It’s that time of the month again where Team Society explores some of the best lunch options that Aberdeen has to offer.
Upperkrust, All Bar One and Parx Café have all come up trumps on our hitlist so far.
Office colleagues have watched in jealousy as we’ve devoured meal after meal of lunchtime delights all in the name of top Society content, of course.
But how did Rose Street’s DejaVu Sandwich Bar fare when we visited last week?
After easily placing our order online, fellow Society writer Rosie and I walked along from the office to check out the goods.
The Venue
DejaVu is a homely, unpretentious sandwich bar.
The vast amount of space it holds inside looks deceiving from the small exterior. Neon lights and chalkboard menus also added a touch of style to the venue’s decor.
As well as having menu favourites and a host of sandwich, roll, panini and wrap fillings at your fingertips, there’s also ice cream available which is ideal to keep the kids happy.
We were greeted warmly by the five-strong team of staff when we entered and our order was already waiting to be whisked off back to the office – though if we could’ve, we would’ve definitely chosen to sit at the venue’s outside tables in the sun and watch the world go by.
The Food
Having confessed to not having any dinner the night before, Rosie was definitely “Hank Marvin.”
So, we thought we’d spoil ourselves a little with our lunch order of three mains and some chocolate truffles to finish things off.
First up was Rosie’s choice of a chicken satay panini (£4.90), topped with homemade satay sauce, mozzarella and peppers.
She was very impressed with the peanutty flavours and textures of the creamy, homemade satay sauce as well as the tenderness of the chicken and gooey mozzarella.
Initially unsure about the peppers before ordering, their colour brightened up the dish whilst also adding extra crunch and texture.
She was also delighted with the little bonus side of crisps (it’s as though DejaVu sensed her hunger before arriving) and enjoyed her meal overall.
Fancying the sound of the venue’s line caught tuna salad (£5.95) when glancing at its menu, I thought I’d give it a bash and see if the fish lived up to the mark.
A sea of summer colours awaited upon opening its box: green cucumber, red tomatoes, yellow peppers and, of course, the tuna mayo was plentiful in portion size.
Two accompanying sauces also came with the salad (the green, aromatic Yemen sauce was very nice) and though the tuna was flavourful and tasty, I didn’t quite notice the leap in quality I was looking for, unfortunately.
However, with the other main I opted for, we’d definitely found the venue’s star dish.
The halloumi delight flatbread (£6.95) was nothing short of phenomenal.
As well as housing indulgent grilled halloumi, the flatbread came with crispy falafel, hummus, a mix of Yemen and hot Caribbean sauces as well as salad, pickles and refreshingly zingy tabbouleh (a traditional Levantine salad made with herbs and bulgur wheat).
You could tell from the first bite that this was a winner. Its Middle Eastern flavours with the tabbouleh and Yemen sauce shone through the most.
Hints of Greece with the halloumi and subtle heat from the Caribbean hot sauce also blended well together to create a fusion of flavours – I’d honestly never had anything like it.
The toasted flatbread was also light and not too glutinous. Unable to finish the full foot-long dish myself, Rosie duly lapped up the other half and, like me, immediately began singing its praises.
If you’re looking for an Aberdeen lunch option that tastes of summer, this flatbread is a must-have.
Mesmerised by this dish, I still made sure to leave a bit of room for the Nutella truffles (£2.50).
Listed under the venue’s home bakes section of its menu, the three truffles were a little smaller than a golf ball in size and brought back memories of home economics in school with their classic, hazelnut and chocolate flavours – because who doesn’t love Nutella, right?
The Verdict
Satisfyingly full, Rosie and I both gave each other a nod of contentment after finishing our lunchtime feast from DejaVu.
The sandwich bar delivered on several fronts, with value for money the main one of them.
Our total order for three mains and a home bake came to a very reasonable £20.30 and given the portion size for each dish, there were no qualms when it came to price.
Flavours from the homemade satay sauce and Nutella truffles impressed, while the halloumi delight took the flavour scale to a whole new level.
With a plethora of positive online reviews already attached to DejaVu Sandwich Bar, you can also add this one to the list – we’ll be back.
Cost: £20.30 for three mains and a home bake.
Address: 55D Rose St, Aberdeen AB10 1UB
Website: www.dejavu.uk.com
P: 01224 624488
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