My social media has been bombarded with posts about Mediterranean ever since the beautiful new restaurant opened on Thistle Street.
Not that I’m complaining.
I booked a table for my boyfriend Doug and I when they started taking bookings, because I knew we just had to try it.
All the posts on Instagram just built up a lot of hype for me.
We visited on a Wednesday evening, right before going to the theatre and the place was packed.
So what did we think about the newest Aberdeen restaurant?
My first impression of Mediterranean on Thistle Street
After seeing our sneak peek before the restaurant opened, as well as the countless snaps on social media, I knew the venue would be beautiful.
But I wasn’t prepared for just how stunning it was.
The restaurant was well lit, and so bright — but absolutely not in a tacky way — it just felt very fresh.
I didn’t actually know where to look first, I loved how every little detail was so very thoughtful.
It felt like we were sat in a restaurant in the Mediterranean.
After a little bit of coaxing, Doug ordered himself a large glass of nero d’avola red wine (£8.75) while I was on driving duties so had a lemon San Pellegrino (£3.50) while we looked through the menu.
Arancini oozing with mozzarella and generous focaccia portions to start
I was a little spoiled for choice with the starters, and would love to return to order a few as small plates one day because they all sounded lovely.
But, I eventually settled on the arancini mozzarella (£10.50) and my partner ordered the olives and bread (£6.50).
The starters arrived pretty quickly and although simple, looked very pretty.
My three uniform balls of arancini were lovely and crisp on the outside, but stuffed with perfectly cooked rice and oozing mozzarella. It was well complemented by the fragrant basil passata and avocado cream.
I also loved the crispy onions and sprinkling of feta cheese, which added more of a tangy flavour.
Across the table, Doug was happily tucking into his starter. He was given plenty of olives, focaccia, and oil with balsamic to dip the bread in.
He said it paired well with his wine, and he very generously shared some focaccia with me. It was warm, and tasted very fresh, so I was very grateful to be given a slice (or two).
Fresh, vibrant cannelloni and fragrant koftas
Doug is a huge lamb lover, while I don’t care for the meat much.
So he embraced the opportunity and ordered lamb koftas (£21).
These were served with an onion stuffed with rice. Meanwhile, I ordered the zucchini cannelloni (£13.50) and we got a side of the sauteed green beans (£4.75) to share.
Again, we weren’t waiting long before a smiling server brought over our dishes.
My dish was absolutely beautifully presented, I loved how the zucchini stood out against the butternut squash sauce and sundried tomatoes.
The feta, ricotta and spinach filling was luxurious too.
At the time I thought the portion was maybe a little bit small, but perhaps it would have been too much of a good thing.
I had regrets about not ordering the rock salt hasslebacks (£4.75), and asked if it would be possible to get a portion of them too. This was no problem for the staff who happily put it through and got me a portion as soon as possible – even though I assured them there was no rush.
The hassleback potatoes were perfectly crisp outside and fluffy inside, topped with a generous crackling of rock salt. And the sauteed green beans were just as good.
The beans weren’t overdone, so still had some crunch, and I loved the feta and toasted pine nuts throughout, which added texture to the plate.
Doug said his lamb koftas were full of flavour, and the meat was juicy and tender. The onion was stuffed with fragrant rice, that he said was “bursting with flavour” as well.
And the yoghurt sauce complemented the aromatic meat well.
We both completely cleaned our plates.
A couple of sweets with a Mediterranean twist to finish
After being tempted by the dessert menu, I ordered the Greek yoghurt cheesecake (£7.50) and Doug had the baklava rolls (£9).
Much to my delight, the server told me the cheesecake of the day was white chocolate and raspberry. I thought the biscuit base was buttery and crumbly, while the filling was sweet and rich.
The white chocolate wasn’t overpowering or too sickly sweet, and the raspberries were nice and tart.
However, the baklava was not what we expected. Instead of layers of filo pastry and chopped nuts, Doug was given two rolls of pastry filled with the chopped nuts, drizzled in honey and topped with chopped fruit.
The pastry rollers were quite crispy and flaky, making it difficult to eat. But he said the flavours were good and the chopped fruit with the nuts.
What was our verdict on the new Thistle Street restaurant?
Mediterranean is without a doubt one of the most aesthetic restaurants I’ve had the pleasure of dining in.
Everything about it was beautiful and I loved all of the décor. Sitting in the restaurant could make anyone forget they were actually in Aberdeen.
And the service was second to none. Despite the restaurant being full, all the servers were smiling and attentive. The food arrived promptly, and although it was a busy night we were not rushed from our table.
The food tasted fresh, vibrant and actually felt quite healthy (okay, apart from those puddings).
We didn’t leave there feeling heavy or sleepy like you sometimes do after a big meal, which made it perfect before the theatre.
I’m already planning on returning to Mediterranean for a girls night to share some small plates and a bottle of wine soon.
It is worth noting the menu has been changed since we visited — and I’m looking forward to trying some of the new dishes.
Information
Address: 24-26 Thistle Street, Aberdeen, AB10 1XD
T: 01224 973825
W: https://mediterranean.casa/
Price: £104.99 (including a service charge of £9.54) for two starters, two mains, two sides, two desserts, a glass of wine, a San Pellegrino, an espresso and a peppermint tea
Disabled access: Yes.
Dog friendly: Assistance dogs only.
Scores:
- Food: 4/5
- Service: 4.5/5
- Surroundings: 5/5
Conversation