JUST JULIA TRIES: Express lunch at Yatai Izakaya: Review (Aberdeen)

Being able to grab a quick lunch that you can really enjoy within an hour that's not from a takeaway shop, a supermarket, or made at home is pretty rare from my experience. And for someone who potentially has a lot of meetings over lunch, it's important to be able to get in and get out within the hour.

Yatai Izakaya recently re-introduced its express lunchtime menu and has truly nailed the expression getting a 'quick bite to eat'. Turning up to try the express menu out, I was intrigued to see if they truly could get us in and out within the hour. As we arrived we were immediately brought to our seats by one of the staff who handed us our menus and gave her recommendations. We were one of the first diners to be seated, but it didn't take long for the restaurant's downstairs area to fill up.

We ordred our drinks - I just had tap water and Calum ordered a Japanese lemonade which had a subtle bubblegum flavour to it - and then ordered. The restaurant was busy which was great to see, and we had ordered a few dishes to share so we could really get a clear picture of what diners can expect from this menu.

Yatai offers an Omakese style dining in the evening which I absolutely love, but it was really nice to have the chance to try out some different dishes and push myself to try something new during the lunch service.

The food is brought out as it is ready, and this is one thing I love most about Yatai as the food is fresh and made to order.

One of the first dishes which made an appearance was the octopus balls with katsu mayo and bonito flakes. The octopus balls melted in my mouth and were beautifully soft. They weren't chewy  like I had envisioned, so I was pleasantly surprised at how soft and delicious they were. There were big pieces of shredded red pickled ginger and freshly chopped spring onion on top of the dish which added a real pop of colour to it. The sauce it came with had a slighlty barbecue tang to it and went very well with the seafood. The bonita flakes (fish flakes) boasted a real saltiness to them which worked very well with the katsu mayonnaise. They were also slightly chewy which gave the dish yet another  texture to it.

The second dish to arrive was the makizushi set which came with tuna, salmon and katsu prawn pieces. There were nine pieces, three pieces of each type of sushi and Calum and I divvied them up equally. My favourite had to be the katsu prawn due to it being extremely succulent and boasting a beautiful breadcrumb batter which was home to the juicy prawn. The tuna and salmon tasted super fresh and it was the perfect size for sharing. There were big chunks of fish throughout all of the pieces which I was very pleased to see. As expected with sushi, there was ginger (to cleanse the palette) and wasabi on the side. 

Every table in the restaurant has a small teapot of soy sauce and small plates on it to allow everyone the opportuntity to add soy sauce to any of their dishes.

Next up to arrive was the ramen. I've never really ordered ramen at a restaurant before, so I was inrigued to see what all the fuss was about. My friends love the stuff, but I always seem to stick to dishes like sushi instead. We tried out the chargriled chicken peanut satay ramen and it was phenomenal. 

There was so much flavour in the dish and the noodles were perfectly cooked, as was the chicken and the boiled egg. The vegetabes in the dish were delicious and the broth it was in had a beautiful satay peanut taste to it. This was by far one of the best dishes I had tried. As you can imagine, sharing this dish was a little trickier than the others, but we were offered an additional bowl which was really helpful in allowing us both to enjoy the dish at the same time. It was beautifully presented and I was delighted we'd ordered it.

Still looking good for time, food was flying out of the kitchen and diners were getting seen to very quickly. There was a fantastic buzz in the restaurant and I had to remind myself that this was a weekday lunch sitting, rather than a weekend one.

Last but not least was one of my favourite dishes from Yatai, the chicken katsu steamed buns. Having previously tried the pork belly steamed buns, I was sure we were on to a winner with this dish as our final one, and I was 100% correct.

