Was lunch at a Perthshire golf course a hole in one?

I’ll be honest, when I think about going out for a meal I never think about a golf club. But inspired by a family member raving about it, I decided to pay a visit to Strathmore Golf Centre near Alyth.

You have to have a car to visit the golf club but it’s well worth the trip – not just for the food but also the surroundings. Sitting in the conservatory area of the restaurant you get a fantastic view down the 18-hole course and over to the Sidlaws.

The venue

There are actually two courses at Strathmore, an 18-hole and a nine-hole, and it seems to be a mix of regular players and people just visiting. Because of this there’s plenty of parking and lots to spot on the drive up to the clubhouse.

It’s away from main roads so nice and quiet (especially good for the golfers) and once you are inside you are met by a large bar and restaurant space that is often filled with players who have just finished a round and those “in the know” about the great food on offer.

The decor isn’t flash or uber modern but it’s well maintained and cosy so no matter if you’ve stopped by on a country walk or are coming for a specific occasion you’ll fit right in.

The food at Strathmore Golf Centre

The menu at Strathmore Golf Centre is extensive – they do food from morning right through to night – so if you just want a quick snack or a three course meal, there’s a lot of choice.

There are the main stays of any pub-type restaurant – burgers, scampi and chips, steak pie – but there are also a couple of lesser-spotted dishes like the vegetable tagine and the specials board is always worth a look.

Tasty twist on a classic

For my starter I had the brie wedges (£7.25), which came with a small ramekin of cranberry sauce and a dressed side salad.

The brie was lovely and oozing out of the breading when I cut into it and the cranberry was just right to cut through that creamy richness. The salad was extremely fresh and just had the right amount of balsamic vinegar and oil on it.

Meanwhile, my mother (always happy to be recruited for my reviews) made her selection from the specials menu. And it proved to be the most interesting dish of the meal.

She chose the pigs in blankets (£8.50). “But it’s not Christmas,” I hear your cry, but these were special. These pigs in blankets were coated in a yummy honey and chilli sauce and topped with raw sliced peppers and onions.

Pigs in blankets with honey and chilli sauce from the Strathmore Golf Centre. — Pigs in blankets with honey and chilli sauce.

Never in my nearly 40 years have I done anything with a bacon-wrapped chipolata other than cook them in the oven and then dunk them in either gravy, bread sauce or cranberry jelly at Christmas. Those days are gone.

The portion size was massive, which meant I got to try a couple and the way the honey-chilli sauce elevated this simple item to something completely new and (dare I say) better was surprising. The raw veggies gave a crunchy texture to the dish and some lightness to the sticky, dense sauce and meaty flavours.

By land and air

Next up were the mains. This time I went for duck breast (£19.75), which came in an “oriental” sauce that tasted a bit like hoisin.

The duck came atop a bed of thinly sliced crispy potatoes and mangetout, baby sweetcorn and carrots that all worked well together without stealing the show. The duck was slightly on the medium-well side for me, but that’s a personal preference and it didn’t detract at all from how good it was.

The sauce was drizzled over the top of everything and it was that great Asian mix of sweet and smoky and tangy that enhances rather than overpowers. The potatoes were interesting and a nice change from plain old chips or boiled potatoes and the veg was perfectly cooked, leaving a bit of bite without them feeling raw.

Mum meanwhile was tucking into her seafood risotto (£14.95), which was packed full of salmon, mussels and squid and was an ample bowlful.

Risotto can be a risky dish to order in restaurants because it needs precision to get it right. Thankfully the chef at Strathmore got it bang on, with that creamy consistency that one expects from a good plate of the Italian staple.

There was a strong seafood flavour throughout and it was topped with plenty of parmesan cheese to finish it off.

Stuffed from our first two courses we opted to not have dessert too, which was a shame because their cake fridge at the bar was filled with amazing looking cheesecakes and other goodies. But I guess that means we’ll just need to go back another time to try those!

Verdict

The view from the restaurant at Strathmore Golf Centre.

If dining in a relaxed, casual environment is your thing, Strathmore Golf Centre is a great place. Coupled with the magnificent views, some amazing food and even better service it’s a great place to stop into if you are ever near Alyth.