As I studied the menu I wondered if hospitality giant Mitchells and Butlers had rued the day they failed to sign up an aspiring rock band.
The reason this crossed my mind was that I was in Miller & Carter steakhouse in Aberdeen, which is a chain within the same business empire.
The young musicians seemed confident of clinching sponsorship with Birmingham brewers Mitchells and Butlers, as it was then.
They even had special names for the band to reflect their backers.
I think the “MBs” and “MB Five” were used.
Anyway, the deal fell through and the group pursued a different path as progressive rock pioneers the Moody Blues – and the rest is history, as they say.
My wife was tapping her fingers on the other side of the table, but not to a Moody Blues classic.
It was a sure sign that it was time to stop telling her this story and concentrate on ordering something to eat.
Miller & Carter
Miller & Carter was really rocking and it was still only 6.30 on a Friday night.
It grew so busy we had to shout to make ourselves heard across our table for two.
But it didn’t bother us; we prefer a noisy convivial atmosphere when dining out.
“Pandemic? What pandemic?” came to mind as I gazed about.
No masks these days, but plenty of close contact.
But we humans move on quickly when the coast is clear, don’t we? It’s like the end of a war with all that pent-up tension tumbling out.
This is a modern diner, but I like the stylish decor, subdued lighting and the nooks and crannies.
It was a relief to be seated in our little nook, in a narrow gallery to one side, which looked out on to Broad Street, with Aberdeen townhouse towering above over the road.
We booked online, but I forgot to fill in the little box for special requests – such as our seating preference for the Broad Street side.
But it seemed easy to resolve: our e-mail booking confirmation said we could phone the restaurant directly with any amendments, such as requests.
I subsequently spent two days calling off and on with no joy – a friendly recorded voice kept saying they were too busy to answer the phone.
Eventually, I called consumer services in Birmingham to see if they could pass on our special request for the booking.
They duly obliged as someone from the Aberdeen restaurant sent an e-mail a few hours later saying they had received our seating request.
And as we turned up on the night we were guided straight to the table we wanted, so that was pretty good, even though we knew they cannot always oblige.
The food
I said the restaurant was busy, but the menu was even busier.
There was a lot going on here, including a list of pre-starter starters, or nibbles as they call them.
So from the nibbles we ordered a bread board to share.
This included slender crispy bread sticks and slices with dips, one with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and the other a butter and beef dripping concoction – quite appropriate in a steak restaurant where there must be an inexhaustible supply of dripping.
It was very tasty and we enjoyed it a lot.
When our waiter returned he assumed we were skipping starters because he asked for our mains order.
But he didn’t know the appetites he was dealing with: we ordered starters as well.
For me, sauteed garlic king prawns, and for my wife prawn and crab cocktail in Bloody Mary sauce.
They proved to be tasty little dishes, but perhaps lacking somewhat in size and substance – a little underwhelming at almost £9 each.
Maybe these little fellas were overwhelmed by the main event – the stupendous array of steaks on offer.
They are, after all, what guests come for by and large.
Just about every steak or sharing plate was catered for here – from a fillet to a whopping Cote de Boeuf at 28 ounces.
Steaks stretch far and wide on the menu – like cattle ranches as far as the eye can see in Texas.
As a special treat my wife chose Black Angus filet mignon.
Not only was she being served the best cut of steak, but also from the juiciest breed of cattle.
For me, hake; yes, hake.
I half-expected a hush to fall as I ordered fish in this temple devoted to the worship of meat. But not at all – they have an alternative non-steak mains menu.
And my chef must have enjoyed the change as the hake dish was excellent.
A generous fleshy fillet of brilliant-white fish, with a crispy seasoned skin, sat atop creamy mash, spinach and mushroom/white wine sauce. A side of rich meaty chorizo slices complemented the dish nicely.
My wife’s two five-ounce fillets were excellent, too, but she couldn’t manage both so I ate one. It was a beauty, but I know what you’re thinking: greedy so-and-so.
Unfortunately my wife ordered Bearnaise sauce by mistake, but really wanted Bordelaise.
So our waiter rushed off for a replacement, which was a nice touch.
We rounded off with banoffee pie and tiramisu; both were mercifully on the dainty side, after a big main meal, but a little overpowered by dollops of cream.
The verdict
We both agreed that Miller & Carter served up a great atmosphere and excellent service.
The main courses were superb and there was a wide choice on the menu, however the starters and puddings were not so impressive – and overall it was a bit pricey in these hard times.
As we left, Italian visitors were posing for pictures at the townhouse. Another sign of normality, which was something else to be grateful about.
David Knight has been reviewing restaurants for the Press and Journal for almost two decades.
He is a former deputy editor at the P&J and now works as a columnist for the title.
Information
Address: Miller & Carter, 26 Union Street, Aberdeen AB10 1BD
T: 01224 531074
W: millerandcarter.co.uk
Price: £111.40 for three courses for two plus a bread board, side dish, two alcoholic drinks and two soft drinks
Scores
- Food: 4/5
- Service: 4/5
- Surroundings: 4/5
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