I can’t quite believe it, but this is my fourth Aberdeen Restaurant Week.
No, I am not the one doing all the hard work as part of the kitchen, bar, and front-of-house teams at the participating food and drink venues across the city. I am the one indulging.
Since Aberdeen Restaurant Week’s launch in 2018, including the event running from today (January 16) to Sunday January 29 nine have taken place.
Located in Golden Square, and run by Emily Hailstones and Hayley Fisher, Olive Alexanders opened in July 2022. I swear it feels as though customers were being welcomed through its doors just the other week. How time flies.
The duo also run their own cocktail and wine bar located below the bistro, known as Barbelow. While I have visited the bar (which is smashing, by the way) three times since its launch in March, I hadn’t sampled the food on offer at Olive Alexanders up until last week.
My friend and I were in awe when we stepped foot inside the bistro. Dim-lit with fairy lights and candles featuring throughout the 22-cover space, it had a great ambiance.
We adored the high ceilings and decor, which had a similar feel to that in Barbelow with a fun combination of antique and contemporary furnishings and touches.
The food
Before stopping by Olive Alexanders for Aberdeen Restaurant Week (ARW), I had entered on one occasion in September – to collect a Too Good To Go bag.
The service, within moments, was already of a high calibre. We had two different servers throughout the evening, who were happy to assist at any given opportunity. They were equally as chatty as they were helpful.
Although wine was on the cards, and our first server tempting us to opt for a glass or two, we politely declined and requested soft drinks.
While I had already snooped the venue’s ARW offering beforehand, my friend hadn’t. She admitted to not expecting the dishes listed and thought it would be more of a deli sandwich-style offering.
Olive Alexanders has plenty of these on its lunchtime menu, but we were delighted to see the ARW line-up showcase a variety of different dishes and the talent among the kitchen team that one step further.
Diners can opt for one course for £10, two courses for £15, or three for £20. I went for three, while my dining partner stuck with two.
There were three starters to choose from. Because we fancied the same two, both were ordered and shared.
First up was the charred tenderstem broccoli with chestnuts and bacon. The assortment arrived in a bowl and was fairly aromatic, likely coming from the chestnuts.
This dish was stellar. Each ingredient had a part to play. The broccoli had a nice bite to it, pairing superbly with the butteriness of the chestnuts. The nuts boasted a slight sweetness which, of course, made for an ideal accompaniment with the bacon – you can’t beat a sweet and salty combo.
Our second starter consisted of salami Napoli, pickles, mustard, and sourdough. Again, great for sharing if you fancy sampling as many dishes as possible.
This one was simple yet effective. It proved once again that those cooking behind the scenes know what ingredients marry well together.
We carefully spread a dollop of mustard on our sourdough and proceeded to place the remaining ingredients on top. Before tucking in, I knew one of the key things that would ensure this dish went down well was the freshness of the ingredients. That, they certainly were.
The mustard was the standout for me. Its slight kick took everything up a notch and provided a creamy element.
Speaking of creamy – and moving onto our mains – I can’t help but recall one part of my friend’s second course. The plate boasted the most silky-smooth mash I had seen in a restaurant.
Yes, the star of the show was of course going to be the steak pie itself, but I had to give the side a mention.
Topped with homemade shortcrust pastry and accompanied by a small jug of chicken gravy, the meat pulled apart with ease. It had a nostalgic feel to it and she made a fair dent in the bake – considering its hefty size.
My main was the pan-seared cod with pan-fried baby potatoes, a soft boiled egg, and parsley cream sauce.
The cod had been cooked to perfection and had a nice level of salt. A pet peeve of mine is when eateries over salt and spoil a delicious piece of fresh fish, so thank you to the chef(s) at Olive Alexanders for ensuring this was avoided.
The baby potatoes were a tad on the hard side. However, they were a welcome addition to the plate considering the other components were softer in texture, including the egg and sauce. There was the perfect amount of each ingredient, as well.
My pudding had to be boxed up and tried later that evening – to give my full and satisfied stomach some time to settle.
I opted for the classic dinner lady sponge cake with icing, sprinkles, and homemade Angel Delight over the classic trifle and jam roly-poly with custard.
The sponge was moist, the icing was delightfully sweet, and the Angel Delight was creamy. It reminded me why this was my all-time favourite dessert during my school years.
The verdict
Yes, I intend on stopping by several more venues participating in this installment of ARW. However, Olive Alexanders has made me feel rather apprehensive about future visits as it has set the bar incredibly high.
Thinking back on the experience, I cannot fault a thing. The food, service, and setting were equally as superb.
Information
A: 8 Golden Square, Aberdeen AB10 1RB
T: 01224 644515
W: olivealexanders.wixsite.com
Price: £40.50 (including two soft drinks, which cost £5.50)
