It’s not every day that you’re treated to a glittering light show before dinner.
But that is exactly what happened as my other half and I made our way through the huge crowds who had turned out in force to soak up Spectra, the city’s urban light festival.
Stopping to admire Union Terrace Gardens in all its illuminated glory, it really lifted the spirits to see Aberdeen abuzz with excitement as we made our way to The Terrace, the new bar/cafe at His Majesty’s Theatre.
Word on the street has been positive about the new space since it opened in December last year.
So we decided to ditch the oven gloves and washing up for the night and head out to the Rosemount Viaduct venue to sample the wares.
The Terrace
Walking into the theatre foyer, a friendly staff member directed us up the stairs to The Terrace.
First impressions were excellent as a friendly server quickly appeared and showed us to our seats.
With the streets so busy outside it was a surprise to find that the spacious cafe was largely empty apart from two other tables who were in for drinks.
After shedding the winter layers, I sat and drank in the super-modern surroundings.
From futuristic lighting and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Union Terrace Gardens, to the replica tree festooned with fairy lights and leftover Christmas baubles, the interiors set a chic and stylish tone.
The only minor faux pas was the rather tall and imposing metal table number holders that we ended up moving out the way.
From the word go the service was faultless as our server quickly placed a large bottle of water on the table before we even had the chance to ask.
Relaxed and raring to go, we wasted no time in scanning the menu to see what tasty treats were on offer.
The food
Made up of 12 small plates, five specials and four desserts, the menu was easy to navigate.
From Cajun chicken skewers and a homemade hummus bowl to Korean cauliflower buffalo wings and torpedo prawns, the small plate menu was oozing with options.
After much deliberation, we decided to share three small plates: halloumi fries, katsu fries and garlic and wine prawns.
After putting our order in, we asked if we could move over to one of the window seats so we could enjoy the glowing Union Terrace Gardens and our server was only too happy to oblige, kindly helping us to move our drinks over.
Sitting back and enjoying the light show with a nice glass of white wine really was the perfect apéritif.
Our dishes arrived quickly so we dug right in.
The star of the small plates was undoubtedly the halloumi fries.
All too often, halloumi can be overcooked, leaving it rubbery and a bit too chewy in texture, but in this case the cheese was gooey perfection and ideal for dunking into the accompanying sriracha mayonnaise.
Also tasty were the katsu fries served with a sweet flavoured katsu sauce, fresh chilli, cheese and spring onions.
This dish also came with cheddar type orange cheese which we both felt was an unnecessary addition.
Seafood obsessed, my other half enthusiastically forked one of the juicy king prawns, served in a garlic and Chardonnay sauce with toasted ciabatta.
We both agreed that while not rave worthy, the prawns were tasty enough, although the crusts of the accompanying toast were a bit overdone which was a little disappointing.
On to the mains and there were five options to choose from including breaded fish and chips, a halloumi burger and a Caesar salad.
I opted for the breaded monkfish on flatbread served with dressed rocket with homemade mango salsa and sriracha mayonnaise.
Eyeing up the huge flatbread, which took up the whole plate, I had no idea where to begin.
The breaded monkfish itself was perfectly cooked with a nice crisp to it and a mild sweet flavour.
A tad on the dry side, I struggled to get my fork through the large flatbread and, I hate to say it, but on the whole, I just didn’t feel that it worked with the breaded monkfish and salad.
Perhaps if the flatbread was a little thinner and lighter it would complement the fish a bit better.
Next to me, the other half tucked into his Angus burger with cheese and fries.
Asked for his verdict, he said he found the burger lacking flavour while the cheddar style orange cheese wasn’t especially tasty and the burger bun was a bit over done.
On a positive note though, the fries were a winner as he polished the lot without complaint.
Too stuffed for dessert we instead nursed our wine while taking in the beautiful views towards Union Terrace Gardens before asking for the bill.
The verdict
With excellent staff, wonderful surroundings and an amazing view over Union Terrace Gardens, The Terrace certainly has an awful lot going for it.
To be fair, there might just be a few teething problems with the menu which is understandable given the venue has only been open since December 2022.
As I mentioned, the food was fine and with a few tweaks it could really be something special.
I for one will be returning to The Terrace to sample a few more dishes, especially as the staff were so warm and welcoming.
Information
Address: His Majesty’s Theatre, Rosemount Viaduct, Aberdeen AB25 1GL
T: 01224 641122
W: aberdeenperformingarts.com/the-terrace/
Price: £76 for three small plates, two mains and a bottle of white wine.
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