Everyone knows of The Noose and Monkey, at least if you stay in The Granite City.
Sweeping generalisations aside, the name alone means this much loved spot in Rosemount has had its fair share of loyal clientele over the passing decades.
It just rolls off the tongue and immediately piques your interest, there’s even a fun history lesson behind the title if you’re curious enough to investigate.
Handily located near to His Majesty’s Theatre (HMT), even the building itself seems the perfect fit – nestled into the curve and with that bird’s eye view up Rosemount Viaduct.
It has been in its current guise for 23 years, but was previously known in equally quirky terms as My Father’s Moustache and The Silver Slipper.
I love a bit of personality in the hospitality industry, and this place rests upon a solid past to say the least.
I decided to pay a visit with a good friend and former colleague on a Wednesday night, with a table booked for 7pm.
The Noose and Monkey
First impressions were good, the place was packed and in hindsight, I really should have done my homework.
With the location comes dozens of theatre goers, all with the same idea of picking up a bite to eat prior to the show.
My friend, who really will talk to anyone, discovered that the ballet was on that night having struck up a conversation in mere seconds, which explained the busyness.
No fear, staff had our reservation, but unfortunately the allocated table didn’t follow.
I was told to find a seat, and couldn’t help thinking what would have happened if every table was occupied.
A little reserved sign would surely have done the trick, but having found a decent table, no harm done.
The staff seemed equally surprised by the sheer number of diners, and I eventually gave up waiting for a menu and collected one from behind the bar.
A server was finally able to make her way to the table shortly after a mass exodus, when everyone seemed to vacate the building at once.
Was it something we said?
Hopefully not, and we attributed the departure to the rising of the curtain at HMT.
The food
The main menu was impressive, with a delicious array of starters ranging from Scottish mussels to garlic mushrooms on sourdough.
Unfortunately we were informed that three out of five starters were not available that evening, which could only be linked to the influx of customers earlier on.
I appreciated the pressure the staff were clearly under, but this surely couldn’t be their first rodeo – with pre-theatre dining the norm?
Disappointed but not deterred, we settled on a selection from nibbles and sides.
Priced at £12 for three dishes, we thought this was great value.
We settled on halloumi bites, parmesan, truffle and rosemary rooster fries and the most intriguing gin and tonic onion rings!
The dishes arrived quickly and we dug in.
May I just say, the rooster fries were delicious.
Chunky, fluffy within and so much flavour.
We both agreed they were very moreish, and would definitely order again.
They put the remaining selection in the shade; both wee dishes were nice but not quite as rave worthy.
We couldn’t get any hint of gin and tonic in the onion rings, but did enjoy the contrast of sweet chili dipping sauce for the mozzarella sticks.
Onto the mains, and again the menu was impressive.
Ribeye steak risotto, Scottish scampi tails and smoked cheddar macaroni.
Each dish seemed to offer a twist, and there were plenty of gluten-free and vegan options.
We decided once more on a sharing board, and settled on the aptly named seaboard.
This consisted of mini haddock bites, hot smoked salmon, calamari, whitebait, king prawns, Bloody Mary sauce and house tartare.
A member of staff from the kitchen came to inform us that haddock wasn’t available, but didn’t seem too sure what else was on the board without a menu in front of him.
Having good knowledge of your offering is important in my eyes, and we consulted the menu once more before asking for extra salmon.
It was a pleasant surprise that the board arrived with crusty bread and butter, and there was a good portion of each fishy delight.
The prawns were wonderfully juicy and a fair size, making for a delicious mouthful when dunked into the Bloody Mary sauce – which had a definite kick to it.
The calamari rings offered a similar freshness, and it made a change to not have them encased in batter.
My friend, who as a former food and drink writer really does know her stuff, commented that the whitebait would have been better served piping hot.
It was none the less tasty, and the portion was generous.
We struggled to finish the board, so it’s a great option if you want more selection instead of a set main meal. We stayed for an extra drink, and noticed our dirty glasses weren’t cleared away when we re-ordered.
The verdict
Give the staff their dues, they had clearly been run off their feet and post seven pm felt like a huge comedown from the chaos.
The food on the whole was tasty, and the general atmosphere was certainly lively when we arrived.
I’d love to go back when The Noose and Monkey isn’t quite so busy, to discover if the service and general availability of food is comparable.
One thing’s for sure, this popular spot isn’t going anywhere and despite the hiccups, I can see why.
Information
Address: The Noose and Monkey, 31-35 Rosemount Viaduct, Aberdeen AB25 1NQ
T: 01224 640483
Price: £50 for 3 items from set menu, one sharer, 2 soft drinks and 2 glasses of red wine.
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