I am ashamed to say that it has been far, far too long since I last visited Bistro Verde.
There’s no one particular reason, although living with my boyfriend who isn’t the biggest seafood fan may be a key factor in why we don’t seem to visit them as frequently as I’d like.
So when I was setting up a date night with one of my foodie girlfriends, I knew this was my time to act.
I’d texted her a few days earlier to meet me at the venue on Friday at 6.30pm.
She saved me the walk into town and picked me up in her taxi, and I was relieved to know I wasn’t the only one who hadn’t made their way to the venue down at The Green in Aberdeen’s city centre in so long either.
Now the Bistro Verde I know is white, green and red facings and walls with a simple bistro style interior.
What we walked into was something very, very different. There was bright colours, neon lighting, and a very unique wallpaper with dogs on it and plenty of trinkets and artwork.
It was Alice in Wonderland but a little bit more bonkers. But, it was subtle. Or as subtle as florescent purple bulbs and a “naughty corner” could be.
Hilariously, while we were being shown to our table, we ended up sitting just there.
On the wall was the specials board, something that has remained since the former Bistro Verde days pre-makeover.
We scanned the specials and the cocktail of the week and got to addressing the rest of the offering on our paper menu.
We spied pear margaritas (£7.95) so it was two of those to kick off the night.
The food
When our drinks finally arrived we were ready to place our order. Or Nikki was, as I was still humming and haying about my choices.
She opted for the oak smoked salmon panko breaded fishcake with smoked paprika tartar sauce and a char-grilled lemon and micro salad (£8). And for her mains she upgraded the pan seared Scottish scallops starter to a main size (£20). They came with a sweetcorn and chipotle puree, crispy smoked bacon and watercress.
I knew I fancied the classic Bistro Verde hot mixed seafood platter for one with tiger prawns, king prawns, mussels, clams and crayfish in a seafood bisque (£20), but really struggled with my starter.
I’d eyed up the Cullen skink but figured it would be too filling. The mussels would be too similar to my main, and I didn’t fancy the Greek salad or the oysters either and the selection of bread felt like I was cheating myself.
So I did something I never do. I ordered the same as my date for the night.
Nikki also ordered truffle oil and parmesan fries (£3) as a side to accompany her scallops for main.
What I did enjoy about this menu was the transparency of what dishes were dairy or gluten-free, or vegan or veggie. While neither of us have dietary requirements, it was great to see such a range of options for all widely available.
Toasting to a fun evening, the pear margaritas were deliciously refreshing. They came served with a dried slice of blood orange and a sprig of rosemary which added to the aroma when sipping from the paper straw. They were easy to drink but we sipped away slowly to enjoy them with our starters.
It took around 10 to 15 minutes for the fishcakes to arrive.
Two hefty fried balls came served with a vibrant salad. Cutting into them they were crisp and stuffed with delicious sweet yet smoky salmon. I squeezed the wedge of lemon over the fried casing and tucked in. The smoked paprika tartar sauce was incredible. I lathered as much of it as I could spare on each mouthful and it just got better as more and more disappeared off my plate.
Nikki was equally as impressed and devoured the lot as well.
Slurping up the last of our margaritas, we ordered a second cocktail to accompany our mains, this time a fruitier number called The Clover Club. It had gin, raspberry, lemon and egg white in it.
My mixed seafood platter was a feast for the eyes and could easily have been for two – although the option to upgrade it to a bigger portion for two people for an additional £12 is also stated on the menu.
It was massive. The huge tiger prawn on top made this dish look like a seafood showstopper and I was even given a second dish for all of the shells I was about to unearth.
There was everything in there and all of the elements were cooked absolutely perfectly. The seafood was succulent, juicy and packed with rich flavours, and the bisque was light but with intense flavour and had a tomato hint to it.
All I needed was a big chunk of crusty bread on the side to dunk in and I’d have been the happiest person on earth.
On the other side of the table, six beautifully uniform scallops sat on top of a sweetcorn and chipotle puree and had strips of the crispiest bacon placed delicately on top. Nikki’s face said it all.
They were meaty in texture, but her knife slid through them as if they were air. The mouth-watering smokiness of the puree was something she commented on multiple times and the crispy bacon added that saltiness the dish needed.
Her truffle fries were topped with grated parmesan and were used to scoop up what was left of the puree.
Instead of ordering dessert I opted for a Disaronno (£2.45) on the rocks and Nikki ordered a salted caramel espresso martini with vodka, coffee and of course, salted caramel.
We were pretty full by this time and wanted to be able to enjoy the rest of our evening without being too bloated, as desirable as the desserts sounded.
We took our time to finish up our drinks and settled the bill before heading off to continue our night at 99 Bar and Kitchen, where a few more cocktails were waiting for us.
The verdict
Lovers of seafood will adore Bistro Verde.
It is one of Aberdeen’s hidden gems nestled down on The Green and although it looks totally unassuming outside, the new wonderland that awaits inside is certainly worth exploring.
Not only just for a nosy to see what the team has done with the place, but also to uncover the rich talent which lies in the kitchen and front of house at this small bistro.
These plates are some of the best I have had in a while and I’ll certainly be making my way back to discover more of their offering soon.
Information
Address: Unit 1, 2 The Green, Aberdeen, AB11 6NY
T: 01224 586180
Price: £93.80 (includes a £8.50 discretionary 10% service charge)
Scores:
- Food: 5/5
- Service: 4/5
- Surroundings: 4/5
