Aberdeen Restaurant Week - Revolution: Review (Aberdeen)

Having visited Revolution in Aberdeen many-a-time, I'm no stranger to their large and varied cocktail menu. From the good ol' classics to cocktails served in kettles, their drinks offering is somewhat appealing to many.

But what many people don't know is that Revolution Aberdeen have a pretty decent food offering too. From pizza's to salads, to barbecue dishes to mezze boards, the menu is pretty inclusive and covers cuisine from every neck of the woods.

So you can imagine my delight when I found out that Rev was giving evening customers who ordered from the three-course Aberdeen Restaurant Week dinner menu a complimentary cocktail.

Heading along with a one of my old University pals last Friday, the two of us were hungry for good food and drinks, as well as a healthy serving of gossip. I hadn't seen Steph in ages so we were very excited about the occasion.

On arrival, we were shown to our seats - a lovely, cosy booth located in the outside area downstairs - and talked through the menu. Having not been to Rev in a while, it took me a few minutes to decide what cocktail to go for. I started with a Blue Movie, which Steph also picked. The Blue Movie was superb, it was light and refreshing and really just reminded me of a Blue Lagoon - which didn't surprise me as the cocktail featured Absolut Berri Acaí vodka, Blue Curaçao, lemon, apple juice and lemonade.

We were both feeling pretty ravenous having worked a long week. Whenever I dine out with someone else, I always try my hardest not to get the same as the other person. Both being in completely different moods for what kind of food we wanted, I was grateful she wasn't eyeing up the Buttermilk fried chicken strips the same way I was. Featuring three pieces of fried chicken strips, it was the big easy mayo that really captured my attention. The chicken was lovely and did the job, but the chipotle style mayonnaise was the one element that completely made that dish.

Steph had ordered the garlic flatbread which was topped with garlic butter and parsley. She really enjoyed it as she tore into it with her hands, however I would have personally liked a little more garlic butter on it - but I adore garlic and would use it in most dishes I cook at home. The flatbread was cooked well and was nice and fluffy on the inside.

We ordered a couple more cocktails at this point and tucked in.

After demolishing our starters, we caught up on all things work, life, and family. I'd been good friends with Steph at University and I alway enjoyed catching up with her and hearing how everything was going. We were both pretty ambitious at Uni (we still are) so there was  lot of reminiscing to be done having not seen each other in so long.

For mains, I decided to go for the glazed half roast chicken. The half roast chicken was served with  a gorgeous, rich chipotle BBQ sauce, chips and coleslaw. The chicken was lovely and moist and fell off the bone very well. The skin was a little crispy and was covered in the chipotle BBQ sauce which was also served on the side too. You can never have enough BBQ sauce in my opinion. As well as the chipotle BBQ sauce, you could order the hot sauce instead, however I stuck with the servers recommendation and it didn't disappoint.

Steph opted for the Sri Lankan chicken curry. A creamy, coconut and tomato sauce chicken curry with chilli, lemon grass and coriander which came served with jasmine rice and a wedge of fresh lime to squeeze over. Steph really enjoyed her curry, but the kick of chilli was quite strong for her so struggled to finish it once she'd eaten her rice which was a nice was to cool the dish down.

We ordered a few more cocktails, with my choices being the strawberry daiquiri  and a pornstar martini. The frozen strawberry daiquiri was created with Bacardi Carta Blanca rum, vanilla liqueur, strawberry purée, lime, grenadine and cranberry juice and came garnished with a strawberry sweet - my fav! The pornstar martini with SKYY passionfruit, Absolut Vanilla vodka, passionfruit purée, sugar, orange juice, and came topped with half of a passion fruit to garnish. The drink also came with a Freixenet prosesso chaser - although I usually drink it before the cocktail to cleanse the palette.

Moving on to desserts, we were both eyeing up the warm chocolate brownie originally, that was until Steph spotted a chocolate brownie sundae which was a huge game changer for her.

The brownie sundae boasted lots of ice cream, bourbon brownie pieces, whipped cream, chocolate sauce and was topped with rainbow drops. It all went so well together and Steph loved the brownie pieces.

My brownie was super soft and gooey on the inside, and was beautifully crisp on the outside. It melted in my mouth and was hands down my favourite dish of the meal - even though I did love the BBQ chicken. It was bursting full of chocolate and the vanilla ice cream which came served on the side went extremely well with it and really complimented the richness of the brownies. It was exactly what any chocolate lover would want out of a warm brownie dessert.

Revolution was bouncing that night - the music was fantastic and everyone seemed in the mood to party. Having come straight from work, neither Steph or I were dressed for the occasion, and as temped as we were we ended up passing on the opportunity to dance the night away. We surrendered our table to a group of girls who were out for the night and made our way out of the venue.

