Dining Italian in Aberdeen? Make sure you don’t overlook Al Fresco.
Formerly known as Aperitivo, the family-run restaurant’s name may be different, but its solid reputation for delighting Granite City foodies is still very much alive.
The Bon-Accord Street locale is easily accessible from the city centre. It’s surrounded by several other food and drink spots, but it certainly shines among its peers.
Opting for a meal before heading out on the town, a friend and I were pleased to find Al Fresco could squeeze us both in on a busy Saturday night service.
Did it set the tone for the night ahead? Absolutely.
The venue
First impressions are key when you visit somewhere new.
Stepping out of the cold and into Al Fresco’s warm and bright restaurant space, it’s safe to say our first impressions were excellent.
The smells from the kitchen were enticing, the atmosphere was jovial and the elegant, Art Deco style decor was garnered with plenty of lush greenery.
We were quickly welcomed to our table by our hospitable waiter for the evening.
Couples, families and group bookings were plentiful inside, showcasing the restaurant’s appeal for all types of occasions.
The scale of choice on the menu was large, with the restaurant’s dishes inspired by the flavours of Southern Italian cuisine (we did notice there were no pizza offerings however, which was fine for us, but perhaps worth noting in advance upon visiting).
Wine ordered, food choices made, we were offered a basket plump with bread to tuck into whilst waiting on our food arriving – nice touch.
The food
Expecting to wait a little while due to the number of guests inside, we were pleasantly surprised when our starters arrived very shortly after ordering.
I opted for the bruschetta. Three slices of lightly toasted garlic bread were topped with a generous portion of crushed tomatoes, olive oil, oregano and basil.
The presentation was excellent. Sprinklings of oregano were painted around the edges of the lovely, antique style plate which really lifted the look of the dish.
The flavours also didn’t disappoint, but I was glad to see that we had both olive oil and balsamic vinegar on the table to help ourselves with – the latter of which I duly did.
A few drizzles of this really brought the dish together with a sweet acidity, balancing out the earthier garlic and herbs.
Our other starter for the evening was the gamberoni piccanti (spicy prawns).
Also nicely presented, these pan-fried king prawns were cooked with garlic, lemon and chilli for a nice hint of spice.
The prawns were served in their shells, encasing their juicy, tasty flesh inside.
The lemon brought a refreshing zing to the dish and the levels of spice were certainly manageable.
Another astoundingly quick arrival saw my main order, spaghetti con pescatrice, land on my table in the blink of an eye – it’s lucky we were both ravenous.
This dish featured monkfish, king prawns, smoked pancetta and a saffron infused white wine sauce.
For me, the star of the show of was the monkfish. Perfectly cooked, meaty in size and brimming with flavour, every bite was a joy.
The pancetta brought a nice smoky contrast to the dish while the saffron infused sauce wrapped everything up in a coat of indulgence.
Penne vulcano was our other main meal for the evening. With its clue in the name, the dish arrived fiery red in colour with penne pasta soaking in a lava-like sauce.
Spicy salamis, mushrooms, roasted red peppers and red onion added colour and texture to the flavourful sauce.
The penne was cooked al dente, and though the dish looked spicy on the surface, instead it was herby undertones that brought depth to the dish and shone the most.
With nothing but clean plates left between us, we were both impressed.
Topping it all off with a few complimentary shots of limoncello on the house, this gave us a sharp, refreshing boost head out for the remainder of the night.
The verdict
Sometimes when you visit new restaurants, you can tell what you’re in for the minute you walk in the door.
With Al Fresco, this was certainly the case.
Excellent food (at decent value, too) matched with top service and a lively atmosphere inside making for a great overall experience – there were certainly no shortfalls.
Having visited Italy earlier this year, at times it felt as though I was back in the midst of an authentic ristorante.
For an Italian restaurant in Aberdeen, praise doesn’t come much better than this.
Information
Address: 15 Bon-Accord Street, Aberdeen, AB11 6EA
T: 07500 705431
Price: £70.85 for two starters, two mains and a bottle of wine.
Conversation