WITH its gothic looks dominating Belmont Street, Slains Castle has long been the eeriest place in town to get a bite to eat.

And it felt like my friend and I were entering a vampire’s lair on Saturday afternoon as we stepped into the shadowy and spooky bar.

However, the smell of yummy food dispelled any shivers down our spines.

Julia opted for baked potato with cheese and bacon (£3.45). While the potato was soft and the cheese was plentiful, the salad was a little bland and there could have been more bacon.

I opted for a feta and olive couscous salad (£5.45). The huge plateful was a little daunting.

However, the tasty combination of Moroccan couscous with raisins and chickpeas along with lashings of feta cheese and green olives, made the dish incredibly moreish.

As it was only lunchtime we thought we better not have dessert – until we noticed that it was buy one get one free.

Julia opted for the chocolate and orange pudding (£3.95). She found it light and tangy, and thought the portion size was just right.

I opted for the waffle and ice cream (normally £3.95). And the tasty treat, which was covered in a sweet toffee sauce, was a perfect size too.

My only gripe was that one part of it was so hard I couldn’t eat it.

Washed down with a pint of cider for Jules and a soda water and lime for me, Slains offered a filling and tasty meal for only £17.