Dinner on Sunday night is never not a good idea.
It takes away that dread of having to be up and organized for work the following day, a wonderful refusal to accept that the weekend is over just yet.
You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to eateries in Inverurie, and thankfully my foodie friend, Kristin, has all the knowledge when it comes to choice of venue.
We settled on Via Roma, because you can’t go wrong with Italian.
Via Roma
With a table booked for 6pm, because we’re two tired mums trying to get out of doing bedtime, parking was easy enough.
I was first through the door and was immediately charmed by the place.
Italian football flags adorned the ceiling, and flickering candles added that classic romantic feel.
It wasn’t particularly busy upon arrival, but Viva Roma Express which is right next door, was doing a roaring trade.
Back in the restaurant, and the staff were very attentive without being overbearing.
They also had a huge amount of patience, and came back a grand total of three times to take our order.
That’s what happens when you finally get to chat without children hanging off your legs, you cram in every word possible.
Once we paused for breath, we looked over the menu in earnest and found it impressive from the offset.
The food
There was pre starters, which the world needs more of in my opinion, alongside hot and cold options plus salads.
Kristin was mighty taken by Carpaccio di Bresaola, thinly cured beef slices dressed with extra virgin olive oil and parmesan shaving.
I had my heart set on Gamberoni alla Fiamma, tiger prawns sautéed in garlic, white wine and butter lemon sauce.
I had a change of heart at the last minute however, and opted for Cozze Marinara.
It’s rare I have the opportunity to dine out on mussels, and decided on a white wine sauce as opposed to tomato.
Kristin decided on Calamari Fritti, and we settled back to enjoy the atmosphere.
We loved the fact that we could talk without struggling to hear each other, despite the fact that the restaurant grew steadily busier.
The starters took a little longer to come than I had anticipated, but as the menu states, you can’t rush perfection.
The dishes were also very much worth the wait.
My mussels were served in a bowl, complete with a small bowl of water for finger dipping.
They were beautifully cooked, but it was the sauce that had me swooning.
Having thoroughly dunked two pieces of garlic bread, I then took up my spoon and tucked in.
I can’t really explain it over than to say it was all kind of lemony, a hint of cream and 100% delicious.
I finished every single clam, and would definitely order the dish again.
On the other side of the table, Kristin was equally complimentary of the calamari.
Hats off to the chef, it was beautifully cooked in a delicious light tempura style batter.
They were nice thin rings so that they were not over cooked and chewy. I can confirm from first hand experience, having managed to sneak a bite.
The Marie Rose sauce that was served with them was the right side of sweet, and Kristin suspects it was a lot more than just mayo and ketchup mixed together.
Our plates were cleared away in a timely manner, and our mains arrived promptly.
You can’t go to an Italian restaurant and not sample pizza, a dish I will always have a long standing love affair with.
It was a difficult choice to make however, because there was also an extensive list of pastas, steaks, chicken and sea food.
I selected Pizza Funghi e Prosciutto, which sounds a little less exotic when translated as mushroom and ham.
It was a generous portion and arrived already sliced, on a rustic wooden chopping board.
I asked for garlic mayonnaise for added dipping, and got stuck in.
The base was light and crispy without a single hint of stodge, and the cheese hadn’t been layered so thick as to be greasy.
The tomato base added further flavour, and I only admitted defeat with three slices left to go.
Kristin was made of stronger stuff, having selected Tortelloni al Funghi Crema.
This consisted of pasta stuffed with spinach and cheese, complete with mushroom cream sauce.
It arrived bubbling hot to the table, topped with delicious oozy melted mozzarella.
The pasta was cooked perfectly, and the filling was firm enough to be a good contrast with the sauce.
There was also a good balance of spinach and cheese, while the sauce was fresh, light and a great compliment to the cannelloni.
Kristin’s only regret, she wished she had ordered some bread to mop up the very last of the sauce and cheese from the dish.
With my leftover pizza tucked into a box, you would have thought we’d call it quits.
It seemed rude not to at least glance at the Dolci menu however, and one thing led to another.
Again, I’m a stickler for a classic and chose Tiramisu.
Kristin went rogue and rejected profiteroles in favour of Cassata Siciliano, which is Cream and pistachio ice cream, dried fruit and chocolate chip.
Both dishes arrived quickly and oh my, I was in Dolci heaven.
My coffee layered dessert was polished off in seconds, and I’m not even ashamed of the speed at which I devoured it.
Not too strong on the coffee front, and the cream, next level. It was almost fluffy in texture, and the sponge hadn’t gone soggy.
Kristin’s pudding came in its own individual wrapper, very reminiscent of what you would buy from an ice cream counter in Italy.
The pistachio ice-cream was lacking in flavour, but the cream ice-cream was delicious.
It was sweet, creamy and had an almost sherbet texture.
Kristin would also have liked a bit more dried fruit, but her main gripe was the paper doily.
Although it looked pretty, by the time she was about halfway through eating, the paper was very wet and soggy.
Doily strife aside, we had such an enjoyable evening.
The verdict
The staff could not do enough for us, and we were particularly impressed with our young server.
Our bill came to £54, which left us gobsmacked. I challenge you to find better value for money elsewhere.
Information
Address: Viva Roma, 55-57 Market Place, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, AB51 3PY
Contact: 01467 621378
Cost: £54
