Funny story: I was all set for a fancy dinner at what is probably Dundee’s fanciest restaurant, when the waitress told me there was no reservation made under my name.
What makes this story all the more embarrassing is that it was supposed to be a media review for the blog – I wanted the ground to enjoy a nice big dinner too, by swallowing me up.
We had a laugh with the manager about the mystery of it all and decided to reconvene at another time… so I’m hopeful that I can still bring you the fancy review but, meantime, I’ve blogged my thoughts on one of the newest additions to Dundee’s food scene, St Andrews Brewing Co (which is where we went instead).
Located on Shore Terrace, St Andrews Brewing Co is housed in the old City Arcade (which was a collection of shops and retailers). The inside is massive and is divided into the restaurant and a bar/pub. We only stepped inside the restaurant side, which has a very relaxed atmosphere – plenty of space, booth-like tables and an open kitchen. However, we were seated in what felt like a more sophisticated section, which ran down one wall – the smaller tables and moodier lighting created a more intimate vibe, enhanced by the handful of couples dining, and a trio of female friends laughing over dessert and a couple of bottles of wine.
The menu was pub-like but interesting. We chose tempura cauliflower (super crunchy and drizzled with a sesame soy sauce of sorts) and veggie nachos to start, followed by classic beef burgers and fries.
My husband exclaimed that his burger was amazing, the best one he’s had in a long time – he had bacon which definitely made his look better than mine! But I must agree, my burger was also very, very good. I would have liked a gherkin slice though (yes, in addition to the gherkin which was chopped into the sauce – I’m that sick person who likes extra pickles.)
We were surprised that the burgers came out piping hot – I’m not sure why, but it seemed a bit of a treat. Our hot burgers made it suddenly seem so obvious that other restaurants appear unable to serve burgers straight out of the pan, and we realised how much more enjoyable it was to bite into. Despite being so well cooked, the meat wasn’t ruined and, to the contrary, was pretty perfect.
We didn’t indulge in dessert but I would have chosen the vegan chocolate mousse. Instead, we finished our drinks. His was a beer (they have an excellent selection) and mine was a gin (called a Pink Fizz something-or-other, with grapefruit and soda – very fresh, very large, and very Instagram-able.)
All in all? A solid 8/10. The service, the burgers, and the drinks were spot on, but the starters weren’t particularly worth ordering. Maybe dessert would have been a wiser way to go… next time.
Image: Kris Miller.
The purpose of our visit was not a media review, even though it has ended that way!
