Coorie Inn

To ‘coorie in’ is an old Scots verb meaning to hunker in for protection. Nowadays it evokes a snuggled sense of cosiness – akin to the Scandinavian concept of hygge. For chef-owner Phillip Skinazi it's a clear statement of intent. This is a place to be welcomed, warmed and cossetted after a country ramble, a day of distillery tourism or even a wader-deep quest in the river Earn for elusive wild salmon. Decor picks up on the exposed solidity of the original 18th-century building, with a colour palette and ambience of rural landscape incorporating quirky features (a leopard astronaut portrait), alongside the standard stag's heads, proper fires and friendly informal service. On the food front, classic culinary foundations are matched with more personalised touches to maximise local, seasonal ingredients. A wild venison tartare is satisfyingly rough-chopped, well-seasoned and paired with cured yolk and bone marrow, while scallops are perfectly caramelised to ensure sweetness against their brisk partnership of blood orange, fennel and chilli. Damsel Bakery sourdough and home-cultured butter effectively mop up any last morsels. Butchery skills are evident throughout and Sunday roasts are rightly praised – perfectly rare local pork loin with hay-baked artichokes and a popping aubergine chutney achieves depths of flavour that exceed its apparent simplicity. There are plenty of wines available by the glass – with some good advice on less-common list inclusions – and of course, cocktails. After-dinner drinks also feature gems from the nearby Glenturret distillery.