Restaurant review: Kirk View Café & Bistro, 47 Belmont Street, Aberdeen

A short walk from His Majesty’s theatre, Kirk View also has a handy pre-theatre menu served between 5pm and 6.30pm.

Location

In the heart of Aberdeen’s vibrant city centre and a short walk to the main bus and rail stations.

First impressions

Bright, modern and relaxed. We arrived super-early for a weekday lunch and had the place virtually to ourselves for a short time, not to mention our wonderful waiter’s undivided attention.

Service

Friendly and swift. Only one glitch, an 8oz rump steak arrived without its pepper sauce as described on the menu, but it was quickly delivered when flagged.

Menu

With menus “inspired by Scotland”, this restaurant boasts a varied all-day offering of meat, fish, potato, bruschetta, veggie and main options along with desserts. We loved the mix of traditional Scots dishes (haggis bon bons) with cosmopolitan plates like breaded Cajun king prawns.

Taste

A party of three, we opted for two main courses – goat cheese salad and a Thai risotto – and a selection of small pates: rump steak, king prawns and paprika halloumi fries. My guest found her steak not as rare as she’d ordered but voted it a “flavoursome, quality piece of meat”. The prawns were voted “big and juicy” and the halloumi fries “cooked to perfection”. Served on fresh beetroot, red onion, cucumber and lettuce the goat’s cheese was a success. The Thai risotto was delicious, with just the right degree of spice.

Ambience

Warm, welcoming and fun. This place has a relaxed vibe and is great for girls’ lunches or afternoon teas, family meals, or romantic dinners.

Price

Given the quality and variety of dishes, plus good service, our bill – with wine, soft drinks and coffee – came to a reasonable £82.50. We even left with a token for 20% our next visit.