It’s the most wonderful time of the year – when Codona’s comes to Aberdeen city centre in the guise of the Christmas Village.
This year boasts the usual array of hair-raising rides and children’s entertainment.
And, dotted throughout the fair, are tasty festive treats that will keep you warm as you wander the market.
But just how tasty are they? We dispatched our crack food and drink team to the Christmas Village in Aberdeen to give their opinions on the food on offer, and tell you what’s worth the money and what to avoid.
With price points ranging from a fiver to nearly a tenner, we’ve put five dishes and two drinks to the test to find out if they are worth investing in.
Aberdeen Christmas Village 2022
This is the second year in a row that Aberdeen’s Christmas Village has been on following a pandemic hiatus. Codona’s Amusement Park is behind the fair and runs all of the food concession stands.
There have been a few changes since last year, most significantly the addition of a vegan bratwurst (more on which later). But most of the favourites are back.
The order
The results
So what did our food and drink journalists make of the Aberdeen Christmas Village food and drink offering?
Belgian fries with garlic butter seasoning and pigs in blankets
The fries were a big hit with Karla and Andy, who both liked how crispy – and salty – they were. The garlic butter was a great addition. The pigs in blankets seemed like a strange addition to the mix, but they were tasty.
Presentation
Karla: 4/5
Andy: 4/5
Taste
Karla: 4/5
Andy: 4/5
Vegan Bratwurst with sauerkraut
The bratwurst is on the Christmas Village menu for the first time, but wasn’t a huge hit with Karla and Julia.
Julia wanted a bigger piece, while Karla thought the non-meat sausage was a bit plasticky.
Presentation
Julia: 4/5
Karla: 3.5/5
Taste
Julia: 3/5
Karla: 2.5/5
Cheese-filled Krakauer and onions
Unsure of where exactly the cheese was, Karla and Andy were initially sceptical. But Andy was won over by the chunky sausage and the generous serving of onions.
Karla, meanwhile, liked the bun.
Presentation
Karla: 3/5
Andy: 3/5
Taste
Karla: 2.5/5
Andy: 3.5/5
Fresh doughnuts, Biscoff sauce
The doughnuts may well have been the highlight of the day – especially for Karla, who granted them a much coveted five stars!
The accolade was well-deserved. The doughnuts were fresh off the grill and, when combined with the Biscoff sauce, beautifully moist.
Presentation
Karla: 4.5/5
Andy: 4/5
Julia: 4/5
Taste
Karla: 5/5
Andy: 4.5/5
Julia: 4.5/5
Mini Dutch pancakes with Nutella and M&Ms
The pancakes’ Dutch heritage wasn’t obvious to the team, but that didn’t stop them tasting better than a sunny day by an Amsterdam canal.
Layers of Nutella hid some floaty-light pancakes that almost dissolved on the tongue. with the M&Ms serving as capable back-up.
Not quite as good as the doughnuts but still excellent.
Presentation
Karla: 4/5
Julia: 4/5
Andy: 3.5/5
Taste
Karla: 4.5/5
Julia: 4/5
Andy: 4/5
Festive mulled wine
You can’t go wrong with some festive mulled wine, and may well be the most Christmassy part of the whole Aberdeen Christmas Village.
Make sure to drink it while its still hot. It’ll keep you nice and warm as you wait for your turn on the fair’s fearsome rides.
Or keep you company while you watch safely from the sidelines.
Presentation
Andy: 3
Taste
Andy: 3.5
Hot chocolate with shot of Baileys and Toblerone sprinkles
Rich, indulgent and with a shot of Baileys – this is hot chocolate as it should be. The marshmallows kept out review team purring with pleasure and was just what was needed on a chilly afternoon in Aberdeen.
Presentation
Karla: 4/5
Andy: 4/5
Taste
Karla: 4/5
Andy: 4/5
Verdict
The overall winner of the Aberdeen Christmas Village 2022 food taste test were the doughnuts. Thanks partly to Karla’s five-star rating they scored the highest out of everything on offer.
Conversation