Nestled away on Alford Lane, just a short walk away from the junction of Union Street and Holburn Street, is Da Vinci, one of the best Italian restaurants in Aberdeen.
With its cosy atmosphere, accentuated by its rustic wooden decor and a charming painted mural of the Italian countryside covering the rear of the restaurant, it offers a fantastic and authentic dining experience.
My wife and I stopped by recently to try out their set menu for Aberdeen Restaurant Week, and after a disappointing few outings for Italian food in the city recently, we were delighted to be completely blown away by what Da Vinci had to offer.
Read on to see what we had to eat, what we thought of it, and what offers they have for Aberdeen Restaurant Week.
A warm welcome to Da Vinci in Aberdeen
When we arrived, after a short wait at the door we were escorted to our table by a smiling, courteous member of staff.
We were made to feel immediately at home.
Service was quick, friendly, and we never felt rushed — plus, they were great with my nut allergy, as pesto is always a fear for me when I’m having Italian.
For Aberdeen Restaurant Week, they are offering a menu with a variety of course options.
You can go for two courses for £20, or three for £25.
There’s also a wood-fired pizza for two option for £25.
As my wife and I were off to have ice cream at the movies later on, we opted for starter and main for £20 each.
What’s for starters?
My wife went for the classic Italian starter, minestrone soup, whereas I ordered the crostino toscano, which was described as a “Tuscan recipe of velvety homemade chicken liver pate”.
The pate was delicious, and came with healthy servings of bread and caramelised onions.
What was even more impressive than the taste was the presentation, with a candle beneath the pate to keep it warm.
My wife said her minestrone was comforting and hearty, and exactly what she had in mind when she ordered it.
And the soup’s accompanying serving of bread was so generous that I got her spares — result!
Now to tuck into the mains at Da Vinci in Aberdeen
After a brief break to let our starters go down and another order of Peroni for myself, our mains arrived promptly.
I opted for the cotoletta di pollo fritta, a fried chicken cutlet.
It arrived presented with chips in a brown bag, with a side of homemade tomato sauce, and was really delicious.
The coating was crisp, and the chicken itself was juicy. It had great flavours, with a good taste of garlic, and the pot of tomato sauce really brought the whole dish together.
The only downside was it felt like too much chicken for just me, and I admitted defeat halfway through the second of the two cutlets… but perhaps I made a rookie error, and shouldn’t have nicked my wife’s bread when we were having starters.
My wife had the tagliatelle al ragu.
She said the homemade bolognase sauce made this pasta dish one to remember, full of strong flavours that had her scraping up every last drop.
In fact she said it was one of the best, if not the best, bolognase she’d ever had, and said you could tell that a lot of love had been put into the dish.
The verdict on Da Vinci
For £20 a head, we were completely stuffed and satisfied.
The fantastic tastes on offer, combined with the price tag, makes Da Vinci a must-visit for Aberdeen Restaurant Week this August.
Information
A: 1 Alford Lane, Aberdeen, AB10 1NT
W: www.davincirestaurant.co.uk
Aberdeen Restaurant Week promotion: £20 per head for two courses, of £25 for three. Pizza for two, £25.
The Aberdeen Restaurant Week menu can be found by clicking here.
