REVIEW : EAT - Kirkstyle Inn, Dunning

We were here for a girlie night catch up, staying over in their lovely accommodation, so it only goes without saying that we headed into the pub for dinner. Read my review of their accommodation here

The Kirkstyle Inn in Dunning is a a gorgeous wee historical pub that really does have that country pub feel to it. It comes packed with lots of charm and character, with loads of nooks and crannies that could tell a story or two.

As you enter, there are two rooms on either side. To the right a cosy seating area with large fire and to the left the bar area. Straight ahead and through to the back of the inn is the dining area.

We chose not to sit in the bar area as does not have table service although I think it would have been cosier and a little livelier as we were the only people in the dining room.

The dining room has low ceilings, exposed beams and antique looking furnishings. It most certainly twinkled in the candlelight and did emit a certain kind of mystical ye olde charm.

This would be a fab place for families or large parties. I imagine Sunday lunches on a cold winters day, in here, would be worth the drive.

A review of dinner at the Kirkstyle Inn, Dunning

The menu reads well, with dishes that you’d expect from a pub/country inn - salads, Ploughman style dishes, fish n chips, pies and chicken and lamb dishes although their vegetarian offer is limited to a pasta dish.

It was a fairly cold night so we wanted something warm and comforting. We both ordered the Soup of the Day which was a Sweet Potato, Coconut, Chilli and Lime. This was served with a ginormous warm baguette that we both couldn’t resist. The smell of warm baked bread wafted across our faces and before you could blink we were tearing off chunks and dunking to our hearts delight.

The soup was fabulous. Thick and creamy with a hint of heat on the back note and quite a kick of lime to counteract it.

For Mains - The Kirkstyle Pie. Slow cooked beef in ale and wine, roast vegetables, pastry and mash or fries. We chose the fries.

The pie was nice enough although it was a pot pie rather than a pie and served without any roasted vegetables. These may have been in the pie and disintegrated into the gravy??? The pasty was light and flaky and the beef filling was substantial, packed with large succulent pieces of tender beef, but it lacked seasoning. Chips were nice.

For Mains - Steak Sandwich. Served with house BBQ sauce, pickles, cheese, onion rings, coleslaw and salad or fries.

I asked what steak was used, and was informed that it was rib-eye so my expectations were high. Unfortunately, this dish completely missed the mark. The steak was over cooked and chewy; the one onion ring was quite nice - crunchy; but the BBQ sauce was quite bitter and unbalanced.

Dessert - Quince and Plum Crumble. Topped with pecan crumble and served with cream or ice cream.

We had this with ice cream and it was decent. The quince and plum filling were sharp with a slight touch of sweetness, the crumble topping was crunchy and airy and when you included the molten lava filling with a scoop of the crumble and a dollop of the ice cream it was pleasant.

Dessert - Lightly Spiced Sticky Toffee Pudding. Served with butterscotch sauce and stem ginger ice cream.

Oh dear, unfortunately ‘Uncle Mic’ (the microwave) must have been working hard tonight, because this piece of sticky toffee pudding was inedible. The sponge was tough and hardened around the edges, and the butterscotch sauce tasted burnt. The ice cream was nice though.

They do have a good wine list and we enjoyed a glass or two of the Marlborough Waipapa Bay Sauvignon Blanc. Super zesty and packing a citrus punch.

This meal was sprinkled with a few hits and misses, and issues that can easily occur in a kitchen but also easily rectifiable. Usually, I also pay attention to what other diners are commenting on their food and what they are ordering, but on this night there was no-one else dining. Doing my research, overall the food is highly recommended here and a massive big thumbs up.

The staff are friendly and helpful. Overall it was a pleasant meal, I might just choose differently on another visit.

The Kirkstyle Inn, Kirkstyle Square, Dunning, Perth PH2 0RR. Tel : 01764 684248 www.thekirkstyleinn.co.uk

My Spoon Award : Bronze Spoon 7/10

I was invited by The Kirkstyle Inn to review their menu. Food was complimentary but the views are very much my own.