I have been waiting with bated breath for the new restaurant, Coterie, to open at The Ferryhill House Hotel in Aberdeen.
The restaurant reopened at the end of February after an eight-week closure and a “six-figure” refurbishment.
At the restaurant’s launch event, I got a glimpse of just how gorgeous Coterie is.
But would the food match the stunning new interior?
I booked for a date night with my boyfriend to test out the food on the new restaurant’s menu.
Greenery and elegance draws you into Coterie
As food and drink journalist here at the P&J, I have seen many renovated restaurants.
And oftentimes the “renovation” is little more than a lick of paint and some new tablecloths.
So I was delighted to see that there had been a genuine change at the Ferryhill House Hotel’s restaurant.
The restaurant has new wallpaper, photographs, flooring and more, and it all looks sleek and stylish.
But it is the conservatory that is the most striking.
The newly exposed bare – original – brick adds a rustic feel that you don’t expect when you step inside the hotel.
The chic, dark feel of the restaurant has been utilised to the full extent, made all the more dramatic by downlights over diners’ heads.
Plumes of greenery adorn the ceiling and light fixtures.
But the foliage is far from tacky.
Mirrors and windows in the dividing wall give an illusion of a bigger space and keep the area from becoming cramped.
We’re seated in the conservatory and immediately provided with water for the table as we peruse the menu.
The staff are attentive and chatty; a young team who have been trained well.
Were the scallops up to scratch at Ferryhill House, Aberdeen?
The menu at Coterie Aberdeen has various European delights, the likes of French onion soup, Italian mussels and serrano chicken.
My boyfriend Michael and I both have some trouble deciding what to have. There is so much variety in the options that he says you could come here time and again and try something completely different each time.
I point out that we haven’t tried a single bite yet, and we may not want to come here again.
But I hope we do.
To start us off, we go for their bread and butter (£4).
The bread is soft and fluffy, but the butter is a bit too hard to spread. Nit-picky, I know, but it’s better when the butter has been softened slightly into a usable state.
For our starters, I finally settle on the Shetland scallops (£15) and Michael the duck croquettes (£8.50).
Our starters are presented beautifully. But do they taste as good as they look?
The moment I close my mouth around my first bite of scallop, I’m grinning.
Its exterior is crispy, but this doesn’t translate to a chewy, overcooked middle.
The meat of the scallop is soft, buttery and tender. Utterly delicious.
The pine nuts are a lovely addition, providing a satisfying nutty crunch to each forkful. And the salty hit of the dish’s parmesan and truffle emulsion pairs beautifully with the mellow flavour of the scallops.
Michael’s starter is just as flavourful.
The croquette coating is crispy, and the sweet and tart plum jam makes the perfect accompaniment for the duck.
The crunchy red cabbage tastes lovely and fresh.
Our mains at Coterie: disappointing or delicious?
Again, it is hard to pick a main dish.
Michael quickly calls dibs on the Wiener Schnitzel (£22) – git – so I opt for the seafood linguine (£28).
The price is partly what intrigues me. What is so good about a pasta dish that it constitutes to nearly 30 quid?
When my plate arrives, I get it. It is enormous.
At least five scallops, the same number of prawns, and possibly ten or 12 mussels.
This could easily be split between two and you’d still be stuffed.
But quantity does not equal quality, though I am delighted to say that the dish is delicious, not just generous.
The pasta isn’t drowned in a sickly, overly creamy or bland sauce that so often is slapped on top of good seafood.
Instead, the sauce is a light mix of white wine, butter, lemon, garlic and dill.
The silky mixture hugs the seafood, and coats the lovely al dente linguine.
The scallops, prawns and mussels are perfectly cooked, and I’m shocked by the size of the prawns and mussels, both of which are the size of my thumb.
I could have drank this sauce. Coterie – bottle it for me, please!
The Wiener Schnitzel is another huge portion.
Piles of crisp, fresh butterhead lettuce have been tossed in a refreshing citrus and mustard vinaigrette.
The veal escalope is thin and crispy, coated in a flavourful breading, and the accompanying potatoes are nice and soft.
I have to fight to get a bite of this, but it is well worth it. Another delicious main.
We also tried the truffle and parmesan fries (£5), which are tasty, but the chips could have been a smidge crispier.
Coterie Aberdeen nails dessert – almost…
I am too full for dessert, but for the sake of review – I know, I know, poor me – we decide to try the chocolate ganache tart (£9).
The slice of chocolate heaven is filling and thick, and the delicious white chocolate ice cream alongside is excellent, with flakes of chocolate throughout.
However, on my visit it is topped with – I swear – watercress? This odd choice is jarring alongside the lovely rich dessert and it seems out of place.
But I avoid it and enjoy the tart itself thoroughly.
Verdict
I wasn’t expecting to be so blown away by Coterie in Aberdeen.
Restaurants inside hotels are rarely so impressive. But the menu here, which is crafted with care and skill – alongside the notably faultless service – help to secure Coterie’s place on Aberdeen’s food and drink scene.
We will definitely be returning for date night, and I would recommend you do the same.
The restaurant was filled with couples of all generations enjoying a romantic, dimly-lit dinner together.
The Ferryhill House Hotel has clearly succeeded in appealing to younger generations with its revamp, while still maintaining the love of customers who have been visiting together for decades.
Scores:
Food: 4.5/5
Service: 5/5
Surroundings: 5/5
Information:
Address: The Ferryhill House Hotel, 169 Bon-Accord St, Aberdeen AB11 6UA
Tel: 01224 590867
Website: https://www.ferryhillhousehotel.co.uk/
Disabled access: Yes.
Dog-friendly: Outside, but not inside.
Price: £106.80 for one glass of wine, two soft drinks, bread and butter, two starters, two mains, one dessert, and a side of fries.
Read our latest restaurant reviews online here, or every Saturday in the food and drink magazine, The Menu.
Conversation