Hi
I've been reading the really interesting top 10 Scotland posts, but didn't want to post this onto it and see it get lost.
Can I ask a more specific question about the restaurants in the area? I was sort of decided on The Loft at Blair Atholl, after reading a glowing article about it. But I can't seem to find much about the place by googling or any other method. Also the Moulin at Pitlochry seems to get lots of mentions but not sure if it is for location or food? We will be eating in the evening so any views will be lost!
Any thoughts or recommendations? We don't want grand Country House restaurants, but want somewhere with good (and hopefully local) produce and a nice (even romantic!) atmosphere.
Don't know the area at all so any help is much appreciated.
M

Be sure to try the cheese platter for "afters" at The Loft at BA. Can't help with Pitlochry as far as restaurants are concerened as we ate Indian food there (a particular passion of my teen whose turn it was to pick-the food was good, sercie just fine and we had fun but hardly a celebration of local fare!). I an however highly reccomend the local kilt maker there for all your specialty clothing needs. My husband purchased his kilt there, at an excellent price and it was tailored and followed us home with no difficulty. I bought some rather fine suede gloves and a "fair isle" pattern sweater that I treasure.

OK. I've eaten there once, and it was fine. Not super, top, but fine. You'll find some details here.

http://www.taste-of-scotland.com/mem...restaurant.htm

The Moulin is a pub, and it's got that sort of robust but very good pub food.

The Atholl Arms in Blair Atholl is owned by the same people and whilst they have quite a nice posh dining room, they also have a big converted farmbuilding with the same menu as the Moulin.

Killiecrankie House is a pleasant (rather than grand) Country House hotel very nearby. I have to say, that would be my pick for nice and romantic.

We also stayed at Killecrankie and can endorse it as being exactly as Sheila described, not grand but quite lovely in its way and very authentic in feel. My Mum who was mid-eighties at the time said it reminded her of the doctor's house in her Aberdeen hometown back in the 30's.

I had a really bad experience when four of us went for dinner at the Killiecrankie Hotel a few years ago. The food was very good, as was the service. But... Apart from us there were two people in the opposite corner of the small dining room and two at a table next to us who seemed to have a lot of empty glasses on their table. We guessed from their (loud) conversation that she was a lawyer and was in the process of appealing against a murder conviction on behalf of a client. After ten minutes of detailed analysis of the forensic pathology report from the original trial my three companions, who all work in medicine, stopped eating. I asked if she could find a more suitable dinner table conversation. They left and the couple in the opposite corner thanked us. The next mornng we told our guest house landlady what had happened and she said the lady lawyer was the new joint owner of the hotel! From the good reviews others have given, I can only assume she has learned her lesson (or sold the hotel?).
I've never stayed at the Moulin Inn but it's my first choice for an afternoon meal when I'm in Pitlochry. It just has that feel of being an individual place rather than the production line, corporate identity, pre-cooked fare on offer in some other places. Meals are a bit dearer than in other places in Pitlochry, I think it's worth the extra but you may disagree. They also have a good selection of their own real beer, none of your pasteurised & artificially gassed nonsense. Drivers beware, check the notice that gives the strength of each drink as some of them are dessseptively ssssstrong (hic!)
I've had several mid-day meals at The Old Smiddy on the main street in Pitlochry. We originally went there years ago because it was the only place in town where we could eat smoke-free without going for a full three course lunch. Daytime menu is best described as light meals, consistently good but not sensational. I think it gets more formal in the evenings.
We visit Pitlochry maybe a couple of times a year for a day trip and something I've noticed is that every time we visit, a few of the "eateries" have changed hands. It's not a big town, and outside of the highest of high season you'll almost certainly find somewhere you like just by walking down the street; just don't be surprised if the place that someone recommended from five years ago isn't there any more...

Hi, many thanks for the responses.
After much deliberation we are goingto the Moulin on Saturday evening. Killiecrankie House was a very close second, but the Moulin is much nearer to where we are staying, so that's why. And I won;t be driving home afterwards! I'm now keeping my fingers crossed for some dry weather so we can do some walking in the area.......
M

I like the Moulin too - good food & v. good beers. From what I remember it's downhill going back towards Pitlochry. We smile every time we remember my husband having a 'Sporran of Plenty' (steak stuffed with haggis, I think)

Hi
Have to say our Moulin Inn experience fell far short of what we expected. We dropped off our rental car near the Inn and walked up to it, arriving about 6.50 (table booked at 7). We were shown to the bar and given a menu to look at. No-one bothered to take our (wet) coats, and we had to go and find the cloakroom. We asked the waitress about the beers brewed in the micro-brewery as we were keen to sample some (and walk back to our B and B). We hoped there might be some info on the menu but there wasn’t. The waitress looked surprised at our question and just reeled off 3 names of beers with no explanation of what they were, and when we asked a question she just looked confused. After sitting for 40 minutes we were eventually shown to our table (although the place was less than half full so no idea what the wait was for). No-one picked up our glasses to take them through, so by the time we had gathered dup our bags, drinks etc the waitress was already in the dining room and we were lagging far behind.
The food was ‘ok’ but certainly no more, and certainly not cheap! I eat out very regularly and would have to rate this as overpriced and barely adequate. In fact we went for a quick meal at the Strath Garry Hotel on Friday night and the food and service were far and away better.
On a positive note we stayed at The Craigatin in Atholl Road, and it was delightful (porridge with whisky, brown sugar and cream for breakfast). www.craigatinhouse.co.uk

Morgana, I'm sorry you were disappointed. But I think the reasons you were disappointed were because you seem to have been expecting it to be a formal restaurant - and it's not, it's a pub. Had you behaved as one normally does in a pub & gone to the bar to get your drinks first, I'm sure the bar person would have been able to describe the beers & would probably have given you tasters to help you decide. I wouldn't expect a food server to be an expert on the beers. As for not having your coats taken, I'm surprise there was a cloakroom at all - it's not a normal feature of a pub. And as for waiting 40 minutes - they would have expected you to go through on your own initiative (after getting your drinks from the bar), not wait to be called.

Hi Caroline
Yes, I think the website confused us a bit as it talks about a restaurant (and shows a dining area that is clearly a formal dining room). I think there is a bar where meals are served as well, but we were booked into the restaurant.
When we arrived we were told to take a seat in the area next to the restaurant, and that's where we were served our drinks (and also where we waited for 40 minutes, which I still find unacceptable). I had hoped someone serving drinks in this area would know about what they were serving! This was not the case. And then you were 'called' into the restaurant when your table was ready - you certainly weren't expected to wander through at will.
I suppose if the food had been good then I wouldn't have been so bothered with some of the above, but quite honestly it was barely average, and with the main courses priced at around £14 I certainly won't be hurrying back.
M

Oh well, fair enough, Morgana. I suppose we only went there on the spur of the moment for a bar meal, so our expectations weren't as high. I am sorry you were disappointed. Hope you still tried all the beers anyway !

Actually, as I was reading Morgana's post, I suddenly realised what the issue was. I stay periodically at the Moulin, and I would NEVER dine in the restaurant.

The bar food is good, varied, and (give or take the titles to the dishes-Sporran of Plenty!!!) unpretentious.

I fear you did have the wrong expectations, but I think it was maybe their fault for not sorting it out for you.