Restaurant review: The Chester Hotel serves up elegant dishes

With a resplendent reputation that precedes itself, The Chester Hotel has long been a jewel in the crown of Aberdeen’s thriving restaurant scene.

In fact just last month, the renowned hotel became the only property in the city to be awarded a four-star silver rating from the AA.

Impressed by the way staff anticipated guest needs, inspectors also said the hotel’s IX Restaurant served “enjoyable cuisine with integrity and genuine care.”

Having never visited before, my partner Andy and I decided to see what all the fuss was about and booked a table on a wintry Friday night.

The Chester Hotel

Located in Queen’s Road, one of the city’s most illustrious addresses, The Chester Hotel instantly gives off an air of elegance thanks to its striking 19th century granite exterior.

It’s not only the exterior that oozes opulence though as the rich and decadently dark interior creates a sumptuous and sophisticated vibe.

Warmly greeted by one of the waiting staff, we were shown to our table, passing the stylish bar area with booths and open seating and making our way up a few steps to the restaurant.

I was delighted that our table had a bird’s eye view over the buzzing open kitchen area.

Drinking in the chic surroundings – think velvet, grey and leather upholstery – we both swooned over the statement, lit up wine fridge that is built across two walls and reached for the wine list.

The Chester Hotel certainly knows how to whip up a good cocktail. Image: Rosemary Lowne

The food

Having both skipped lunch in preparation for our meal, we were ravenous to say the least.

Greedily scanning the menu, one dish immediately caught my attention, the firecracker prawns (£14.95).

A delicious kaleidoscope of colour, the prawns were served in a bright red sauce and topped with a vibrant green coriander salad with a slab of sourdough on the side.

The firecracker prawns brought some heat to a wintry night. Image: Rosemary Lowne

Not just a pretty sight on the plate, the firecracker prawns also tasted amazing with the spiciness of the fiery sauce cutting through the slight sweetness of the succulent prawns.

I don’t like my food to be too spicy but this dish was the perfect heat for my palate.

The sauce was so good in fact that I used the tasty sourdough to mop it all up.

Opposite me, Andy happily tucked into the braised pig cheek polenta with parmesan and gremolata (£12).

Meltingly tender with a rich, deep flavour, he raved about the pig cheek.

The braised pig cheek polenta with parmesan and gremolata received top marks. Image: The Chester Hotel

Adding texture and creaminess to the dish was the vibrant yellow Italian porridge polenta while the green gremolata sauce with parsley, lemon zest and garlic brought a zingy sharpness to the party.

More than satisfied after our starters, we sank back into our seats, sipping on our drinks and eyeing up some of the dishes being ferried to other tables.

Leaving us the right amount of time to let our starters go down, our mains arrived at the table.

Although the steaks and burgers had caught my eye, I couldn’t resist the whole grilled plaice (£24).

Wonderfully soft and flaky, the plaice was a seafood lover’s dream especially as it was topped with the most delicious sweet and salty brown shrimps.

The whole grilled plaice was a seafood sensation. Image: The Chester Hotel

Adding even more flavour and depth to the dish were the salty capers, chives and the beautifully buttery dill sauce which I drenched over the soft new potatoes.

Equally as obsessed with seafood as me, Andy chose the spiced monkfish tail (£27).

With sweet and meaty lobster-like flesh, the subtle flavours of the monkfish worked beautifully with the spiciness of the lentil dahl which did not overpower the fish while mint added afresh and cooling element.

Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, the spiced hand cut chips were also a joy.

The spiced monkfish tail went down very well. Image: The Chester Hotel

Despite feeling stuffed, my sweet tooth wouldn’t let me resist dessert so I ordered the creme brulee with Madagascan vanilla (£9.95).

Now, I’ve tried a fair few creme brulee in my time and this one was a standout.

Rich and creamy with a slightly sweet and tangy flavour, I was in sweet heaven as I used the accompanying cocoa nib shortbread to dip in.

And that slightly burnt sugar topping – wow.

The creme brulee was a triumph at The Chester Hotel. — Check out the shine on that creme brulee. Image: The Chester Hotel

Meanwhile Andy quickly devoured the salted caramel cheesecake with toasted hazelnuts.

A bit of a cheesecake connoisseur, he raved about his dessert describing how the crunch of the toasted hazelnuts worked well with the velvety smoothness of the filling and the buttery biscuit base.

The decadent desserts went down well at The Chester Hotel. — The cheesecake was a work of dessert art. Image: The Chester Hotel

The verdict

Walking off our meal afterwards, we both agreed that the food was simple yet exceptional.

Sometimes restaurants can over complicate dishes or try to be too fancy but we both felt that the hotel’s dishes were excellent without trying too hard.

It wasn’t the most affordable meal out but it is absolutely worth every penny especially if it’s for a special occasion.

In terms of service the staff were attentive and efficient.

So for a beautiful meal in stunning surroundings, The Chester Hotel should be at the top of your list.