Yes, it's been a bit quiet on the eating out front of late. The reason for this is lack of time and money since me and Him's decision to give up country living and move back to the city.
No more breakfasts at Gloagburn, no more laid back afternoons devoted to the quest for tea and cake. No more scouring the Fife and Perthshire countryside for tasty morsels to feed our wee fizzogs. Oh no. Now we are relocating our pilgrimage to the mean streets of Glasgow, with hopefully more success. That's if we can afford to eat, of course.
We never did manage to try out Pizza in the Park in Blair Atholl (best fish & chips in the country according to my Mum); or Destiny at Perth Airport; or whatever that place in the House of Bruar is called.
However, we will certainly be back for the odd visit when we are no doubt craving hills, fields and trees in large quantities (and no, you can't have your cake and eat it. Unless you go to the Tranquility Restaurant at Bridgend Garden Centre -although the cake there is so enormous it feels more like it's eating you).
To close this chapter I want to end on a positive note, so here's some of my favourites places that I didn't get around to mentioning before because I was too busy bemoaning the crap ones:
Hatters in Newburgh - Our relationship was short but very sweet. Had a goodbye lunch there today with the ceramicists. When me and Him went there for Sunday High Tea it was so huge I had to have a holiday from cake.
Breazh in Perth - Nice atmosphere and bloody good salads. Bit like Cafe Tabou but with nicer decor.
Harbour Cafe on Loch Venachar - Worth it for the setting alone, but the super good value weekday lunches are not to be missed in my humble opinion.
Byre Theatre in St Andrews - God, I'll miss the beaches at St Andrews and Tentsmuir. Anyway, lunch at the Byre wasn't bad either, with the added bonus of being in a really nicely designed building. If only Perth Concert Hall had taken a leaf out of the Byre's book, it wouldn't be so shit.
Birnam Institute - Still doing the veggie sausage sandwich - perfect for when you just want a quick nibble and don't want to pay over a fiver for it. And the wedges rock.
Tranquility Restaurant near Freuchie - It's in a garden centre; it's always insanely busy; it's never been re-decorated since 1989; the lighting is close to non-existent; it's anything but tranquil. But none of this matters. Everything they serve is of Desperate Dan proportions and costs a fiver or less.
Pillars of Hercules near Falkland - Lovely cake served in a log cabin strung with fairy lights on an organic farm = cool. Shame about the miserable staff and the nutjob owner.
Loch Leven's Larder - If you can actually get a seat then it's good food and great views. The deli and ultra-posh shop are an added bonus if you are looking to take out a second mortgage.
Hey, looking at that little lot makes me think it's really not all bad after all. Hooray!
Adieu to the quiet life....it's been educational.
FUFF x
