I was suddenly glad I’d been starving myself all day when the starter arrived and my three course Aberdeen Restaurant Week meal at the Ferryhill House Hotel began.
Those late afternoon headaches became a distant memory as the overflowing bowl of nachos was placed before me, landing with a satisfying thud.
The deep dish of crunchy tortilla chips was heaped high with salsa, guacamole and chilli – and clarted in thick globules of melted cheese.
What other starters are on the cards?
The chilli had just the right amount of kick, not too hot but enough to ensure my pint of Fierce Hazy IPA didn’t last too long.
I was trying out the special menu, available until this Sunday (August 20), which offers three courses for £30 or two for £25.
Confronted with such an array of tempting dishes, we thought we had best go for the three-course option.
My colleague Denny Andonova came along, and was tempted by the haggis bon bons before opting instead for the crab cakes – which she later sang the praises of.
The seafood was accompanied by a drizzle of lemon mayonnaise, and zesty pickled apples.
No sooner had we polished them off, the attentive waiting staff were on hand to take our plates away.
All dietary requirements are catered for
For the main course, I opted for the roast salmon, which came served with plenty of perfectly boiled potatoes, asparagus, samphire and vine tomatoes.
Denny ordered the braised ox cheek, which arrived balanced on a parsnip and sweet potato rosti and bed of hot and sour salad.
The chunk of beef was beautifully tender, falling apart at the slightest nudge of the fork.
And there was a lot of it.
My salmon was really nice, tasting as fresh as if it had leaped from the River Dee onto my plate…
But I couldn’t help staring enviously at that ox cheek. It really did look amazing.
There’s also lentil ragu if you don’t eat meat, or a Balmoral chicken that also sounded very tempting.
Praise for the puddings, with one hailed as ‘the best brownie ever’
I’m afraid I’m pretty predictable when it comes to desserts.
Even if I’m eyeing up other, more adventurous offerings, I can rarely stop the words “sticky toffee pudding please” from falling, almost involuntarily, from my mouth.
And so it was thus.
Thankfully, I am rarely disappointed – and this proved to be the case again here at the Ferryhill House Hotel.
The thick slab was light and sauce-scrapingly moreish, with a smooth dollop of ice cream on the side.
However, my appreciation for the sticky toffee pudding paled in comparison to Denny’s rave review of her chocolate brownie.
With a serious look on her face, she looked up from her plate.
After finishing a mouthful, she said: “That’s amazing. Easily the best chocolate brownie I have ever had.”
This gooey square of chocolate, suddenly exalted to otherworldly levels, was topped with a handful of summer berries – offering the perfect contrast to the sweet treat.
The waitress seemed chuffed with this appraisal, and promised us she would pass the glowing review on to the chef.
Our stomachs full, we wandered off into the late summer twilight raving about our dinner.
What is your go-to dessert? Let us know in our comments section below
The verdict
With options of a £25 menu or a £30 one, Ferryhill House Hotel isn’t the cheapest destination during Aberdeen Restaurant Week.
But it could quite possibly be the best value for money, with generous portions of high-class fare sure to leave you thoroughly satisfied.
There’s still time left to head to there to try that chocolate brownie for yourself, and see if you agree with Denny.
Information
A: 169 Bon-Accord Street, AB11 6UA
W: www.ferryhillhousehotel.co.uk
Price: £60 (not including drinks)
Aberdeen Restaurant Week promotion: £25 per head for two courses, or £30 for three.
The Aberdeen Restaurant Week menu can be found by clicking here.
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