The buns themselves alone are heavenly, add katsu chicken, pickled ginger and cucumber, and a tangy barbecue/soy sauce into the mix and you've got yourself one bloody impressive dish. Both of us fell in love with the bun on our first bite, and I ended up leaving half of it until I was finished with everything else as I wanted to truly savour it until the end. The buns are so soft and completely evaporate after melting on your tongue. The chicken was perfectly cooked and the sauce made the bun lovely and sticky inside, adding a lovely moist finish to it.

I can't lie, the food never disappoints at Yatai and head chef/owner John works tirelessly to create the most incredible dishes.  

The quirky interiors of the Japanese restaurant located on Langstane Place really add to the overall dining experience. With a 'chefs table' in front of the stunning grills where all the grilled food is cooked, diners can watch as John and his team create some of the most incredible food Aberdeen has to offer.

Surrounded by bottles of sake, Japanese prints, flags and lanterns, there's a real feel of Japan and Japanese street food that takes centre stage in Yatai. Having been open for eight years now, the team have created their own take on Japanese cuisine, tying in traditional dishes with their innovative approaches. And as is custom in Japan, this order as you please, and receive food as it is cooked culture is very much to my tastes.

Coming up for the hour on finishing our food and asking the bill, we were in and out within the suggested timescales. I couldn't quite believe that we'd actually managed it without even paying attention, and in no way did I ever feel rushed throughout out dining experience - which also completely baffled me. I thought I would be sitting watching my clock, conscious that I didn't want to take up too much time, but the hour passed and we were on our way home by 1pm.

I can hands down say this is one of the best express lunches within the city, and is great value for money. The high quality food is created by passionate people who love Japanese cuisine and culture and it is worth every penny. It's no surprise why this is one of my favourite restaurants in Aberdeen, and will be for many years to come no doubt.

You can find the express lunch menu here where all the dishes are listed. Customers are also welcome to order from the main menu too, but please be advised that this isn't for the express lunch and this can vary depending on the restaurants availability/bookings.

ありがとうございました

  For Now...

Just Julia

JUST JULIA TRIES: Da Vinci: Review (Aberdeen)

We're extremely lucky in Aberdeen to have such a thriving array of independent Italian restaurants, so if you're new to the scene, then it's advised you arrive with your A-game.

Bringing influences from the region of Tuscany, the owners of Da Vinci  Ristorante Italiano are keen to offer up something different to customers to bring another taste of Italy to the city.

So when one of the owners, Elena invited me along to try out their menu a few weeks ago I couldn't resist. I hadn't been in the restaurant which is located on Alford lane close to my house, and having formally been Cue BBQ/The Courtyard, I was excited to see what they had done with the place.

On entering, the restaurant hadn't undertaken the grand re-design I had envisioned but had however added some homely touches to the place, putting up new pictures and adding ornaments around the dining room. Bringing my other half with me, we were greeted by the lovely Elena and shown to our seats. 

The restaurant had a cosy feel to it, and there were quite a few diners in enjoying the food which is always a good sign, especially in January. Not opting for wine, we ordered some soft drinks and water and turned our attention to the menu.

Having recommended the penne Da Vinci's I was between that and the tagliatelle ai funghi porcini e tartufo pasta for mains. Both sounded delicious.

Calum was eyeing up the Selezione di salumi e formaggi Italiani (Italian meats and cheese board) for his starter and was interested in trying out the lamb chops. Having not had them in ages, I had to agree - more so I could get a taste too.

The cold cut Italian meats and cheese board boasted an abundance of different meats and a good selection of cheeses. Elena had brought us bread for the table, so Calum used this to create small mini open sandwiches with the warm, homemade bread.

There were six types of meats with three different kinds of cheese on the board. We could identify prosciutto, chorizo, salami, serrano, but the other two escaped me. The prosciutto was delicious with a slight saltiness to it, and the tangy chorizo was thinly sliced and packed with bold flavours. The cheeses were much more pungent and hard, and all three boasted real nutty flavours to them. Although the cheeses were harder, they were beautifully creamy and melted in your mouth. As well as marrying them up with the meats, Calum also dipped his constructed mini open sandwiches into the homemade olive oil which was incredible. 

