Review: Was my meal at well-loved Dyce pub Spider’s Web any good?

Spider’s Web is a well-loved pub in the heart of Dyce, ideally situated next to the train station.

This makes it very popular for the first – or last – drink of the night before or after a trip into Aberdeen.

It’s always heaving out the door, with families, friends and couples enjoying drinks or food together in the cosy space.

I decided to give the food a try, accompanied by my boyfriend Michael.

First impressions of Spider’s Web in Dyce

From the moment we head inside, the staff are friendly and seem pleased to see us.

They don’t know we’re there for a review, so this greeting has me thinking they’re like this with all their customers, which is nice to see.

There’s a buzz about the place when we arrive in the early evening, as old friends catch up around us.

The tellies are showing a football game – about which I am clueless – but it’s clearly entertaining many of the pubgoers.

This adds to the feeling that I’m eating in someone’s living room (in a good way).

There’s also a woman selling raffle tickets, a wholesome addition to our visit which makes it clear that Spider’s Web is a real part of the Dyce community.

The laid-back attitude from the waiting staff who act like we’re old friends is very welcome too.

Did starters impress on my Spider’s Web Dyce review?

After experiencing this casual atmosphere and venue, I was expecting a wholly casual menu.

There are a range of options on offer, including pub grub like fajitas, macaroni and cheese and burgers.

But some other options are a bit more upmarket, including the braised shin of beef.

For my starter, I went for the baked camembert (£8.25). This is a sizeable portion, consisting of an entire camembert, served with crusty bread and homemade chutney.

The cheese is baked perfectly, with the soft, creamy and tangy camembert melted until it has become a more-ish molten delight.

A few garlic cloves and some rosemary have been baked with the cheese, and these add a lovely, tasty touch.

I think this could have been elevated a little with some chopped veg on the side to dip into the cheese, but apart from that I couldn’t fault the simple starter.

Michael loves every bite of his starter. He goes for the crab and shrimp tian (£7.25).

The creamy starter combines flaky crab with chunks of shrimp.

There’s a citrus flavour going through this which makes it both refreshing and flavourful.

The hearty mains at Spider’s Web were up next

The service is prompt but we don’t feel rushed either as we move onto our mains.

The dipping steak is one of the more pricy options on the menu at £19.75, but it has come recommended so I can’t resist ordering it.

It is certainly a sizeable portion for the price.

Layers of thinly-sliced rump steak fill up the plate, which also features three different sauces to accompany it.

This includes the standard peppercorn, but also barbecue bourbon and bacon and stilton.

I’ve always been a fan of peppercorn sauce with steak, so I didn’t think anything could beat it. But the bacon and stilton sauce is excellent.

Spider’s Web – I’d like you to sell this by the bottle please!

It’s creamy and salty, and not too tangy. I really enjoyed it.

Michael had the macaroni and cheese with black pudding (£13.25)

This is one of his favourites, and trying it here some years ago has inspired his family to recreate the dish several times at home.

So, I was expecting great things from the macaroni and cheese at Spider’s Web.

This dish lived up to those high expectations.

The portion is huge for the price, and the topping is crisped to perfection.

There’s none of that bland, strong taste of flour in the sauce that usually makes me wary of ordering this dish myself.

The amount of black pudding is generous too, though very rich.

Verdict

Our dinner at Spider’s Web was lovely, with spot-on food and notably friendly service.

There’s a really nice welcoming atmosphere in the place, and it’s great for a quick bite or some catch-up drinks.

The décor is perhaps in need of a slight update in places, and it gets a wee bit noisy. But that is part of the atmosphere you expect at a local pub.

For a casual date night, it’s perfect.

Information

Address: 19-21 Station Rd, Dyce, Aberdeen AB21 7BA

T: 01224 772092

W: https://www.spiderswebpub.co.uk/

Price: £63.50 for two starters, two mains, two soft drinks and a glass of wine.

Disabled access: Yes, but no disabled toilet, though they have plans to include this in a refurbishment next year.

Dog friendly: Yes.

Scores: 

Food: 4/5
Service: 5/5
Surroundings: 3/5