Everyone was having a great time and I must admit, I was pretty jealous of them. Full up with fine food and delicious drinks, we headed home for the night - not before planning our next trip out of course.

During the Aberdeen Restaurant Week project, Revolution are running both a two-course lunch and a three-course dinner. The three-course dinner also comes with a cocktail included in the offer which is a great way for them to showcase their food and their drinks offering. Revolution also run a number of different offers throughout the week too, so it's worth checking online what offers they have on all the time.

Happy dining out folks, and good luck picking a cocktail - there's just too many good ones to choose from!

   For Now...

Just Julia

Aberdeen Restaurant Week - Cafe Harmony: Review (Aberdeen)

Pure escapism is what I experienced when I visited Cafe Harmony on Bon Accord Terrace for the first time last week. It had been so long since I'd actually felt relaxed and at ease, and for one night, I left my worries at the door and finally got to breathe.

The cafe is gorgeous, and from the outside looks cosy and welcoming. And that it is. Having strolled past the eatery on numerous occasions, I always felt jealous of the customers sitting inside the beautiful setting nursing their glasses of wine. An Italian speakeasy I like to call it, this cafe and wine bar is the perfect way to let loose and relax after a busy day at work.

The weather was miserable when we visited, and the cosy, relaxing ambiance of the place set me at ease almost immediately. It's quaint, and decorated beautifully. Francesco, the manager of the eatery greeted us and showed us to our table. Opposite me was what looked like the comfiest, grandest chair I'd ever seen, and shockingly, Calum allowed me to park there for the night. I'd met Francesco at the launch of Aberdeen Restaurant Week which Cafe Harmony is participating in. He was a charming man, and someone who you could instantly tell loves his job. He'd asked me to pay a visit, and one week later there I was.

I was surprised at how busy the restaurant was. It was full to the brim, and he was now having to turn customers away. A great start in kicking off Aberdeen Restaurant Week. He talked us through the menu, and offered if it was ok for him to bring a selection of starters of his choosing. I loved this approach and welcomed the offer.

Returning a little while after, he was equipped with four dishes. The first being arancini with a beautiful bolognese ragu inside, the second; homemade chickpea hummus, the third; a warm pitta bread topped with tomato paste and lastly, the panzerotti.

The arancini was stunning. The ragu was full of flavour and it worked really well with the saffron rice in the stuffed rice balls which were coated in breadcrumbs and had been deep-fried. Filled with the ragu and cheese which had now melted, they were extremely tasty. Each forkful left a string of melted cheese between my mouth and my plate, and the shallow bed of tomato sauce in which it sat, was cleaned up with pitta.

A bright yellow colour, the chickpea hummus looked incredible. I'd never seen hummus have such a distinctive colour to it which was clearly a result of using lots of olive oil within it. The hummus also came with additional green olives on top and was scooped up quickly by Calum and myself with the  flavoured pitta bread. It was a healthy serving for sure.

The pitta was hot and the tomato paste on top was bursting with roasted tomato and Italian herb flavours. The bread was lovely and soft, and the paste was super rich which was perfect.

I'd never had panzerotti before, but it resembled that of a small calzone. Stuffed inside the pastry was Aberdeen Angus minced beef (from McWilliam's) and ricotta cheese. The ricotta was light and creamy, and went very well with the tomato sauce the panzerotti sat in.

The restaurant was busy, but no-one seemed in a rush and I could see lots of people were enjoying the recommended wines with their dishes. It’s no wonder the café is called harmony. The interiors are very cosy and inviting, and it almost feels like you could be sitting in someone’s front room, but with the added bonus of best home-cooked Italian cuisine being served up.

As we ate, Francesco sat with us and explained the dishes. His casual, calming approach to dining out really made me feel at home. Not to mention the big lounge chair which I continued to sink into. He explained the cafe's ethos and that Cafe Harmony was focused on blending traditional Sicilian food with local produce, creating the perfect nod to Aberdeen and Sicily. The chef - a 60-year old man from Sicily - is passionate about good quality Sicilian food. And I loved when Francesco told us about his Italian grandma who used to make pasta for days on end, inviting him to go and enjoy copious amounts of delicious food with his family.

Moving on to mains, Francesco had also decided to take the lead and ordered us a dish each to enjoy. I was rather excited about not knowing what dish would be presented to us, and you can imagine how shocked I was when he returned with the exact two dishes me and Calum had looked at ordering. This man hardly knew us, but by just asking a few questions, knew exactly what we would want. My mind was blown.

