Korova: Bridge Street, Aberdeen

WALKING through town, I saw something wondrous – a bar that wasn’t packed to the rafters with singing footie fans.

Not knowing if I’d ever get another chance to dodge the World Cup, I dived into Korova and immediately ordered some loaded potato skins with cheese and bacon (£3.95) from the pleasant staff.

What arrived wasn’t potato skins, rather a huge hollowed-out potato, cut in half. It was filled to the brim with cheese and real, very decent, bacon, instead of that plastic stuff of questionable origin you can get. Served with a sour cream dip, it was a little greasy but very filling.

No such grease problems with some lovely breaded scampi (£5.95). The food was bone-dry and brilliantly crunchy. It was mainly for the girlfriend, but I couldn’t resist stealing a few and I’m usually not a great fan.

They take great pains here to draw your attention to the “hand-cut” chips that came with the scampi and my homemade Korova burger (£6.50).

I always view the “homemade” label with suspicion, thinking it’s largely meaningless. But seeing flecks of onion in my tasty, juicy burger, I can see what a difference being homemade makes. The crispy chips were meaty rather than cotton-wooly (you know the sort) and obviously not frozen – a welcome change.