Since The Adelphi Kitchen opened back in 2014, it has been one of my favourite restaurants, and one I always recommend to those looking for something different.
I've always loved the food there. It's homely, delicious, and focused primarily on a selection of modern, Scottish bistro-style dishes, creating incredible meat and seafood dishes, whilst also catering to other dietary requirements too. And better yet, the restaurant prides itself on using local, seasonal produce that has been sustainability sourced too.
Having been taken over by the CranberryCo Group at the end of last year - the team behind No.1 Bar and Grill, Angus and Ale, Fusion and many more - the restaurant has welcomed many loyal and new customers through it's doors.
A big fan of the food, it wasn't until I recently visited the restaurant that I realised just how much the food game had changed, and to say I was impressed with it is a huge understatement.
Every chef that has worked at The Adelphi Kitchen has always been above and beyond, creating exquisite dishes. But I have to admit, when I visited last week, it was the best meal I'd ever had there.
Arriving on a Wednesday night, the restaurant was steadily busy, with customers continuously coming in and out throughout the night. Located on Adelphi Lane, it's kind of a hidden gem, slightly out of sight of the hustle and bustle of Union Street.
Arriving on a Wednesday night, the restaurant was steadily busy, with customers continuously coming in and out throughout the night. Located on Adelphi Lane, it's kind of a hidden gem, slightly out of sight of the hustle and bustle of Union Street.
I'd already had a sneak peek of the menu, and had brought along my little sister to try out the food offering. My other little sister had visited the day before and had told us how delicious her hot dog was - her only advice, stay away from the burgers if you want to go for three courses because they are massive.
Both Elise and myself were keen to try out the same starters, and after having the AK mac and cheese with black pudding recommended to us, we decided to order one portion of that, plus the buffalo style boneless chicken wings.
Equipped with two side plates we dived into the mac and cheese, scooping the creamy pasta out of the pot. Topped with crispy shallots, I made sure I got a big forkful of those too.
The mac and cheese was incredible. It was everything mac and cheese should be, and more. It was incredibly creamy, rich with cheese and the pasta was cooked perfectly - it literally melted in our mouths, disappearing and leaving us wanting more with every forkful. We were in mac and cheese heaven. The crispy shallots contrasted the beautiful soft mac, bringing a crunchy, chewy texture to the dish. There is no mac and cheese that even comes close in comparison to The Adelphi Kitchen's.
The chicken wings were cooked in a gorgeous tangy sauce which tasted a cross between a spicy barbecue sauce and a punchy buffalo sauce. It was divine and right up my street. Not being overly keen on eating off of small bones, I loved that it was a boneless dish. It was the perfect size for a starter, and the bed of slaw it was presented on was crunchy and boasted a slightly fruity, yoghurt taste to it, which I thought complimented the dish perfectly.
Clean plates, we were excited for what was to come...
Having taken my sister's advice about the burger, I decided to order the rib of the week. A low and slow meaty pork rib with a red pepper and chilli glaze, hassle back potatoes all served on top of a big helping of southwest slaw.
Elise opted for the southern fried haddock which came with huge chunky chips, a wee side of prawn marie rose with lettuce, and a side salad. The batter for the haddock had a spicy, slightly garlic hit to it, and the fish was nice and flakey when she cut into it. The kimchi tartare sauce it was served on was amazing, and the fish itself was very light. Not forgetting the well-cooked chunky chips which were the perfect partner to the fish, being crisp on the outside and fluffy inside.
A small side of prawn marie rose was unusual to see alongside the dish, but it further complimented the meal and showed off the chef's attention to detail and flavour profile as it went beautifully. She loved every morsel.
A small side of prawn marie rose was unusual to see alongside the dish, but it further complimented the meal and showed off the chef's attention to detail and flavour profile as it went beautifully. She loved every morsel.
My rib of the week was bursting with so many flavours and was cooked to perfection. The meat slid off the bone and was super tender. My knife glided through it, which made it so easy to scoop up the potatoes, slaw and grilled vegetables that accompanies the pork rib.
The ribs were huge and boasted a lot of meat. The southwest slaw added a hint of creaminess to the dish, and the red pepper and chilli glaze the meat was cooked in was beautifully sticky. Every ingredient on the plate complimented one another, so it was clear to see how well thought out the menu was from yet another impressive dish.
After our mains we were pretty full, but somehow we were convinced into trying out a dessert. Looking to potentially share one, the choices were just too good that we ended up ordering one each and sharing both.
The first dessert that had caught our attention was the peanut butter pound cake. Served with toasted marshmallow and a jug of melted dark chocolate, it looked like deconstructed smores when it arrived. On first glance, we knew we'd made a strong decision, and salivated at the thought of devouring this sweet masterpiece. Having a try of each component of the dish, I gave Elise the honours of drowning the cake and the toasted caramelised marshmallow with the indulgent sauce.
With hits of orange coming from the dried pieces which were sprinkled across the plate, it was the peanut butter pound cake - which reminded me of a brownie - that sold it for me. That, partnered with a piece of the toasted marshmallow was like no dessert I'd tried before. It was so soft and compact and didn't crumble when we scooped it up. It was lovely and buttery in my mouth and I wish it had never ended.
With hits of orange coming from the dried pieces which were sprinkled across the plate, it was the peanut butter pound cake - which reminded me of a brownie - that sold it for me. That, partnered with a piece of the toasted marshmallow was like no dessert I'd tried before. It was so soft and compact and didn't crumble when we scooped it up. It was lovely and buttery in my mouth and I wish it had never ended.
The marshmallow was light and fluffy, and of course, super sweet. The toasted caramelised part of it was by far my favourite, and the rich, slightly bitter dark chocolate sauce levelled the dish out.
The lemon meringue pie was the complete opposite of this dish and was great for cleansing our palettes and providing a refreshing, zesty finish to our dining experience.
The sharp, tart raspberry sorbet complimented the flavoursome lemon pie which sat on a base of very thin, light filo pastry. The crunchy petite meringues brought a sweetness to the dish, as did the caramelised blowtorched top of the lemon pie, and the abundance of textures within the dish truly made each flavour stand out. I was very impressed with both desserts and would definitely recommend sharing them both if you get the chance.
Having consumed what felt like our weight in food, we sat enjoying each others company and watching the sea of dishes emerging from the kitchen. We eventually decided to call it a night and retreated home.
Having found her new favourite restaurant in Aberdeen, I'd done my job in educating my wee sister about another awesome foodie haven in the city, and to say she loved her experience is an understatement.
With a fantastic menu on offer throughout Aberdeen Restaurant Week, it's no surprise the restaurant is already fully booked for the whole week for dinner service. So if you want the chance to try out some of the offering The Adelphi Kitchen will have available during Aberdeen Restaurant Week, I suggest you book fast, because once all the tables are gone, they're gone.
And if you're unsure about what dish to try out, trust the servers in there - they really know what they are doing and everything that was recommended to me was incredible.
Happy eating out guys!
For Now...
Just Julia
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