Old Blackfriars: Castle Street, Aberdeen

I DON’T think a bowl of soup by a roaring fire has ever seemed so tempting.

After traipsing round town in the bitter, biting cold in nothing more substantial than jeans and a jumper, I needed a good thawing.

So a hearth-side seat in this inviting city centre pub was just the ticket.

And the warm welcome was echoed by the friendly member of staff who immediately served us despite the place being heaving.

For the aforementioned soup I plumped for the spicy parsnip, honey and ginger number (£2.99) from the special festive menu.

They got the first part right – the flavour of the parsnip was nicely brought out by the subtle kick of the spice – but the ginger and honey flavours were slightly lost in the mix.

My girlfriend’s starter of nachos with chargrilled chicken (£5.49) was a bit of a disappointment – a stone-cold mound of crisps and cheese with a token dollop of salsa and sour cream.

But her disappointment quickly turned to joy when her main course arrived.

The house favourite chicken (£7.99) came wrapped in bacon, sprinkled in mozzarella and doused in a tangy BBQ sauce, and was promptly demolished along with the chips.

My chieftain haggis, neeps and tatties (£6.99) was equally tasty. You can’t really go wrong with Scotland’s national dish and Old Blackfriars certainly didn’t, with a deliciously creamy whisky sauce a lovely addition.