The launch of ten

If you haven't been living under a rock for the past - I don't know, let's say four weeks, then you'll be well aware that one of Aberdeen's much loved drinking establishments underwent an excessive refurbishment.

Yes, No.10 bar and restaurant, which officially opened two weeks ago, was stripped naked and injected with new life, producing a restaurant resurrection so impressive it was almost unrecognisable when I stepped in at the exclusive launch.

In all honesty, I'd only ever visited the eatery a handful of times before its refurbishment, but stepping back into the bar I was immediately engulfed by the ever so stylish, new and improved No.10 bar and restaurant.

With it's red exterior lighting, the the fancy new branding and the sleek new interiors, it's easy to say the establishment has seriously upped its game. The projected branding on the exterior side wall of the restaurant was a stroke of marketing genius if I do say so myself; it really was a nice touch.

Obviously the canapés and drinks were spot on, and the addition of a caricaturist 'just for fun' definitely added a quirky element to the event, and anyone who knows me knows I'm all about the quirk.

With food on my mind I quickly turned to searching for a menu, scouting the list of dishes I mentally noted the 'must try's' for my next visit. To memory, the sticky beef salad, the monkfish and king prawn skewers, and the caramelised shallot and artichoke tatin made the exclusive list, however, it was the chargrilled satay chicken with jasmine rice, crispy coconut and cucumber salad that won my heart that evening. That's a dish that dreams are made of.

To compliment the restaurant's clearly structured food menu, the open plan bar adjacent to the restaurant boasts a number of different spirits, a selection of craft beers and an extensive wine list. It is clear to me, as the bar and its clientele grow, the drinks menu will confidently evolve with them, where they will end up serving tipples only a whisky connoisseur could dream on enjoying, or should I say, dram of enjoying.

It's not only the food and drink which is the talking point of this basement restaurant, music also seems to be at the heart of it. From the music sheets used as wallpaper in the main restaurant, to the boisterous black beauty which entertains customers enchanting them with its blissful tunes, to the Friday and Saturday professional singing acts booked to serenade diners whilst they sip on their drinks and indulge in the delicious dishes No.10 has to offer, this ladies and gentlemen, seems like the new place to be.

All in all this new establishment is something the city has been crying out for. If you work in the West End of Aberdeen, I welcome you to your new stomping grounds with open arms, and if you need a drinking buddy, well I'm just across the road.

 For now...

Just Julia