If you’re in the mood to try something a little different this Aberdeen Restaurant Week then the team at How Bao Now and 99 Bar and Kitchen have just the deal.
Partnering for the event, the Asian-inspired caterer is giving customers the opportunity to try four of their bao buns, with a side and a salad for just £25 for two.
Having tried their bao buns previously, I was looking forward to sampling more of their menu as part of their promotion.
My boyfriend and I headed to the bar on Back Wynd in the city centre last week to try some of the food, and even got to sample their Bellini that is being offered as an add on – £12 for two to be precise.
The peach drink was incredibly refreshing and was “subtly sweet” as my boyfriend put it. He wasn’t in the mood to drink so stuck to a Diet Coke while I sipped away at my Bellini for the majority of the meal.
99 Bar and Kitchen is a quirky haunt and somewhere you’ll find all walks of life. Be that someone looking for a chat and a drink at the bar, someone enjoying a quick bite after work, or groups of students and office workers meeting for a pre-night out or post work drinks.
The food
Not one to miss out, we decided to try four different flavours and cut them in half to sample as much as we could.
Cameron, one of the 99 team, suggested we tried the broccoli salad over the sweet potato, as it is his favourite, so we took his lead and ordered the broccoli.
For the side, it was the bang bang chicken that prevailed, and we were both glad we ordered it as it was our favourite dish of the night.
The six chicken pieces were lightly battered and weren’t too crispy which meant the outer casing soaked up lots of the Buffalo style sauce.
They had a slight warming kick to them, but it was subtle and subdued quickly. The dish was finished off with black sesame seeds, finely chopped green and red chillies, and fresh spring onion, and each piece of chicken was boneless.
It was divine.
Each of the buns were great, but we did have our favourite – the Korean barbecue brisket. I’ve had this one before and I added the barbecue finish which featured pickled carrots, gouchujang mayonnaise, spring onions and crushed peanuts.
The sauces complemented one another so incredibly well and the intense barbecue flavours were just perfect. The texture of the crunchy peanuts against the soft, sweet bun worked so well, and the meat was soft yet still incredibly juicy.
Closely following this one was the smoky Teriyaki tofu with the fresh finish.
The tofu itself was so smoky and wasn’t tough or rubbery at all and the pickled cucumber, confit garlic mayonnaise, radish and sesame seeds added acid to the dish which balanced out the sweet yet saltier Teriyaki.
In the char siu pork belly bites bun there was lots of small pieces of pork. They reminded me of the burnt ends you’d get in a barbecue joint.
The crunchy toppings of pickled cabbage and crispy onion added that much-needed crunch, however I didn’t think the onions were overly crispy, albeit delicious.
The salt and pepper fried chicken was enjoyable, but lacked the punchy flavours the others boasted.
My boyfriend thought it needed a little more chicken in it to fill it out like the others and there seemed to be a big bit of onion through it, but only on one side so only he experienced this. The chicken was cooked well and was similar to the bang bang one, minus the sauce.
We’d added the hot finish with kimchi, sriracha mayonnaise and sesame, but it wasn’t really hot as such.
The buns in general were soft, fluffy and slightly sweet. They held the ingredients well and didn’t inhibit the flavours.
The only downside to the experience was the broccoli salad bowl. The broccoli itself was tasty, well cooked and tossed in the tahini sauce, however, the pile of rocket which was hidden underneath the stems was so overpowering, and there was so much of it that majority of the dish was rocket.
There were no peanuts as stated on the menu, but plenty chickpeas which were a great addition.
The verdict
If you’re looking for something a little bit different and fancy bagging two drinks for £12 then a trip to 99 Bar and Kitchen should be your go-to.
Service was as attentive as it always is in the cocktail bar, and the team are on hand to advise which buns and finishes go best.
If you are indecisive, get the brisket, it won’t disappoint.
Information
Address: 1 Back Wynd, Aberdeen, AB10 1JN
T: 01224 631640