Garden - Perth Kinross

I would give two stars for the food and one star for table etiquette. We were unimpressed when we sat down to a table setting of basic low-quality, stamped-out flatware with sharp edges. Three of us ordered meat (duck, pork and beef), the other fish....No alternative, appropriate knives were brought to suit the food, nor was the cutlery replaced after the starter. There were splotches of dried food debris on the underside of all the placemats, which apparently never gets wiped off when they are stacked. The food itself was okay, but portions were on the small side and overpriced for what it was, e.g. two slices of duck breast, slice of sea bass, very little vegetable to accompany. The chicken liver parfait starter was good but came with only three small slices of toasted baguette and bread was extra. There was an abundance of wait staff operating on high-speed settings. We had trouble understanding what kept so many staff on the run (literally) given the restaurant was not full and could have been disruptive were it a romantic dinner for two. We just watched the show. Overall, a four-star restaurant should pay more attention to detail, quality and cleanliness, if it wants to have a four-star reputation.

We had diner during two nights. Both times the food was very good. Just the right size of portions. All decorated nicely. Staff was very friendly. So if in the neighbourhood we can recommend it.

The soup of the day being tomato and basil was not a promising start. It seemed like the restaurant could have put in more effort, maybe by offering carrot and coriander instead. There weren't many English speakers which made communication about food allergies difficult, but once a native speaker was found, things improved. The portions were disappointingly small, especially considering the lackluster quality of the food. The pate had no flavor, the brioche toast was soggy, the fish dish came with tiny oatcakes, the pork belly was overcooked, and the millefeuille was lacking. The waiter seemed unkempt and the overall experience was reminiscent of Fawlty Towers. The restaurant, under new ownership, has not improved and I would recommend skipping the set menu option and going to a fish and chip shop instead.

The dinner was excellent, with high-quality ingredients, expert cooking, and beautiful presentation. The staff was also very professional and friendly.

Just hours ago, I praised the hotel and said they were back on track. However, after my recent experience, I need to take that back. We were pleased to order a drink at the bar while a table was being prepared in the conservatory. Shortly after we were seated, we were told that our table was ready and given the menus. I requested two pre-dinner drinks while we looked over the menu, only to be informed that there were no specials available. Despite a limited choice on the menu, we placed our drink order. After waiting for our drinks for a considerable amount of time, we were asked if we were ready to order. I requested that we receive our pre-dinner drinks first, but they failed to arrive. We decided to order our meals, but even after our starters were brought out, our drinks were still not served. Eventually, we left and I spoke to the duty manager to express my dissatisfaction. My message to the general manager would be to ensure there are enough staff on hand to handle busy periods, as waiting over thirty minutes for a simple drink is unacceptable.