The Sorn Inn

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 – in the shops now or buy online.

The Sorn Inn earns many plaudits for putting a quiet little Ayrshire village on the map, among them a much-prized Michelin Bib Gourmand for 'good food at moderate prices'. This old whitewashed inn has a dual personality: a spacious dining room neighbours a cosy snug for more informal eating, and the menu, too, balances the elaborate and homely. Pheasant salad, studded with black pudding croutons, has a crispy pancetta wafer and a powerful dash of smoked garlic dressing. Butternut squash risotto – a starter or main – is a pleasingly robust blend of brown butter vinaigrette and deep-fried sage leaves, served a little runny. Dainty pan-fried sea bass seems a little overcooked and lost amid the force of chorizo oil, vinegary peppers and the grainy paste of aubergine caviar. Steak pie is more satisfying: perfect flaky pastry topping, big chunks of meat in a rich sauce liberally splashed with red wine, a creamy mash swirl and the crunch of buttered Savoy cabbage. Desserts again see comfort food trump the aspirational. A glowing poached pear is beautiful to behold, but airy ginger and chocolate mousse cannot hide a nagging astringency. A fluffy waffle oozing with hot butterscotch sauce, though, is an unequivocal delight.

• High point: Ambitious restaurant putting a pretty Ayrshire village on the map
• Low point: Sea bass lost in adornments