Category: Review

Review

Quick lunch – meat board at Buchanan’s

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I’m off for a couple of days which gave a great opportunity to meet my brother for lunch. He’s recently started working for Woodend Barn, a local arts and music venue. Last year it completed an extension to the main building which includes a small restaurant called Buchanan’s.

The room is bright, sometimes a little too bright should you sit by the large glass windows on a sunny summer’s day. However the views over the fields towards Crathes are worth that little discomfort. It feels very comfortable with a relaxed atmosphere and a varied range of tables. They’ve also added a long table in the centre with newspapers and books for their more casual visitors. Continue reading “Quick lunch – meat board at Buchanan’s” →

Drink, Review

An afternoon in Brewdog and The Athenaeum

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Saturday was the semi-final of the Scottish League Cup. Aberdeen played Celtic and lost 4-1, as the penalty which lead to the fourth goal was awarded I made my way out of a packed Irish pub in an Aberdeen side street with my brother, disgusted at the 30 minutes of football we’d just witnessed. Giving up on the game we decided to try to find a better way to spend the afternoon.

I haven’t written about Brewdog despite them being a big local (and national) story over the last couple of years. That’s because I’m not really a big fan of their beer. I love their attitude and they certainly have a fantastic knack for promotion. The Fraserburgh based brewery has been a huge success since they began in 2007 and have done a superb job of getting up the noses of the more established brands and the booze establishment. They seem to have caught the general public’s imagination and are converting a large number of young drinkers into fans of IPA and steering them away from bland, commercial lager. Continue reading “An afternoon in Brewdog and The Athenaeum” →

Review

The Bay, Stonehaven

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After getting a good kicking at a taekwondo tournament in Montrose on Sunday (a long, frustrating day which saw me go out in the first round of every event) I decided to cheer myself up on the drive home. As I just happened to be going past Stoney I decided to head to the beach for a fish supper. Continue reading “The Bay, Stonehaven” →

Review

An excessive carbonara lunch

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I’m so stuffed! It’s my own fault as usual though. The one thing that sticks in my memory about Pappagallos in Aberdeen is that the portions are massive. So why did I choose lunchtime to forget about it? Continue reading “An excessive carbonara lunch” →

The Marine Hotel
Review

Lunch at the Marine Hotel, Stonehaven

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We had a trip to Stonehaven this afternoon to look after the family dog while my folks were away for the day, so we thought we’d take the opportunity to have some lunch down at the harbour. Stonehaven harbour on a sunny summer’s day is a great place to go and spend some time. When the sun’s shining the sea wall is full of people sitting around enjoying a few pints from the pubs on the quayside and contemplating which one to have dinner in or whether to trade up to the well regarded Tolbooth seafood restaurant further round the bay or to head into the town centre for other fare. There’s certainly plenty of choice anyway. Continue reading “Lunch at the Marine Hotel, Stonehaven” →