Made with Tuscan olives, the homemade olive oil was strong on the nose and had a stunning colour to it. The oil had just been made fresh that day and you could definitely taste that it was homemade. I must admit it was probably one of the best additions to the meal and I'd highly recommend trying it out when you visit.

I had decided to try out the Crostini Toscani - canapès garnished with homemade chicken liver patè served with caramelised onion and balsamic vinegar. I really enjoy dishes like this to start and with five small, light canapes instead of something a little heavier, I knew I'd have plenty of space for the filling pasta. The patè itself was nice and rich, and there was plenty of it on the crispy bread. The caramelised onion was scrumptious and added a beautiful sweet taste to the dish. Not to mention it complimented the savoury tastes of the patè.

I hadn't had pate in a while and I always love ordering dishes like this at Italian restaurants. The one thing about this dish that intrigued me was the amount of balsamic vinegar used. But to be honest it was great the way it came. I really enjoyed this starter and I feel it was a good choice for me.

Looking forward to mains the most, we were both very happy with our choices, and we felt it showcased both sides of the menu - both the pasta and the meat offering.

On arrival, I was delighted with the dish that was placed in front of me. The pasta looked incredible and the big bowl was full of it. It wasn't until I looked at Calum's plate that I figured I'd probably have to share...

Calum had ordered the Carrè d'agnello fritto in crosta di pistachio servito con patate arrosto, insalata e salsa allo yogurt e menta. For those of you who don't speak Italian, that's the fried lamb chops with pistachio crust, served with roast potatoes, green salad and a yoghurt and mint sauce. 

It sounded absolutely fantastic and it looked great when placed in front of him, but it wasn't until Calum started devouring the lamb chops that he realised how little meat was on them. And for a guy who enjoys his meat, that wasn't what he was expecting for a dish that was priced at £18. The pistachio crust seemed a little over-cooked but tasted really nice and went well with the creamy yoghurt and mint sauce. The lack of meat on the bone had disheartened Calum, and it was clear to me I wasn't getting a look in. The meat was tender, but it was gone in minutes. The roast potatoes were cooked very well and he enjoyed them a lot, but he didn't really enjoy the salad leaves which were very dry.

I, in the end, had decided to go with Elena's recommendation of the penne Da Vinci's. The penne pasta was served in a tasty tomato sauce made with capers and garlic, and was seasoned with salted ricotta and topped with fresh chopped basil. 

The pasta sauce was fabulous and beautifully rich. There was a nice balance of tomato and garlic, and I very much enjoyed the slightly salty ricotta cheese which had been grated over the pasta. I don't ever tend to really eat my pasta too al dente, but for my liking, it was a little undercooked and was still quite hard. Hungry as I was, I didn't want to make a fuss so tucked in. The dish was massive and I couldn't finish it off. If anything I maybe would have liked to have seen a few cherry tomatoes throughout the dish to give it a different texture to it, but the sauce the pasta was cooked in was sublime and I can see why it's one of their best sellers.

Turning to dessert, I needed no convincing, although Calum was a little hesitant. After a wee while contemplating, I finally managed to get him on board and we ordered our desserts.

I'd seen a few flying out of the kitchen whilst we were eating, and I knew exactly which one I was going to order. A short wait later (and a prime time for me to take a few pictures of Calum without him knowing), our desserts arrived.

Calum ordered the Pan di Spagna con crema di mascarpone e fragole - a sponge cake with mascarpone cheese topped with fresh strawberries. The cake was incredibly soft and was exactly what Calum needed to perk him up again. Full of creamy mascarpone, it was lovely and light and suited his palette perfectly. The strawberries were nice and sweet and brought a nice boost of fruitiness to the dish. All components of the cake blended beautifully together and I could see by the smile on Calum's face that he was a happy man.

