Opus One

The picturesque and awe inspiring landscape of the town of Perth is home to the smart New County Hotel where the award winning Opus One restaurant continues to gather laurels and awards for their impeccable modern British gourmet cuisine. The hotel is located on County Place in the heart of Perth City Centre and is an ideal retreat whether you're there for business or pleasure. The marvellous adventure sports scene in Perth draws many an enthusiast, and at the end of the day the respite offered by the hotel is enough to rejuvenate even the most exhausted participant.

The light and airy bedrooms are furnished splendidly in stylish monochromatic colours, where white teams up with black for a classic look, and with beige for a more understated but elegant feel. The en-suite bedrooms are equipped with every conceivable comfort including flat screen TV, direct dial telephone, hair dryer and a well stocked hospitality tray.

Recently awarded 2 AA Rosettes, the Opus One restaurant has garnered other prestigious awards too, such as a Silver Award from EatScotland at the end of 2008 and a Platinum Plate for their outstanding food with Hotel Review Scotland. And to add to that they were named the 'Rising Star Restaurant for 2009' and also achieved a runner-up place for Scottish National Hotel Restaurant of the Year in the Scottish Hotel of The Year Awards. Little wonder that the restaurant's popularity has been increasing from strength to strength and Head Chef Ryan Young, who has worked in two and three Rosette awarded restaurants, is busy as ever trying to raise the bar even higher.

Opus One, we are told, could mean several things, such as the first masterpiece of an artist or composer or the famous wine from Napa Valley. The restaurant, which can be perceived as a magnum opus on its own, has been furnished with a contemporary taste where elegance combines graciously with modern style. The seasonal menu draws on the best of local produce and for lunch starters might include chicken liver parfait with plum chutney and oatcakes, or steamed West Coast mussels with smoked bacon, shallots and garlic in a white wine cream sauce.

Main courses could involve delights such as braised leg of lamb with grain mustard mash, roasted root vegetables and shallot jus, or pan fried breast of corn fed chicken with a celeriac and rosemary puree, confit potatoes and marsala jus. Dishes tend to become more elaborate in the evening, where meals could typically begin with sautéed breast of teal with braised puy lentils or carpaccio of monkfish cured in lime oil and a caviar dressing. Follow this with pan fried loin of venison with mushroom tortellini, confit potatoes and marsala jus or a sautéed fillet of Scottish beef with oxtail crumble.

Luscious and decadent, the desserts at Opus One could easily meet your calorific fantasies more than half way, for who can resist the iced hazelnut parfait with pineapple carpaccio or sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream and butterscotch sauce? To ably accompany such excellent food be sure not to miss the selection of fine wines and spirits. Their signature wine is understandably the Opus One, a Napa Valley number that is produced meticulously as a result of the inspired collaboration between Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Robert Mondavi.

There's much more information about opening times, menus and drinks lists on their elegantly designed Website and a few clicks will bring you closer to this wonderful dining destination. Do note that they do not accept children under the age of ten.