Kirk View Cafe

Review from Aberdeen Inspired

With some colleagues visiting from Glasgow for the day, we needed a spot for lunch and thought were better than Kirk View Café to showcase the foodie offering of Aberdeen. They have a brilliant lunch deal for ARW, of 2 tapas dishes plus a dessert for £10, although worth noting there is a supplement cost for some of the dishes, but even this still offers excellent value for money. I was excited to visit their new venue on Belmont Street and see what they’d done with the place.

Having settled ourselves in the bright airy restaurant, we perused the menu and made our selection with 3 of us ordering the breaded haddock strips along with a few portions of chunky chips, the mini halloumi burgers, chicken, parma ham and sun-dried tomato risotto and finally the garlic and chilli king prawn skewers. The restaurant was really busy and with only one chef in the kitchen (which is now on full view to the restaurant) it took a while for the food to arrive, but it was worth the wait. I particularly enjoyed the haddock which was super fresh and crispy with lovely soft flaky tasty fish. The halloumi burgers were served on chunky bread instead, making it a bit trickier to taste the halloumi properly inside, but was still very nice. Everyone else really enjoyed their food too before we turned our attention to the dessert menu.

The cheesecake was already sold out, so we opted for triple chocolate brownie and sticky toffee pudding. The desserts sizes were small but rich meaning they were perfectly portioned. I’m a bit of a brownie connoisseur and this was one of the best I’ve ever had, deliciously gooey and perfectly accompanies with fresh vanilla ice cream and some melted chocolate. It looked so good that I forgot to take a picture before I started eating it! I literally scraped the plate and will be remembering to order it next time I’m back. The sticky toffee pudding was drowning in silky toffee sauce which looked so nice and plates were again cleared completely by everyone.

All in all, I’d wholeheartedly recommend Kirk View Café, especially during ARW for their excellent deals – they are also offering dinner for £25.

Check out their menu's here

8848 Restaurant

Review from @foodiequine

What a treat to kick off Aberdeen Inspired Restaurant Week with dinner at 8848.

For ARW they are offering a set dinner menu at £25 a head so we didn't have to make any choices - just sit back and relax and wait for the dishes to arrive.

Our welcome drink of 'Safron sharbat' was served in opulent martini glasses alongside Poppadoms and chutneys. It's always a game of roulette working out which is the super spicy one! Our starter was Indian Burger 8848 style. This is a popular Indian street food snack consisting of a spiced potato patty in a bun. Super tasty, nicely presented and with a bit of a kick. I didn't dare try the whole chilli on the top!

The main event was a Thali consisting of lamb, chicken, dal, rice and bread. Thali means plate and our colourful platters provided a perfect introduction to 8848's food with a wee bit of everything. Lamb is my usual choice when dining Indian, the Akabari Lamb was a wee bit on the spicy side for me (I noticed afterwards that there are two chillies next to it on the menu) but it was my husband's favourite. The Kathmandu Butter Chicken Masala was smooth, rich and creamy but the standout dish for me was the Dal Makhani. Oh my goodness this was amazingly good. The description from their menu sums it up perfectly - the king of dals made with black lentils slowly cooked for 24 hours in a creamy tomato sauce with fenugreek and ginger garlic paste. Saffron Pilau Rice and Phulka were the perfect accompaniments and I was glad that I saved my bread to wipe up the last traces of the sauces from all three of my bowls.

To finish we enjoyed Mango Kheer. I expected this rice pudding dish to be cold but it was served warm. Made with long grain rather than pudding rice it did make me somewhat nostalgic for school dinners. The perfect comforting way to round off our meal.

The Thail option is an inspired choice to introduce new diners to 8848 and is also available in both Vegetarian and Vegan - you just need to ask.

Your #ARW2022 table is waiting for you at 8848 up until Friday 18th March.
Be sure to tell them that I sent you!

See Claire's full Instagram post here

Kin Kao Thai

Review from Aberdeen Inspired

Lovers of Thai food won't be disappointed if you're heading to Kin Kao for Aberdeen Restaurant Week. We started with the spicy fish cakes and spring rolls, both served with a tasty sweet chilli dip. For our main we ordered a delicious creamy Panang Curry with vegetables and tofu and the classic Pad Thai dish. For only £10 at lunchtime this is an offer not to be missed! If you are heading out to Kin Kao for dinner you can get three courses for £25.

Check out their menu's here.

Mi Amore

Review from Aberdeen Inspired

If, like me, you haven’t been for a while but have fond memories, you want be disappointed. Mi Amore has had a makeover but retains its authentic feel and cosy, friendly atmosphere. Staff are attentive, efficient and friendly. The service was faultless throughout. The Aberdeen Restaurant Week set menu is extensive with a large selection for each of the three courses. We started with the traditional cheesy garlic bread and a new take on chicken wings. These were served in a traditional Italian tomato sauce and made for a really tasty, original and sizable starter. Result! Mains were traditional Penne Piccantora, very tasty and again a large portion and veal in a mushroom and cream sauce with roast potatoes and vegetables. This was excellent with the side dishes cooked to perfection. The meal was rounded off with tiramisu and strawberry cheesecake which, like the rest of the evening, was generous and very palatable. If you like Italian food and have a decent appetite them this is a superb deal and a first class evening. Not to be missed so check out the menu on our website here.