For me, I was looking for something really sweet and indulgent and having spied a chocolate dessert, I was sold. I tried out the Mousse di cioccolato e lampone - a very rich, and very delicious chocolate mousse with raspberry jam. The chocolate mousse was absolutely phenomenal and probably my favourite dish of the night. It was rich, light, creamy, and everything you would want out of a chocolate dessert. I savoured every minute of it and ate the whole thing. The raspberry jam on top of it was a nice addition, but to be honest, the chocolate mousse itself was the highlight and main focus of this dish. 

As our dining experience came to an end, I reflected on our time at Da Vinci's. The restaurant very much plays homage to Tuscany and Italy and the menu boasts a real differentiation of Italian dishes with something for everyone on it. The food, in general, was good, and I'm not going to let one or two wee mishaps stop me from returning to the restaurant.

The service was great and Da Vinci's had a great atmosphere about it that night so I can imagine it would be even better when it's full on the weekends. I'm very much looking forward to returning for that tagliatelle ai funghi porcini e tartufo.

  For Now...

Just Julia

Aberdeen Restaurant Week - Soul Bar: Review (Aberdeen)

There's something about Soul Bar that just looks magical. Located within the former Langstane Kirk, this modern conversion with a twist is a city hot-spot for many within the city.

I've visited Soul many a-time, be that for dates, nights out with my girlfriends, lunch with the family, or a quick meeting over a coffee. It's stunning on the outside and even more gorgeous on the inside, with the original glass stained windows and features which are most noticeable on a bright day.

Every time I've visited the food has always been good, but following a wee reshuffle in the kitchen and a new menu, the food I experienced last week was something else.

I usually go for the likes of a club sandwich or a heartier pub-grub-style dish when I visit, so it was good to push myself to try something different. Picking from the Aberdeen Restaurant Week menu which kicks off this Thursday (1st Feb) until the 8th, I was very much looking forward to seeing what customers could expect when visiting during the new initiative.

We started our night off with a few cocktails. I opted for the Weegie Sour and my sister Nicole enjoyed the Beat the Blues. The Weegie Sour appealed to me with its addition of homemade Irn Bru syrup. A shorter drink, the Tanqueray gin-based cocktail also boasted egg white and was topped off with a dehydrated orange slice. The Irn Bru syrup was delicious and not too over powering, and the egg white provided a nice sweetness.

Nicole's Beat the Blues also boasted Tanqueray gin, but had more of a tropical vibe about it with lemon, sugar and Blue Bols used within it. It finished with a slice of pineapple and a pineapple leaf to garnish, and looked very appealing to the eye.

Both drinks were very tasty, and we swapped a few times to try each other's out.

Ordering from the Aberdeen Restaurant Week dinner menu which consists of three courses for £20.18, I was intrigued to see what the food would be like.

For starters, I ordered the Scottish bloody Mary mussels and Nicole decided to go for the smoked ham hock and smoked dunlop cheese croquette.

The mussels looked incredible, and I could smell the spice of the chilli straight away. The portion was huge, much bigger than I'd anticipated, and I was over the moon with the dish I was presented. Sticking in, I grabbed my fork and began fishing out the mussels. They were so soft and smooth, and every single one was open - a great start for any dish with mussels in it.

In my bowl was a selection of vegetables including celery, onions, spring onions and red chilli. The vegetables were all delicious and nice and crunchy, which was suited very well to the soft mussels. I counted over 20 mussels which I thought was fantastic value for money, and it almost could have been a main dish in itself. The mussels were cooked in a bloody Mary broth which I soaked up with the torn, warm wholegrain baguette that also came with the dish.

The dish boasted a real heat to it, so if you're not too good at handling spice and would like the mussels, I think it's best you mention this to any of the servers so the kitchen team can accommodate this. For me, it was pretty spicy, but I was hoping it would be, and I quite like a real chilli kick in some of my food.

I was also given a finger bowl to clean myself up which I was very grateful for.

