Red Robin Records, Aberdeen: Our review of the coffee and food

Nick Duthie, of Correction Wynd coffee and vinyl shop Red Robin Records, has recently been open to the fact that his business is struggling.

The lack of passing trade from Union Street has had a part to play, among other factors. But having heard so many great things about his coffee (in particular) before, surely it’s worth the slight diversion?

I wanted to find out.

I’m no stranger to enjoying a ciabatta from Red Robin Records, but it had been a while since I last stopped by. To make matters worse, I hadn’t ordered a coffee there prior to last week.

Andy, on the other hand, frequents there regularly to get his caffeine fix.

Stopping by last Tuesday at noon, the pair of us – and P&J photographer Kenny – were chuffed to see that the place was mobbed.

Nick said that sales have improved significantly since he launched a GoFundMe page, which has a £100,000 target. It was great to hear.

Read on to see what dishes we tasted, and our ratings for each…

Flat white and latte

When it came to our coffee orders, Andy’s heart was set on a flat white (£3.20).

A Red Robin Records latte, left, and a flat white.

I requested a latte (£3.40), and it was easily one of the best I’d tasted boasting a silky texture. And while I usually find that the coffee flavour is lacking (a lot) in lattes, this one had that perfect milk and coffee balance.

Andy loves the bright orange mugs at Red Robin – which matched (unintentionally) with my jacket. But he’s just as much a fan of what’s inside them.

Andy is a huge fan of the coffee at Red Robin Records.

The café is one of his regular coffee stops, and sometimes picks up Nick’s hand-roasted beans he sells from behind the counter. His flat white reassuringly hit the spot.

If you don’t believe us, be sure to stop by the venue and try out a coffee for yourself.

Ratings:

Andy: 5/5
Karla: 5/5

Mozzarella, pesto, rocket and tomato ciabatta

Moving swiftly on to the food, it took a short while to whittle down our picks. After all, there was a much bigger selection on the menu than we initially expected.

There were three different ciabatta fillings on offer, but I asked for the mozzarella, pesto, rocket and tomato option (£6). I can confirm that it was the right choice.

The vibrant pesto was nutty and ever-so-slightly salty, but what I loved most about it was that it didn’t overpower the other ingredients. I find that pesto often does this.

My face is saying different, but I thought the ciabatta was a winner.

A nice level of zingyness came from the tomato, while the bread itself had a crunchy crust and fluffy interior.

I demolished my half in no time.

Ratings:

Andy: 4/5
Karla: 4.5/5

Pancakes with bacon and maple syrup

Red Robin Records also sells pancakes, which neither of us knew ahead of our visit. It was a lovely surprise.

Our (£9.90) plate featured three uniform, medium-sized pancakes. Buttery, light and soft, they were delicious and came with three rashers of bacon and maple syrup.

As expected, the flavours were on point. And yes, Andy and I agree that bacon is definitely a solid accompaniment with pancakes.

Are you a fan of pancakes served with bacon and maple syrup?

Andy Morton – part journalist, part hoover.

I did find the bacon a little on the tough side, but Andy thoroughly enjoyed it. I suppose, I’d rather it be crispy than flimsy.

Ratings:

Andy: 4.5/5
Karla: 4/5

Banana bread

Home bakes are on the cards, too. The staff really know how to spoil their customers.

While there were a few tempting options when we visited, my ears perked up when I heard the words “banana bread.”

Our slice of banana bread from Red Robin Records.

I asked for a slice and it was brought over to our table swiftly – just like the rest of our dishes and drinks.

In my opinion, this comforting bake was faultless. It was pleasantly sweet with lots of banana flavour, and the addition of almonds in the batter was a lovely touch.