I was given the Penne Lucullo with King prawns and Sicilian chorizo, and Calum got the Tortino de Farfalle. The penne was outstanding. Cooked in a rich tomato sauce with a kick of heat to it from the spicy chorizo pieces, the slightly creamy, tomato sauce was to die for. Not to mention the juicy king prawns which were thrown into the dish, and the more I delved into the long spaghetti pasta, the more I uncovered. The chorizo was in abundance and everything was dressed in the sauce - Mamma Mia!

Calum's tortino was served with minced lamb and ricotta. The lamb was superb and was very succulent. There was lots of it too which he rather enjoyed, and the moist lamb complimented the slight dryness the ricotta boasted. The big helping of ricotta on top was covered in parmesan and it crumbled away as he stuck his fork into the soft, delicate pasta. Both dishes were very filling, and very homely.

We had been in the restaurant a few hours now, and had decided to take a breather before investigating if dessert was on the cards or not. Deciding to share a cake of the day, Francesco brought us our a white and milk chocolate homemade cheesecake.

The cheesecake looked divine, and the white chocolate was beautifully sweet. Not sickly sweet, just sweet enough. The milk chocolate provided a more smooth taste to the cheesecake and the biscuit base was delicious and crunchy, whilst the cheesecake on top was very indulgent - almost too indulgent. We both tucked in, and slowly but surely polished it off.

With its peaceful yet busy atmosphere, a gorgeous setting, brilliant food created by the talented chef team and faultless service, Cafe Harmony over-delivered on every aspect. I couldn't quite believe that I hadn't paid them a visit since opening, and I'm already excited about heading back. The front of house team were excellent and I'm extremely grateful to Francesco for spending so much time with us and introducing me to a number of new Italian dishes.

The meal we experienced at Cafe Harmony was margins above similar restaurants I've recently visited. With an affordable, varied menu available for Aberdeen Restaurant Week (which ends this Thursday - 8th Feb) this is one place you'll want to frequent to with friends. Not only for the food, but for the array of wines they have on offer to match alongside any one of their dishes.

As well as participating in Aberdeen Restaurant Week, Cafe Harmony is now also promoting a wine and Italian tapas deal for those feeling peckish straight after work. You can now pop in for two tapas and a glass of wine for £9 - a steal for anyone who's ravenous before dinner time.

A true testament to great Italian food by using the highest quality of fresh, locally sourced produce.

   For Now...

Just Julia

Aberdeen Restaurant Week - Pan Asia (Aberdeen)

Although I've never been to Asia, the variety of food it has to offer is unbelievable. From Thai, to Indian, to Chinese and Japanese, all of these cuisines tie in quiet nicely together whilst standing out individually. It's the use of sweet and sour, partnered with chilli and spice which makes these cuisines so different from one another. From broths to dim sum, to spicy curries and sweet and sticky dishes, there's something to suit all tastes.

Pan Asia is a newer restaurant to the Aberdeen scene, and at not even a year old, they have been paving the way for Asian cuisine within the city centre. Involved in Aberdeen Restaurant Week, I decided to pay the Asian inspired restaurant a visit to put their Thai and Indian chefs to the test.

Greeted by Ruchi, the restaurant owner herself, she welcomed us with open arms and showed us to our table. A fashionable woman, I could tell she was excited about the buzz of Aberdeen Restaurant Week and was extremely proud to be involved and get yet another chance to show her restaurant's offering.

She talked my best friend and I through the menu, and gave her stand-out recommendations. Now, I'm not going to lie, when she suggested we try out cauliflower for our starter I undoubtedly turned my nose up. Having being force fed the stuff as a child, it was one vegetable I did not have a good relationship. Trusting her judgements, we ended up ordering it - although I was still a little sceptical even after her reassurance.

The restaurant is stunning. Beautiful brick and wood detailing surrounds you, and the simplistic touches of flowers on the is more than enough for the grand restaurant.

Going on a trip around Asia, we started off with Thai and Chinese...

Lauren opted for the Gobi Manchurian - battered cauliflower cooked with garlic, onions and ginger which were then sautéed in a sweet, tangy Chinese sauce. The cauliflower was like butter in your mouth. It melted immediately and also boasted a lovely crispness to it having been battered. The cauliflower was cooked in a way I'd never experienced it before, and I couldn't quite believe it was cauliflower to be honest. It was sublime. The sauce which it had been cooked in was lovely and rich, and had a gorgeous stickiness to it - similar to the Chinese ribs I'd had previously. This was one dish I had serious food envy over.

