Saturday nights out in wintry Aberdeen leave you spoilt for choice for restaurants eager to welcome you through their warm doors.
210 Bistro is one of them. Based by the city’s harbour, this multi-faceted, four-floor space is popular for both business events and casual dining.
Its reputation is solid among Granite City locals, with food offerings in its restaurant hosting much-loved classics alongside stylish, seasonal specialities.
Visiting for the first time, a friend and I braved the walk in the ice-shattering wind before heading upstairs to see what 210 Bistro had to offer.
210 Bistro
You can usually expect hospitality venues to be busy come Saturday night; if anything, it’s a reassuring sign for most debutants to a place they’ve never been before.
But my lord, this was one busy restaurant!
Various group bookings packed up most of the floor space while candle-lit booths welcomed a few couples.
The decor was minimal but stylish, pairing with dim lighting for an atmospheric feel.
Though we were taken to a table in the middle of the floor, we made sure to glance at the night lit views of the harbour outside, one of 210 Bistro’s star attractions.
Being a music fan, I’m not shy of loud volumes. But at times, the rowdiness of some guests was ear-piercing, making things feel more like a noisy pub rather than a restaurant.
Nonetheless, the pair of us browsed the menu and ordered our food and drinks.
We were informed that there would be a bit of an extra wait due to how busy they were inside – no problem on our end, but top marks for noting us both in advance.
The food
It was clear that the staff were in for a tough night of service from the get-go. But it’s fair to say they managed well in the circumstances.
After opening up our bottle of wine, two small plates arrived to whet our appetites before our larger courses made an appearance.
A bread board with butter and dipping oils was ideal for sharing while the caprese tartlet – made with halloumi, balsamic vinegar and basil pesto – really packed a delightful, flavourful punch considering it was pretty petite.
Our starters arrived shortly after. I opted for the game terrine, brought together with pistachio, sauce gribiche (a cold egg sauce) and sat atop a beautifully orange-coloured apricot puree.
The terrine itself was a tad on the dry side and it would’ve been nice if the apricot puree had a bit more of a fruity zing to it. However, the combination of the two together did blend really nicely and by no means was I left feeling disappointed.
My friend’s dish of chanterelle spinach bao buns looked and tasted the part.
Bright green in colour, diverse in textures and tongue-tingling in sweet and sour taste sensations, this dish impressed on all fronts and its portion size was ample for the main courses ahead.
Butternut ravioli was my choice of main course.
The elegant presentation made this the stand-out dish of the evening in terms of looks and the flavours certainly matched its impressive visuals.
Scatterings of pumpkin seeds brought a lovely, warming crunch while the accompanying butternut terrine was perfectly roasted and delicately balanced.
The ravioli itself was delicious. But it was a shame to only receive three pieces on the plate alongside a rather large terrine – I personally would’ve liked to have had more of the main attraction.
Beer battered haddock, one of the restaurant’s most requested dishes, was my friend’s choice of main course.
“One of the best battered fish I’ve had,” was immediately how they described it and snatching a small bite for myself, I agreed.
The batter was so perfectly crisp it was worthy of scraping your knife across. The fish inside was plentiful in size and cooked expertly well.
The accompanying chips and tartare sauce were also worthy of high praise, though the only minor thing that was missing was a little wedge of lemon to enhance the flavours of the dish even further.
The verdict
Having reviewed restaurants for only one year, stepping into 210 Bistro was the first time where I felt that the pressure of an exceptionally busy evening may have impacted our overall experience.
But what you’ll find here regardless of such circumstances is quality food, hospitable staff and a restaurant space offering some of the best views in Aberdeen.
The menu choices are ideal for both fussy and explorative eaters alike, while the price ranges are also very reasonable compared to some other restaurants in the city.
Extra little touches of finesse would’ve heightened our evening.
But overall, 210 Bistro is an amiable restaurant that I would be happy to visit again.
Information
Address: 210 Market Street, Aberdeen AB11 5PQ
T: 01224 211857
Price: £78.50 for two small plates, two starters, two mains and a battle of wine.
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