Adriana’s Grill has cemented itself as one of the most popular eateries in Inverurie.
To those that live in the area, you’ll already know this, but as someone looking from the outside in, I admire how much the residents of the town seem to advocate for and support local businesses.
Julia and I have been meaning to pay a visit to Inverurie as part of Drive-Thru Diners for some time now and Adriana’s Grill has always been a contender.
A lot of my friends have tried, tested and praised the food vendor’s grub in the past. But what really sold us was a story shared with Julia by a friend of hers recently.
It was regarding a petition created early last year to save Adriana’s Grill from being removed from its current site by the council in March 2021.
To avoid the owners having to seek out another pitch in the town or further afield, a petition was made which picked up 951 signatures and, ultimately, saved them from being relocated elsewhere.
Adriana’s Grill: What is it and what’s on offer?
Adriana’s Grill is located at the Inverurie Retail Park and is run by Gwyneth and Achut. The duo work hard to make and serve quality home-cooked food to the local community.
The business is used by all of the retail units at the park – including Currys, Home Bargains and Halfords – as well as residents and those passing, which comes as no surprise due to the mouth-watering menu on offer.
Homemade chilli con carne, macaroni cheese, hot dogs, burgers and more are available, as well as a selection of hot drinks.
Adriana’s Grill is open from 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday (excluding Tuesday), 9am to 5pm on Saturdays and 9.30am to 5pm on Sundays.
The order:
The results
Would Julia and I return to Adriana’s Grill, or pass on the opportunity should it come again?
Scottish breakfast bap
It’s not easy to make a breakfast bap look appetizing. Soggy, pasty buns are far too common an occurrence.
But, as you can tell by the picture below, Julia and I’s bap from Adriana’s certainly looked the part.
Inside was a sausage split into two, along with two pieces of black pudding, two eggs, and two rashers of bacon.
The black pudding had a warming spiciness to it and was perfectly cooked, as was the egg. Luckily, I managed to pinch the half with the runny yolk, which oozed out when I was a few bites in.
Julia did mention that a dollop of tomato ketchup would have made the dish even tastier, but she enjoyed it nonetheless.
If you’re looking to kickstart your day right, then we’d definitely recommend this dish.
Presentation
Julia: 4/5
Karla: 4/5
Taste
Julia: 4/5
Karla: 4/5
Bacon cheeseburger
The bap for our bacon cheeseburger did look a tad sad. It wasn’t as golden brown in shade or as thick as the previous one we tucked into, but it’s not all about looks – right?
Inside was bacon and cheese, as well as a thin burger patty – which was delicious and juicy – fried onions, and sriracha mayonnaise.
The sriracha was a superb addition to the dish, adding a nice creaminess that contrasted well with the other ingredients.
We agreed the onions could have been done with a few more minutes on the grill to get crispy.
On the downside, one of my strands of bacon was nothing more than fat. Uncooked that is. My rating on the taste front for the cheeseburger would have been higher, but I can’t get past this.
Presentation
Julia: 3/5
Karla: 2.5/5
Taste
Julia: 3/5
Karla: 3/5
Dirty dog
Have you seen a more appealing hot dog in all your years?
The dirty dog at Adriana’s Grill was by far a standout dish for us, and it was the finest I have tucked into at a street food vendor before.
Sandwiched in between the soft and fluffy bun was the sausage itself, which boasted a balanced sweet and salty flavour profile. But it was what lay on top that stood out the most.
This included a hefty helping of homemade chilli con carne, fried onions, crispy onions, mustard and ketchup – it was finally time for Julia to get her Tommy K fix.
The melt-in-the-mouth chilli con carne was a triumph, to say the least, featuring the perfect amount of kick that lingered on the tongue.
All in all, a superb dish that allowed every element to shine through. It was messy, but all great hot dogs are…
Presentation
Julia: 4/5
Karla: 4.5/5
Taste
Julia: 4/5
Karla: 4.5/5
The dirty dog came out on top at Adrianna’s Grill, racking up a score of 17/20.
Can you think of any local venues or dishes you would like the Drive-Thru Diners to try?
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Video edited by Callum Main
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