I decided to go with Ruchi's second recommendation which was the wok fried sliced pork.  It was massive. The dish itself could have basically been a main, but what I loved about it most was the abundance of pork and vegetables it boasted. The pork belly was incredible, and was cooked in a stir fry sauce which had mixed Thai spices throughout. It was like a sweeter rendition of soy sauce, with a slight fiery kick to it.

The pork was beautifully cooked and still boasted some of the fat on it, which definitely added to the flavours when it had been cooked. The vegetables were cooked well, with the broccoli, green beans and carrot providing a lovely crunch to the dish. It never seemed to end, and I had to recruit Lauren to assist me in polishing it off. It was too good not to finish.Moving on to mains, my eyes turned to the Northern West Indian region of Punjab. Ordering the Punjabi butter masala chicken curry. A mild curry in a creamy tomato and onion sauce, it was pungent on the nose and buttery on the palette. The chicken was super succulent and cooked perfectly. There was lots of it too, which I was pleased to see, and I really struggled to finish the curry alone, never mind the extras we had ordered.
All of the dishes are made from scratch every day, and all of the sauces are also homemade, created by the chefs who have put their own spin on some classics. Ruchi also informed me that all of the meat and vegetables are locally sourced which I really enjoyed hearing.
I also ordered a side of garlic naan which was extremely soft on the inside and slightly crispy on the inside. Ruchi told me this was as a result of the types of ovens they used to create them. Lauren and I tucked into it, as well as the side of sticky coconut rice we'd ordered as an extra too.
My curry also came with a small side salad, but I was more focused on the curry itself than anything else.

Lauren decided she was after something Thai and chose the chicken Pad Thai. A lover of Thai food - this really did not surprise me. The Pad Thai smelled outstanding. Created with rice noodles, this famous dish from Thailand was mixed with sweet and sour tamarind sauce and boasted a variety of stir fry vegetables throughout. 

The chicken was gorgeous, and was extremely well cooked - just like my butter masala. Again, there was lots of it and the rice noodles were easy to scoop up. She squeezed a few drops of fresh lemon juice over the dish which added a nice citrus element to it.

Many of Pan Asia's dishes can be created to provide a huge range of vegetarian dishes and the restaurant also caters well for all dietary requirements too, creating unique dishes for customers to enjoy.

We were pretty full following our main and starter due to the size of them, but as we both boast an incredibly sweet tooth, we decided we'd just have to order a dessert.

Lauren chose the chocolate bounty with vanilla ice cream and I decided to go for the Gulab Jamun with vanilla ice cream. I'm not going to lie, I was super jealous of her choice. I adore chocolate desserts, but thought it was best to order something I'd not ever really tried before.

The chocolate bounty was a big chocolate cake with a coconut hint. It came topped with a rich, dark chocolate sauce which smothered the cake, and then a dollop of ice cream on top of that. To Lauren's surprise the dish came served cold, which, if there was one thing she would change about it, would have been for it to be served warm. Other than this small oversight, she absolutely loved it.

My dessert was unlike anything I'd had before. Ruchi and our server informed me that it was a dumpling made of what I can only describe is similar to pancake mixture, deep fried and then soaked in sugar syrup. They had advised that it was incredibly sweet, and my god they were right. The dumplings were obviously warm, melting the ice cream as I tucked into it. The dish was extremely sweet and as much as I enjoyed it, I could only tackle one dumpling and a little ice cream due to the richness of the sweet dish.

Our time at Pan Asia was coming to an end, but not before we sat down with Ruchi who told us all about her restaurant and the food they specialised in.

We chatted about work and life, and I have to admit, she truly made the experience. The food and surroundings were excellent, and I couldn't fault it. But what I love most about visiting restaurants is getting the chance to meet the owner or chefs behind the business and finding out about what drives them, their passions and how they have managed to create such unique places which almost seem effortless to the customer. And it's safe to say Ruchi without a doubt makes this place.

On Saturday's they also provide entertainment in the form of musical acts, be that singers or musicians. I loved the atmosphere this created in the restaurant and there were even some people dancing and singing along to the music whilst we were there. There's nothing better than seeing people really enjoy themselves whilst delving into fist-class flavoursome food.

Located on Bridge Street, it's well hidden. Just a short walk from Union Street, it's well worth venturing to, and with a wide variety of Asian dishes, it's a great way to enjoy a variety of cuisines all under one roof. Not to mention it's great value for money - especially if you're trying it out throughout Aberdeen Restaurant Week.

With a three-course dinner for £20.18, you're off to a winner. This fusion of flavours and cuisines is quite simply one of the best in Aberdeen. And if you haven't already tried it out, be sure to visit as it is outstanding.

  For Now...

Just Julia