Nicole's ham hock croquettes looked incredible too. The three giant ham and cheese croquettes sat on a bed of a red wine jus and spiced parsnip puree. The puree was sublime. It was incredibly creamy and had a lovely sweetness to it, and it worked very well with the jus which was much richer and more savoury. 

The croquettes were extremely crisp on the outside, and the smoked ham hock and smoked cheese were mixed together inside, creating a beautiful mouthful of many different flavours.

A lover of seafood also, she gave me a helping hand with my mountain of mussels, ensuring that I managed to polish them off.

Moving on to mains, I was very excited for this course. I'd ordered the pan cooked venison with buttered purple broccoli, black pudding dauphinoise and cauliflower puree. The venison was cooked to perfection, and was beautifully soft and chewy all at the same time. A more lean, game meat, it boasted a beautiful colour and was rich in flavour. Juicy and tender, the jus that accompanied it provided an additional sauce to it, making it even more moist.

The black pudding dauphinoise was sweet and spicy. The potatoes had a lovely creaminess to them, whereas the black pudding had a gorgeous spice to it, contrasting the thin sliced pieces of potato very well. The buttered purple broccoli was lovely and crunchy, and the cauliflower puree was a little saltier than the parsnip puree with went with Nicole's starter, balancing out the rich, sweetness of the jus.

Nicole had decided on the panko coated sole goujons which came served with hand cut chips, tartare sauce, and a red onion and pea shoot salad.

A big fish lover, Nicole was delighted with her choice and was very impressed with the dish. The hand cut chips were enormous, as were the sole goujons which had been cooked in a slightly herby batter. The tartare sauce was creamy and chunky and the salad was a lovely addition, providing some real fresh flavours to the dish.

For dessert, we'd decided to wait a wee while before tackling our blood orange panna cotta and citrus lemon tart and ordered another drink.

This time our server Maddy - who was fantastic may I add, recommended another drink from the Bartender's Creations menu to go alongside our desserts, telling us about the Cranachan. 

Featuring Chambord, Dalmore 12, raspberry, cream and toasted oats, it sounded like a dessert in itself and something we'd both very much enjoy. The cocktail was so creamy and bursting with raspberry, it was super rich and was definitely a drink I could probably only manage one of, as divine as it was.

Our desserts arrived soon after receiving our drinks and we were both very chuffed with our choices.

My blood orange panna cotta danced on my plate as Maddy placed it in front of me. The dessert came with a lovely orange syrup and an orange salsa which had been constructed with segments of blood orange, mint, passionfruit and raspberries. A large thin toasted wafer sat upright between the salsa and the panna cotta, and it was fantastic. Not only did it provide another texture to the dish, it brought a real sweetness to it which combatted the bitterness the blood orange salsa boasted. The panna cotta itself was lovely and light, and wobbled all over my plate any time I moved it.

Nicole's citrus lemon tart was served with a dollop of Chantilly cream and fresh raspberries. The lemon wasn't too tart which Nicole enjoyed a lot, it was quite sweet in comparison to other lemon tarts she's had, and the crispy pastry provided the perfect home for the creamy, custard lemon filling.

The raspberries went very well with the lemon and balanced the sweetness of the dish out with their fresh, more tart and slightly sour flavours. The addition of the coulis on the plate also added to this, and the Chantilly cream was an added bonus for her as she adores the vanilla essence based cream.

Bellies once again full, we were both left extremely impressed with the food offering Soul Bar has in store for Aberdeen Restaurant Week. 

Not only are the menu's themselves great value for money, but both the lunch and dinner menu's boast an array of high quality food that not only shows off the chef's talents, but also highlights just how focused on providing something different and refreshing to the food scene in Aberdeen the establishment is.

If you haven't already booked, then it's worth getting in touch with them sooner rather than later as the venue gets booked up quite quickly in advance - especially during the weekend.

For Now...

Just Julia