son of First Lord Balvaird and brother of David Murray, the Second Lord of Balvaird and Fourth Viscount of Stormont). The direct descendants of this family, the Earls of Mansfield, still occupy Scone Palace just down the road from Murrayshall.

Murrayshall offers a luxurious four-star country house experience in the heart of Scotland, with 40 elegant and spacious rooms and suites, 27-holes of stunning parkland golf and delicious local cuisine in their Lynedoch Brasserie.

It stands majestic on the hill looking down over the countryside and golf course, of which the golfing grounds look extensive and spans across 365 acres.

The hotel restaurant, Lynedoch Brasserie is ideally located using the views down and over this landscape as its prime backdrop which you cant help but spend time looking out yonder and daydreaming.

It was a Sunday and the restaurant was teaming with golfers and families, socially distanced of course. I too was there for Sunday Lunch but was also staying the night in this luxury 4 star hotel.

Sunday Lunch is such a wonderful occasion; it’s a conversation and a time to catch up with those you love. It’s a bit of breathing space in our busy lives and brings about a sense of normality in 2020.

Murrayshall Sunday Lunch is 2 courses for £25 or 3 courses for £30.

Starters

Hot and cold smoked Scottish salmon with whipped crème fraiche and preserved lemon. Beautifully presented with the cold smoked salmon wrapped around the hot smoked with some salmon caviar as the popping candy for this dish.

Cullen Skink with toasted sourdough. I’ve eaten many a bowl of Cullen Skink; having come across many a dodgy bowl but have also tasted the best, and this rates pretty highly in my book. A lovely thickish creamy consistency, chunks of haddock and potato but without the flouriness. Beautifully seasoned and well done on serving it with sourdough, which held onto its crunch throughout the dunking process.

Mains

Slow Roast Sirloin of Scotch Beef with Yorkshire Pudding, dripping roasties, honey glazed root vegetables and thyme gravy.

Prepare to be wowed. Prepare to nod your head and mutter mmm and ahhh throughout this meal. This is how a Sunday Roast should be and being offered horseradish, just took this to another level. It may seem a small, irrelevant gesture, but when staff provide great customer service, it just enhances the dining experience. The beef was medium rare, succulent and falling apart, the Yorkshire was light and fluffy, crunchy and chewy in all the right places, roasties absolutely perfect and the gravy just truly spot on. This Sunday lunch was faultless.

Highland venison and celeriac hotpot with pickled red cabbage and crusty bread. I regret not having the Beef Roast dinner but 1. I wanted to showcase what else was on the menu and 2. I chose venison as this is venison season and there is no tastier meat than Scottish venison.

Another excellently executed dish. The celeriac slices laid out in concentric circles with the succulent venison chunks hidden underneath. A hearty dish that will warm you from your toes up.

Desserts

Apple and Blackberry crumble with Calvados custard and Sticky Toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream.

Have you ever had plate envy? When your dining partner orders a dish that you wish you’d ordered. This is the case with these desserts. I am a Sticky Toffee Pudding afficianado but on this occasion I should have ordered the crumble as I ended up eating most of Mr TS dessert.

I wouldn’t so much call it a crumble as there was no flour, butter and sugar shortcrust crumble in sight; it was granola but it was bursting with winter spices of cinnamon and nutmeg and the blackberries had retained their structure and not turned to a black red syrup that usually seeps into everything. The apples were soft and caramelised, the blackberries popped with tartness and the granola crumble brought it together. Delicious.

As for the Sticky Toffee Pudding, if you are a STP snob like me, I’d stick with the crumble.

The staff are friendly and efficient, the dishes came out timeously and hot and over all there was a lovely warm atmosphere in the restaurant. There are hand sanitising stations throughout the hotel, and all staff wear masks with sanitising wipe downs happening continuously.

An exceptional Sunday Lunch but a word of warning – go hungry!

Murrayshall Country House Hotel and Golf Club, Scone, Perth, Scotland, PH2 7PH. Tel: 01738 55 11 71 www.murrayshall.co.uk

My Spoon Award : Gold Spoon 9/10

I was invited by Murrayshall Country House Hotel and Golf Club to review their Sunday Lunch. Food and drink were complimentary but the views are very much my own.